Who Gives A Fish Forums

Just brought this Halfmoon Betta home from Petco today, he looks alright but I'm no expert - first Betta ever. Thought I'd get some opinions on him, any signs of fin rot or sickness I should know about?

Hi,

He looks good. I've got a few questions for you - tank size, is it cycled, and does it have a heater? What's your plan for feeding him? Also, are there any plants in the tank, and are they live or fake?

goldminer wrote: ↑Mon Apr 28, 2025 4:20 am Hi,

He looks good. I've got a few questions for you - tank size, is it cycled, and does it have a heater? What's your plan for feeding him? Also, are there any plants in the tank, and are they live or fake?

It's a 29 gallon tank. It's cycled, and I've got a fluval heater set to 78 degrees. I'm planning to feed him aqueon floating pellets. There's about 12 plants in the tank, I didn't mention if they're live or not, but I can add that if you want.

Hes solo in that 29 gallon, huh

Yeah, just him for now.

jaxon said:

goldminer said:

Hes in a 29 g on his own?

jaxon said:

Yes, for now.

jaxon said:

goldminer said:

Hes in a 29 g on his own?
Yes, for now.

I was thinking maybe some neon tetras, or harlequin rasboras, or maybe some corydoras catfish, I don't know much about stocking a 29 gallon tank, any suggestions?

goldminer wrote: ↑Mon Apr 28, 2025 4:20 am Hi,

He looks good. I've got a few questions for you - tank size, is it cycled, and does it have a heater? What's your plan for feeding him? Also, are there any plants in the tank, and are they live or fake?

I'm thinking of adding some livebearers, but if I notice any aggression, I'll separate him right away. Have you kept Betta Fish in a community tank before?

Yes I do.

Listen, the best advice on Bettas and tank mates is this: they're all different. Some are fine with others, some aren't. Some will kill everything, others won't. And then there are those that seem okay, but then just snap and go on the attack. Others get stressed, shy, and withdrawn, and you'll catch them glass surfing or biting their own fins.

Honestly, male Bettas are solitary fish. That's how they're best kept. Guppies, for example, are a terrible choice - those males have long, flashy fins just like Bettas. Neon tetras can be nippy too, and they'll go after the Betta's tail.

I've seen it happen - this one Betta killed a BN pleco. And get this, he even hates ping pong balls. But on the other hand, he couldn't care less about shrimp.

He looks great, fins and coloring are nice. No obvious signs of ich or columnaris that I can see. I've had experience with bettas in community tanks, and one thing I've found is that when the betta is the first fish in the tank, new additions can be seen as invaders. I've had more success when the betta is added last. There's a higher chance of aggression when adding new fish to a tank that already has a betta.

This might not happen with your betta, he might be fine with new fish. But it's something to consider. Be prepared for him to reject tank mates, but it's not always a rejection - it could just be him feeling like his space is being invaded. If it doesn't go well, try removing the betta, rearranging the tank, letting the other fish settle for a few days, and then putting him back in to see how it goes.

Thanks for sharing your experiences with keeping betta fish in a community tank. I really appreciate the advice, and I have to say, the way you described the different personalities of your betta fish was really helpful. I'm actually thinking of moving my betta to a 10-gallon tank, just to be on the safe side. I don't want to risk any problems with tank mates. Your betta fish sound like they have some pretty funny personalities, especially the one that killed a BN pleco! Thanks again for the advice.