Siamese Fighter? Alone? - Paw Talk

RoxyFish · #1 11-22-2003, 10:04 AM

For the past 6 or so months I've been keeping an abandoned Siamese Fighter in a tank by itself. The other day I found him dead, and I was gutted. I would like another but before I get one, I want to just ask, is it possible that it was because he was on his own that he died? Do they get lonely?
My friend works in an Aquirium, and he gave me the fish when one of his persona tanks exploded and it had nowhere to go..he said it would be fine by itself....is this true? Or did I accidently kill my gorgeous fishi?????
If they are better with other fish, what would you advise I get to go with him?
I would put him in my other tank but I have Black Widow/Black Skirt tetras in there and as far as I know, they don't get along with each other?

dragonmaster · #2 11-22-2003, 12:05 PM

fighting fish do very well on there own for everything that I've seen. It is more likely that he was either old or sick. They can get sick in ways that you'll never even be able to tell until it's too late. I'm sorry for your loss.

Catherine · #3 11-22-2003, 12:48 PM

Sorry about your fish. They do do ok on their own. But if you want to put one in with other fish you need to choose fish that don't chew on others fins. We have one in with some Platys and he does fine with them.

RoxyFish · #4 11-23-2003, 08:01 AM

Thank you...and I'm glad being on his own didn't kill him. I feel better about the whole thing now...

AmberC · #5 01-04-2004, 12:16 PM

Bettas do NOT go well with other bettas. If you want a male and a couple females (be sure to have more than one female!!!) that would be ok, but NEVER EVER EVER put two males together. They will kill eachother. As far as putting them with community fish, like others said, make sure you put him in with docile fish that will not peck his fins. Also do not put him with guppies as sometimes male bettas confuse guppies as other male bettas because of the fancy fins and will attack them. Bettas are very territorial.

What kind of tank did you have it in? Or did you just do a betta bowl? Did you have filtration? Just out of curiousity because there are a lot of misconceptions about bettas and how they can survive and live.

RoxyFish · #6 01-04-2004, 12:32 PM

I had him in a small-ish tank, with a filter and a heater. It was pretty much a normal tropical tank....apart from it didn't have any other fish in it. It was keep him in there or with some pretty nippy fish. I'm saving up for the new bi-orb that's just come out over here and I think that when I get that a Siamese fightrt will do well in that.

AmberC · #7 01-04-2004, 07:46 PM

I'm not sure what the bi-orb is. A betta will do well in a small tank. Even just one gallon as long as its the only fish. (Normally you need a gallon for every inch of fish) But one by itself in a gallon will be fine. They DONT need air or even a filter, but its better to have them. Healthier for the fish. I was just curious about the habitat you had it in... I dont think you were doing anything wrong.

Formula86 · #8 02-22-2004, 05:33 AM

i don't think it was you. i had my betta for about 4 years and he lived his whole life in no more than a gallon of water. i just put plants in there (smooth ones so his fins wouldn't get caught) and rocks. i also had a stick on thermometer (they like it at about 78 degrees Farenheit). i think your fish was sick or just old. sorry for your loss.

Tmarie · #9 02-22-2004, 08:15 AM

they do better alone.. i had one for a year until my roommate's boyfriend taunted him so much with a mirror while I wasn't there that he went psycho and killed himself...

I am truly sorry but I wouldn't recommend putting two together.

Miss_Skelter · #10 04-08-2004, 10:30 AM

I would definately NOT recommend putting two of these fish together in a tank, they will only fight, and hurt or kill each other!

elfomatic · #11 04-08-2004, 10:39 AM

Unless they are females ...

Miss_Skelter · #12 04-08-2004, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elfomatic


	Unless they are females ...

That is correct

My boyfriend has bred these fish and it's really rare for two males to tolerate each other.

Pure14K · #13 04-09-2004, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elfomatic


	Unless they are females ...

Unless you plan on breeding bettas, you don't want to even put a female in with a male... Unless you have a large tank with 5+ females in with the male... The male will attack/kill a female also...

Chinchilla_Girl · #14 04-09-2004, 05:08 PM

It wasn't you or the fact that he was alone...many times you can't tell when a fish is sick until it is too late. The only things I can diagnose are malnutrition and ICK in fish. I once had a betta in a little kid's aquarium with no filter or heater, but I kept it clean and he did just fine. About 6 months after I got him, my house was broken into and everything was stolen. I called the police and when they came I started to describe some of the things that were missing. The officer stopped me at one point and asked me if I was missing a fish! I looked over at the mantel and sure enough, even the fish was gone! They told me they recovered a few things in a plastic bag that was left in a nearby empty lot and I would have to come down and identify it. I went and found my stereo, phone, a few odds and ends and my fish! They had dusted everything for fingerprints including the fish tank! The water was so black from the finger print dust, you couldn't even see my betta! There was only 1 inch of water left in the bottom of it. I took him home and added clean water slowly over time and then when I felt it was safe enough, I changed the water altogether, scrubbing out the tank and replacing the rocks. He lived for 2 more years after that! Bettas are hardy fish, living alone is not going to kill him. He was either old, or had some other disease you were unaware of. Don't beat yourself up over it! It wasn't your fault

sungmina · #15 04-13-2004, 09:40 PM

It is known that you should not keep a male betta with another male, but you should also not keep a female or any number of females with a male betta except if you are trying to breed, despite the tank size. I used to breed bettas every once in a while and the only bettas that can stay together are females with other females *sometimes* but some females fight as well. If a male and a female are kept together, then they will just stress eachother out and it is not healthy for either one, best bet for a tankmate would be ones that do not nip fins like the suggested platys above, mollies may also be okay...no tetras, goldfish, or semi aggressives such as angelfish/gouramis ... bettas live very well as solitary animals.