Betta fish are famous for their bright colors, glorious finnage, and intelligent nature. In fact, these tropical fish are so beautiful you might wonder how many betta fish you can keep in a 10-gallon tank. After all, just imagine how gorgeous your 10-gallon tank would look with a few of these glamorous creatures swimming around in it!
However, these flamboyant characters are also known as Siamese Fighting fish for a very good reason. Basically, if you put more than one male betta in an aquarium, they will certainly fight, potentially to the death.
That said, you can use a 10-gallon tank to keep two male bettas, provided you use an opaque tank divider to keep the fish separate. Alternatively, you could keep a sorority of up to five female betta fish in a 10-gallon aquarium.
Keep reading to learn how many betta fish in a 10-gallon tank works. You might be surprised by the answer!
Can You Keep More Than One Betta In A 10-Gallon Aquarium?
Bettas splendens are energetic fish that are native to tropical climates. These fish inhabit murky waters in the wild, where they often hide amongst plants and debris. Though this may not sound like the ideal fish habitat to the uninitiated, bettas are very hardy fish that can adapt to a wide range of water conditions.
One thing to note, though, is that these are typically solitary fish. In the wild, bettas will only come together to mate and will quickly return to their own territory afterwards. This means that bettas in captivity should generally be housed in separate tanks unless you intend to breed them.
That said, keeping more than one betta in a 10-gallon fish tank is possible, as long as you care to create a habitat that meets the needs of these fish. Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re considering stocking a 10-gallon tank with multiple bettas.
Betta Sororities
Although you can’t keep two male betta fish in the same tank, I’ve had success keeping a group of female bettas together.
A group of female betta fish is usually called a sorority. Now, I know the girls can be feisty, but they’re nowhere near as aggressive as their male counterparts. You usually find that one female is dominant, but once the pecking order in the group is established, the sorority is relatively harmonious.
My betta sorority lived happily in a community tank for several years with no problems. At one time, I also had a male betta splendens with them, which also worked well. The male betta loved building bubble nests and, eventually, paired off with one of the females and spawned successfully.
Aside from a few minor squabbles among the ladies, I never witnessed any aggression between the bettas.
Take Gender Into Account
Generally speaking, bettas are territorial fish that will defend their space quite aggressively. This is especially true of males, who are known to be particularly combative with one another. For this reason, most experts recommend against keeping more than one male betta in a single tank. The safe option is to only keep female bettas together, as they are much less likely to fight.
If you’re set on keeping multiple bettas in a community fish tank, betta sororities are likely to be your best bet. These setups feature multiple female betta fish living together in harmony. The key to a successful betta sorority tank is introducing the fish to the tank gradually, giving them time to get used to one another. Though bettas may look like harmless, colorful, 2-inch fish, in reality, they can do a lot of damage to one another when they fight.
Make Sure To Use Dividers
If you intend to house multiple male bettas in a single tank, you’ll need to use dividers to keep them apart. Dividers come in all shapes and sizes, so you should have no trouble finding one that fits your 10-gallon tank. Just make sure to choose a sturdy and escape-proof divider that also allows adequate amounts of water to flow through.
Dividers are highly recommended for tanks housing multiple male bettas because these fish will often fight to the death if given the chance. Short of using a separate tank for each fish, dividers are the next best way to keep these fish apart and prevent them from injuring or killing one another. By using dividers, you allow your male betta to engage in healthy activity and exercise without worrying about harming one another.
Keep Up With Tank Maintenance
Regardless of how many betta fish you have in your 10-gallon tank, it’s important to ensure that your tank’s water quality is up to mark. Keeping your tank water clean is essential for the health of your fish, and bettas are no exception. Start by creating ideal water conditions for your bettas. Use a water conditioner that is designed to remove harmful toxins from your tap water, and be sure to maintain the ideal water temperature for these fish.
Next, you’ll need to perform basic tank maintenance regularly. This includes things like cleaning the tank, changing the filter, and doing water changes. These simple tasks will go a long way in keeping your water parameters healthy and your bettas happy. Leftover food, fish waste, and other debris can quickly pollute a small fish tank, so it’s important to stay on top of your maintenance routine. This is especially the case when you have fish susceptible to water quality issues, like bettas.
How Many Bettas Can You Keep In A 10 Gallon Aquarium?
Now that we’ve gone over some of the basics, let’s answer the question: how many bettas can you keep in a 10-gallon tank? The answer depends on the gender of the fish and whether or not you intend to use dividers.
Number of Female Betta Fish
If you want to keep a betta sorority, you can safely keep 4-5 female bettas in a 10-gallon fish tank. Keeping less than four bettas together is not recommended, as this makes the weaker betta fish more vulnerable to being bullied by the more dominant female. However, you shouldn’t keep more than five bettas together, as this can lead to overcrowding and water quality issues.
Though female bettas are far less likely to fight than males, they can still be territorial. For this reason, it’s important to provide them with plenty of hiding spots and places to call their own. This can be in the form of live plants, rocks, and driftwood, or you can use artificial decorations like caves and tunnels. By providing your female bettas with plenty of places to hide, you can help reduce the risk of territorial disputes.
Number of Male Betta Fish
As previously mentioned, male bettas are aggressive fish species that often fight to the death. If you do not intend to use dividers, you shouldn’t keep more than one individual betta fish in a 10-gallon tank. However, if you use a divider, you can safely keep 2-3 male bettas in a 10-gallon tank. Make sure each tank segment is at least 3 gallons, giving every single betta fish plenty of space to move around and exercise.
Because proximity causes males to act aggressively towards one another, it is important to ensure that the dividers are completely opaque and secure. Even seeing one another can trigger fighting behavior in these feisty aquarium fish, so please minimize their visual contact with one another as much as possible.
What Happens When You Stock A Betta Tank Wrongly?
Despite all the information available on stocking a betta tank correctly, many people still make common mistakes. Here are some of the issues you may run into if you don’t stock your 10-gallon betta tank correctly.
Overcrowding
Every fish care guide stresses the importance of not overcrowding your fish tank. But what really happens when you do? Well, the most glaring issue is that it creates a ton of stress for your bettas. In the wild, these fish live in sprawling rice paddies and don’t have to worry about running into another betta. When you stick them in a small tank with little to no hiding spots, they constantly feel like they’re in danger.
This stress weakens their immune system and makes them more susceptible to diseases. If you notice your bettas constantly flashing or trying to bite their fins, this is a sure sign that they’re stressed out. Not to mention, a crowded tank also means more waste and debris, which can quickly lead to water quality issues. Picture a tiny tank with a dozen fish in it, and you’ll see why it’s so important to avoid overcrowding.
Placing A Male And Female Together
This may surprise some, but you should never place a male and female betta together in the same tank unless you’re trying to breed them. The idea of a fish couple living together in perfect harmony is popular but not realistic. In the wild, male and female bettas live in separate areas and only come together to mate.
You shouldn’t keep a male and female together because most male bettas will harass their female counterparts. He will nip at her fins, possibly injure her, and just generally make her life a living nightmare. Even if the male betta doesn’t hurt the female, the stress of constantly being chased will take its toll on her health. So, unless you’re a professional breeder trying to breed bettas, it’s best to stick with same-sex tank mates.
Choosing the Wrong Tank Mates
Some fishkeepers might have heard that certain types of fish make good tank mates for bettas. This may be true, but there are also a lot of misconceptions out there. For instance, many people believe that keeping a school of small fish will help diffuse aggression in male bettas. While this may work in some cases, it’s definitely not a foolproof method.
The problem with bettas is that their behavior toward fish of different species is very unpredictable. Some bettas will get along just fine with their tank mates, while others will become aggressive for no apparent reason. Therefore, you need to do a lot of thorough research, and consider the unique temperament of your betta. Just because a certain type of fish is compatible with most bettas, doesn’t mean that it will necessarily get along with your particular betta
The Bottom Line
The number of betta fish you can stock in a 10-gallon tank will depend on a myriad of factors, such as fish gender, the presence of dividers, and tank maintenance. Assuming that you intend to use dividers and your tank is well-maintained, you can safely keep up to 3 male bettas in a 10-gallon tank. And if you intend to create a betta sorority, you can keep up to 5 female bettas in the same tank.
Be that as it may, it’s always better to err on the side of caution when stocking a tank. Take note of the risks associated with overcrowding and choose your tank mates carefully. After all, the goal is to create a safe and healthy environment for your bettas!
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