Female Betta Questions

[Celura]

I have a 2g mirrored tank that I kept Sushi and then Alex in for awhile (both males). Sushi couldn't have cared less about the mirror, but it stressed Alex out really bad. I came home the first night and he'd lost all colour and was lethargic. I bought him a new 2.5g tank last night and now he's fine. He's regained all colour and is his normal, playful self.

I've never owned a female Betta, but I did see a couple that I liked at the LFS the other day. I know you can keep a couple of them together as they're not as aggressive as the males, and are usually kept in community tanks. I'm interested in possibly breeding them with my males one day, and was curious how they deal with mirrors. This is a nice tank and I would like to put it to some use. Can I put a couple females in there with some plants for hiding and what not and not worry about them stressing out with the mirror like the males do?

Thanks for your input.

[Jenny]

The answer to this is the same that it is with many betta questions: it depends on the personality of the fish. I would say that it is less likely for females to get stressed with a mirror than males, but still may be possible. One of my females flares at a mirror quite a bit when I put it up, but not enough to become stressed. There are also many males that would not be stressed by the constant mirror. I have one who completely ignores any mirror I give him.

Also be careful when putting only two females together. It is usually better to have more than that so the agression of the dominant one is spread between more than one other. However, it can work fine. I currently have two females and some tetras in a ten gallon tank, and they are doing fine, with only a little chasing and a few ripped fins. If you do get two females, I would suggest that you get them from the same community tank at the pet store, and not separate them for long before putting them in the tank. I separated mine overnight before putting them in, and they fought really bad when I first put them together. Then I took the aggressive one out for a day to let the other get some more control over the tank. Then when I put them back together there was much less fighting. Hope this kinda long story helps in making your choice.