Marine Bettas, Should I put one in my reef?

jhuggins · #1 10/17/2007, 09:10 AM

Does anyone have them in a reef tank? I have a 75 reef with a anthias and royal grama in it. My wife loves the Marine Bettas but is a 75 big enough? I have done some research and it says they are good in aggressive tanks, but they are not aggressive? Why is that? Thanks for your replies

crackeradam · #2 10/17/2007, 09:32 AM

from every thing I have read they are not reef safe. fish ony will work. The can be an aggresive fish but are kind of slow. They will hold there own with many fish But in general they don't mess with any body.

jhuggins · #3 10/17/2007, 12:25 PM

Why are they not reef safe? Do they eat coral? I know they will eat crabs and shrimp but what other reasons? Has anyone tried one?

AquaKnight407 · #4 10/17/2007, 01:09 PM

No, a lot of fish are passed off as 'not reef safe' because they will eat ornamental shrimp (cleaner shrimp, peppermint, etc). A marine betta is more then coral safe and will not bother snails or hermits.

A 75gal should be enough for one and you have good, semi-passive tankmates for it too (the gramma might be aggressive, add the betta with the lights off at night time). Make sure you get one that is eating though. Some won't and are fairly shy especially at first.

jhuggins · #5 10/17/2007, 01:36 PM

thanks for you help. Everytime we go into the fish store my wife is always watching Bettas. I want to get a fish that she is interested in so she will be more interested in reefing.

erendon · #6 10/17/2007, 03:42 PM

I have one in my 180 Reef. He has been there for about three years. YES, there is no such thing as reef safe. If he does not get enough food he would probably eat my hermits, cleaners etc.
He has not bothered any one in my tank. He comes out at night mostly so if you are plannig to see hime all the time, he is not your fish. I hope this helps.

SolidDetail808 · #7 10/17/2007, 03:48 PM

erendon- So it doesn't mess with the shrimps in your tank? I'm interested in a Betta also but I have Peppermint Shrimps.

willy21 · #8 10/17/2007, 04:21 PM

I have one in my 75 and it is the polar opposite of the normal betta it sits in the front of the tank and loves pellet food, which is strange in itself. A 75 is plenty of room for, but any shrimp that are small enough to be eaten will be, but it is the most entertaining feeding there is.

jhuggins · #9 10/17/2007, 04:31 PM

I only have one shrimp in the tank and it is a cbs. It is big and it bosses the other fish around plus I have lots of hiding placing.

willy21 what over fish do you have in your tank?

jhuggins · #10 10/18/2007, 02:29 PM

I decided to go get the fish on my lunch. It has to be the most beautiful fish I have ever had. It is about 3 inches and was only $20.00 I watched the fish store feed him a piece of shrimp. He was hanging out in the open the whole time.

pelochas · #11 10/18/2007, 03:06 PM

will the beta eat a coral banded shrimp that is very aggrressive?

LobsterOfJustice · #12 10/18/2007, 04:10 PM

Will these eat smaller fish?

willy21 · #13 10/18/2007, 05:02 PM

I have a gold stripe maroon, blue tang, snowflake eel, and flame flame angel. I have had a percula and cleaner shrimp with one before. If the small fish is active I think it would be safe.

erendon · #14 10/18/2007, 10:11 PM

I have two fire cleaner shimp in the tank.

erendon · #15 10/18/2007, 10:15 PM

Yes, it's said that they MIGHT eat smaller fish and shrimp. My bet would be getting one when they are small. They adapt better.

davidryder · #16 10/18/2007, 10:45 PM

Well they eat live fish and shrimp so I would be a little cautious about adding it...

siropa · #17 10/18/2007, 11:21 PM

at $20 that was a steal. I had one years ago in a reef tank and loved it in there.

m1enbo1 · #18 10/19/2007, 12:06 AM

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=1

that person has a marine betta in his reef. and i think its a 75g too

justinl · #19 10/19/2007, 12:52 AM

say good bye to your small fish. you realize the betta is a grouper dont you? or alternatively, if the other fish eat the food too fast, then that may pose a problem as well.

you did all of one day of research. in the future, for the sake of the fish in your tank and the fish you buy, please research a bit more thoroughly.

jhuggins · #20 10/19/2007, 08:19 AM

Who says I did one day of research? After doing my own research I decided to ask for other peoples opinion on this forum, that certainly doesn't mean that this is all of the research I have done, plus I have searched and asked this same question one two other forums! (I found out about the sale Saturday)

You might be correct when the Betta grows much bigger (right now it is the size of the royal grama) and can catch my royal grama I might lose a fish. I will feed tonight and see if it will take food.

OH yeah, I guess I never figured out that a Marine Betta grouper is a grouper, boy some people just don't want to see anyone else happy.

erendon · #21 10/19/2007, 10:19 AM

All and all, there are a lot of fish, eels, corals ect. that you need to take causion if you put it in your tank. Marine bettas ARE in the grouper family but people will have one if not more of the things that someone will alway give you their personal opinion , negative or positive. Sometimes we forget that we all started this hobby with a whole lot of wanting but not much knowledge about it. Go with what you want.

jmgpr7 · #22 10/19/2007, 10:26 AM

I have 1 and it's peaceful, with him theres 2 Cleaner shrimps and 2 fire shrimps. For me is a really nice fish and reef safe to. well that MO

jhuggins · #23 10/19/2007, 10:34 AM

Jmgpr7 do you have your betta in your 46 bow? That would be amazing I mean there is no way all of those shrimp could get away from him if he really wanted to eat them. Thanks for the imput. I have a big cbs and was hoping he wouldn't try to eat him.

tylorarm · #24 10/19/2007, 11:36 AM

i have a 6" marine betta in with a 2" dottyback, and he never bothers him. Also two cleaner shrimp added much after the betta, and lots of hermits. Doesn't seem to be very aggressive but gets his food when needed (pellets, mysis, squid, & prawn). if he starts doing a sideways dance near your gramma look out (they use their eye spot when hunting anticipating the fish to run away from the fake head). Very beautiful fish but comes out mostly under actinic (early afternoon and evening) only lighting. Not too fond the 400w MH lamps.

LobsterOfJustice · #25 10/21/2007, 10:16 PM

You've got me thinking about one of these now too. Lets hear some more experiences.

I guess it comes down to hit or miss though. We have had some replies that are fine with shrimp, others arent. I'm more worried about small fish though. Ocellaris, mandarin, chromis, etc.