# Betta Sorority in tank with a mirrored back?



## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

I'm having a disaster in my 45 gal tank, and may lose all of my fish.

Im trying to keep my head up, but i have a feeling they are all going to go to the big pond in the sky.

So, im considering plans for after, since i want to be entirely prepared.

My 45 gal has a mirror on the back that cannot be removed, or scraped off. Ive tried.

Im thinking of a betta sorority, though the mirror is what troubles me.
But since they can be in larger groups, would the mirror affect them?

And if it will, Ill need to paint the INSIDE of the tank. 
What paint will i need? Ive heard Krylon?
Im assuming ill need to use spray paint.
Any advice?

Id really rather not paint it, cause its going to be a hassle taping everything, and using plastic bags, though ill do it if i must, since this mirror backing is pretty much the bane of my tank.

Also, what fish would be good with the bettas?
I currently have a school of nine pristella tetras that are unaffected, they were still in QT, and are still.
Will these fish be okay with the bettas?
Also, cories? They were in my original plan.

And how many female bettas would i be able to fit in a 45 gal?

I know that ill need lots of cover, and thats okay, ill gladly go out and get more decorations/ hiding places.


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## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

Anyone have ANY advice?


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## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

I personally think the mirror will be a problem for the bettas. Every female I've ever owned would get excited and flare at a mirror, and where they will already have other female bettas in the tank to contend with, the stress of the mirror would likely be just too much.

As far as painting goes, I'm afraid I'm not much help. I've also heard that Krylon is aquarium safe, but I've never tried it myself. Maybe you could get a normal piece of glass or acrylic, paint the back, and then silicone it inside the tank with the unpainted side being in contact with the water. That way the paint would be sealed off from the water.

Cories are usually fine with bettas personality wise and many people do keep them as tankmates, but they like a lower temp (about 76 degrees verses the 80 degree temp favored by bettas) so the combination is not ideal. However, I did have cories in with a betta once for a short period of time and they got along wonderfully. The pristella tetras seem to have similar requirements to bettas so they'd likely be fine.

Hope that helped, and so sorry to hear about your current dilemma with the tank


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## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

Thank you! 
I really hate that mirrored back. I got it off Craigslist, and was getting a great deal, and they failed to mention it had a mirrored back...>.<
I may not even paint at all, just silicone a black plastic/background.
I'm really worried about adding paint, cause of toxins, unless someone can really convince me it'll be safe, or what to do to make it 100% safe.
Any advice on how many betta I could fit?
I've been reading and I've seen for a ten gallon people fit seven or eight? That seems a bit much, I was figuring five? So for a 45 gal? Along with a group of pristellas and a group of cories, maybe another school? 
I have no idea whether to go low or high with the number...


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## Pearl2011 (May 21, 2012)

Ill be absolutely no help whatsoever with the paint, so Im just going to skip that.
I always think 2 gallons per betta, so if it were just female bettas you could do 20. I had 5 in my ten gallon, then one turned out to be a male . . . so a half dead betta later I now have 4 in there. But with the pristella tetras and a school of 7 panda cories (your choice, but I just love panda cories. ADORABLE!!) according to AQ advisor that is 99%, but if you use live plants that would help with bio-load. 

I would say the pristellas and 15 bettas would be the best, but that just me. And maybe an algae eater like a BM pleco.


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## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

I actually have a rubber nose pleco, and a bristle nose pleco, they lived in the 45 before it went bad. They are doing great, no symptoms, and look like theyll pull though.

Where would i even get 15 female bettas?! I hardly ever see em, and i assume youd want them all about the same size, so there arent little ones to get picked on..
I cant order online, since i dont have a credit card. =/ 

But id like to have 10-15 female bettas, 9 pristella tetras, and 10-15 cories, [3-4 of each species i can find.]
This seems like the most ideal stocking to me, though its that many female bettas, preferably all different, is going to be hard!


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## Pearl2011 (May 21, 2012)

The pet store near doesn't have them often but one a little ways away has tons. When I got bubbles there was at least 15 and when I got the sorority I think there was about 10. 
There more pricey then males though, thank god for boxing day 50% off sales!!
And once you have the bettas you can tell them apart. Hope and Dawn look almost the same but you can tell. Heck, my freind can tell her head and light tetras apart. She has a way but I dont get it.


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## Jayy (Dec 23, 2009)

A sorority might be possible if you hide the back with lots of thick and or tall plants. I've never had a sorority myself, so I can't help with stocking. You might also get some more help if you post this thread on our sister site. Betta Fish and Betta Fish Care Your username and password will be the same.


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