Betta imbellis?

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Does anyone have experience keeping Betta imbellis, especially in a community tank?

In the past I've tried keeping the more common Betta splendens in community tanks, with mixed results. All of them took a while to adjust, as they were so out of shape from living in a tiny bowl. They just didn't have the strength and endurance to propel themselves around a full sized tank at first. Some eventually settled in and joined the community. One got his fins shredded by some fish tougher than he was; he had to get moved to private quarters. Others wore themselves out trying to bully the more nimble shoaling fish and gradually lost condition.

I 'm wondering if Betta imbellis would work better. I've heard they are less competative. It would be neat to actually be able to keep several Bettas in the same tank together. Obviously two male Betta splendens are a no go, and the compatibility of even male/female or interspecies communities is unpredictable. I also wonder if the less exaggerated fins of the imbellis might leave them better equipped to function in a large tank than most splendens.

Thoughts?

[Crazygar]

You might want to hunt down Freshfish here on the Forum (I'll let her know). She has kept them and has some good working knowledge with them.

Gary