18" tall 55G - Male Betta - Too Deep 4 Betta? Exp Adv N

[ahmandi2]

I would like to get some more female bettas eventually and place them in our 55 gallon tank. It's 18" high. someone told me that they'd not be able to handle the depth, that it would kill them. I would of course have plenty of ledgy, hanging plant, leafy area at the surface for them to rest in. I did have 2 females in there and they were FINE with the depth...it was the ich & bacterial infection that killed them...we think.
Anyway, I was also THINKING of putting my male in there instead of a couple of females. Has anyone had betta's in a deep 55 gallon (or more) tank, and how did that go?[

[starsplitter7]

One of my Bettas lived in a 29 with lots of plants with no problems. It is as deep as my 55. I have one in my 20 with plants. He always sleeps in the plants.

[Crissyloach]

Go for it. As long as you have hiding places, and plants at the surface, you should be good.

[Diana]

The problem with deep tanks is when they breed. The male dives down and collects the eggs that fall out of the nest. This is much easier for him if the water is less than a foot deep.
Just for these fish to live in a tank 18" deep is not a problem at all.

[ahmandi2]

Thank you for the info everyone. I'm thinking of putting him in this weekend; if he doesn't like it then I'll put him back in his private tank (no it's not a paper cup)...he lurves his 2.5 gallon and all the fake plants in there )