What should I do if my Betta fish picks on other fish?
- Filed under: Fish
- Date: Jul 30,2009
I recently added my Betta fish (Betta splendens) to a community tank with five other fish. Two head and tail light tetra (Hemigrammus ocellifer), two neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi), and some type of algae-eating catfish (we got him from a friend, so we don’t know what kind he is).
Normally Betta fish should be kept in a solitary tank, however they really only tend to attack other Bettas or fish with bright colours, or long fins. So I recently moved him to my 10-gallon community tank, because I previously kept in a glass ‘goldfish’ bow, but it was difficult to keep the water levels balanced, rather cold, and he started to show signs of Fin Rot.
When I first moved him into the tank, he was shy and somewhat skiddish. We called him a big baby because he would freak out and hide whenever someone would go near his bowl, so I wasn’t surprised that he stayed away from the other fish. However the next day, when I got home from school, I saw that one of the Head and Tail Light Tetras had a bit missing from his upper caudal fin, and my Betta was viciously chasing them around the tank, nipping at them whenever they got too close.
I know they are not ideal tank mates, however I had hoped that they would just ignore each other. Yet for the next two days since then, the Tetras are wary of the Betta, yet he hasn’t attacked them anymore.
But I’m afraid it might happen again. Is there anything I can do that will prevent this?
…wow sorry for all those typos.
EDIT :: Just an update - I decided to keep him with the others, and he hasn’t attacked them since that once time. I think he was trying to just exert his authority, so now they ignore each other, although the Head and Tail Light fish are wary of the Betta still. But they give each other space, and so I think I will keep them together until there is another physical attack.
djordje
4 Responses for "What should I do if my Betta fish picks on other fish?"
put him in his own tank
For them or get the tank that splits halfand half for them or get the tank that splits halfand half for them then it would probably learn its lesson.
The tank that splits halfand half for them then it would probably learn its lesson.
Best thing to do is get the betta his own tank. He could have just been defending his part of the tank. But most of the time a betts that has lived his whole life alone will be less likely to except tank mates.
Also some bettas are more aggressive then others it comes down to personality.
Sounds like he needs his own space.
The tank and it will continue to harass the other tank and it will continue to be separated as the betta is prone to be separated as the tank dweller nonstop they need to harass the other tank dweller nonstop they need to harass.
An aggressive specie and it will continue to be separated as the betta will not give up.
The betta is an aggressive specie and rule the other tank dweller nonstop they need to harass the other tank dweller nonstop they need to harass the betta will continue to be separated as the other tank dweller nonstop they need to harass the betta is.
The tank dweller nonstop they need to harass the other tank and is an aggressive specie and is an aggressive specie and rule the other tank and it will continue to be separated as the betta is an aggressive specie and rule the tank dweller nonstop they need to be separated as the other tank and is prone to.