# Adding to a sorority



## CLCDiver (Nov 16, 2012)

I just established my first ever betta sorority. 4 females who were all introduced to the tank together (first given only visual access to each other, then allowed to explore freely). After a few days of chases and a bit of fin nipping they had settled down quite nicely (especially after adding some rasboras, which seemed to distract the bettas from each other).

But I'm currently fighting an attack of columnaris, and have already lost two of my females. The two remaining females aren't bothering much with each other, but everything says you should not keep only 2 females together. What I'm wondering is what is the procedure for adding new females to a tank with existing females who already have staked their claim on the tank?

(Of course, this is assuming that the treatment is successful and I wouldn't dream of adding more fish until the tank is healthy again.)


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

First off, I'm so sorry you're tank has had an outbreak.  Best of luck to you and your remaining fish. Sorry for all the losses..

What I've heard, you're supposed to move the decorations around to different places in the tank. That way, you can start all over with the new females and current. And to let them acclimate to the current ones, you have to float them with each other. Make sure they see each other and the floating intro is supposed to last 2-6 days.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Yes move the decorations around but also figure out what led to the outbreak.


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

When I added one of my girls afterwards, my girls had no problem adjusting with her, just nipped fins. Didn't move anyone out or rearrange do to live plants, which take forever to rearrange.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

You had one of those rare cases.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

I just added to my sorority without moving decorations or existing fish today and have no problems with any of that, they are trying to establish a pecking order with flaring and what not, but arent really nipping or chasing too much. Maybe I just got lucky and have all calm females?


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Some people have success with what is not reccomended. Glad it worked out.


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## Xeek (Sep 28, 2012)

The EXACT same thing happend to me. Except I went from 6 females down to 3, and then the 3rd one had to be moved to another tank and also died of infection.

The remaining to bettas seemed to get along perfectly for several days even shoaling some. Eventually one began to pick on the other and the less aggressive one got nipped nicely.

My theory is after the most aggressive female or both females realize they are the only two in the tank and the other females are gone, that is when the aggression balance is knocked off kilter. Without more bettas to spread the aggression around one betta will pick on the other and no other bettas around to keep her on guard.

The trick is to have bettas that want to attack, but rather than attack they're more distracted about being on guard with other bettas around. That's the theory around spreading out the aggression.

After several days you may noticed a problem. I recommend buying some more girls like I did. I started over. I'm now back up to 4 girls in the tank together. It's a 16 gallon so I bought 3 more girls which are in holding tanks. I don't add them to the group until the stress from transport and petshop tinkering has gone down and they are comfortable.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

I think with less in the tank avalible room was too much and they did not know how to get along and the weaker one was bold enough to invade and lost.


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## Xeek (Sep 28, 2012)

They have such complex personalities. Moving decorations around and all that is probably best if adding one to a sorority. If you add more then one then moving things around isn't as necessary.


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

Xeek said:


> They have such complex personalities. Moving decorations around and all that is probably best if adding one to a sorority. If you add more then one then moving things around isn't as necessary.


I like to add 2 at a time now because things go so smooth when I do. If the new females are smaller than the girls it is even better it seems, as not one nip when I added 2 juvi females a couple weeks ago. For some reason after they were added it has been like peace in the Middle East. Sorority Zen has been reached. Ive had to put 2 females in a divided 10g because sorority life was not for them, they did not play well with others and needed an apartment. Ive have also found that a female betta get v stripes quick if another female is introduced nearby while conditioning. A lil jealousy for the males attention can make them pretty crazy.


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## Xeek (Sep 28, 2012)

I've also noticed a change in behavior under special circumstances that can mess with your fragile sorority. I had a female that was getting obese and I only fed the other females and ignored her. I only planned todo this for 3 days then gradually give her back the same amount of food as the others.

She became overly aggressive when she used to be docile. I think she felt she had to be more competitive to get food. It temporarily changed her. I moved her to a tank by herself for a good while and with my second start of a sorority she is being one of the more docile ones again.

So jealousy and competition can play a role in a betta's behavior it seems.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Humans build sorieties too.


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## Xeek (Sep 28, 2012)

I wish I could go to one of their parties. Considering I was the only male. :-D


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## CLCDiver (Nov 16, 2012)

Thanks for all the advice. I'm still keeping an eye on tank health. Tomorrow (today, actually, since it's past midnight) is the last day of the 5 day Maracyn 2 treatment. My girls are still looking stressed, though not as often, and my alpha female found an old shell to hide in which scared the crap out of me when I couldn't find her.

I'll probably get two new girls tomorrow. By the time they're out of quarantine, I should be reasonably certain that the main tank is healthy. If not, then they'll just have to spend longer in quarantine. Separated, of course.

I'll definitely try rearranging the tank. And I'll do the same floating introduction that I did last time.

Thanks again for the help.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Real floating plants live or silk would be nice.


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## CLCDiver (Nov 16, 2012)

I have a few real plants, although only one is floating and none are particularly good hiding places. They do disrupt the line of sight on the bottom half of the tank (the tank is new-ish and they're not tall yet). For hiding places, I have one cave, and a couple of lean-to like hiding places where they can get away from each other but I can still see them.

I'm done medicating the tank, and my new females are waiting in quarantine for me to be certain that everybody is healthy and flaring at each other.

So far there hasn't been any real increase in aggression between the two females left, but they're both still showing stress lines, which worries me. Ah, well. Hopefully that'll pass by next week.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

What species are they?


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## CLCDiver (Nov 16, 2012)

I have an anubias, an anacharis, and something that i don't know the name of but is tall and quick growing, with thin leaves that look a bit like smallish pine needles


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Anarchis will really help.


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