# Sorority Agression



## EmilyN (Jan 22, 2012)

I released 6 females into my 10g on thursday. At first there was mostly chasing and hardly any bites.

Today I came home from work to find that one of the girls (who seems to get chased and bit more than the rest do) has had her fins torn pretty badly. I isolated the fish that I think is responsible. (she chases and bites most of the other girls as well, just not as bad)

Now I don't know what to do.
Should I take her (the biter) out of the sorority permanently and replace her with a new fish? Give it time and reintroduce her (if so how long should I wait?)? Let her go back in now and let them all figure out the pecking order? 

Please Help!


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## BettaFishLuver (Feb 5, 2012)

Some females are just more agressive than others... I have to be honest and say that I never have tried putting bettas with bettas together but I have put neons with my betta and he did pick on one a lot and even torn one's fin! I watched him and after a awile he got used to the little guys. You could try putting her back in with monitoration. If she is still just too aggressive consider getting her a tank of her own.  It may take a while for her to get used to the new company.


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## EmilyN (Jan 22, 2012)

This female has already torn almost all of the other girls's anal fins and two girls's caudal fins. 

I think she's gonna have to get her own tank. And I'm gonna get another girl to take her place in the sorority tank.


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

If you float her in a clear tubberware for a few days (just be sure to do 100% water changes daily to keep her water clean) and then reintroduce her, she might settle down some.


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## GunsABlazin (Jun 1, 2011)

+1 jkfish

iv had to do that with some of my girls. Float her for a week.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

Yep I had to float a naughty gal too. After a week she was fine.


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## GunsABlazin (Jun 1, 2011)

Also, how heavily planted is your tank? (fake or real)

Its not really recommended to have more then 4-5 girls in a 10 gallon.


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

GunsABlazin said:


> Also, how heavily planted is your tank? (fake or real)
> 
> Its not really recommended to have more then 4-5 girls in a 10 gallon.


6 is fine, I had 7 in a 10g. I moved them to a 14g, but still, six is fine.


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## EmilyN (Jan 22, 2012)

GunsABlazin said:


> Also, how heavily planted is your tank? (fake or real)


I have 5 small-ish sword plants, 2 java fern, 2 bamboo, 3 large fake plants, one small fake plant. 

I also have a reef deoration, 3 small glass cups, a fake tree stump cave thing, and a rock thet is leaned against the side of the tank that the girls can hide behind. Oh, and a martini glass filled with glass stones that my smallest girl likes to hang out in/next to.

Despite all of this, they mostly stay in the open areas.

Here is a pic of the tank


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

very colorful and creative. I love it. I think you have plenty of hiding spaces. I use 4 coffee mugs and they like those. I have 6 gals in a ten gallon. They had issues at first and I have wanted to give up several times, I tell you. These gals can be a pain but they are worth it. I don't know if I sound like a total idiot or not but I see you have two tall plants and no lid. I love my lid since it keeps debree out (I have three doggys) and the girls in. If you were able to put a lid on there you could also add another gallon or two of water it looks like. May help with the little bit of extra swimming room. Ignore me everybody if I sound goofy please I was just thinking.


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## EmilyN (Jan 22, 2012)

Shirleythebetta said:


> very colorful and creative. I love it. I think you have plenty of hiding spaces. I use 4 coffee mugs and they like those. I have 6 gals in a ten gallon. They had issues at first and I have wanted to give up several times, I tell you. These gals can be a pain but they are worth it. I don't know if I sound like a total idiot or not but I see you have two tall plants and no lid. I love my lid since it keeps debree out (I have three doggys) and the girls in. If you were able to put a lid on there you could also add another gallon or two of water it looks like. May help with the little bit of extra swimming room. Ignore me everybody if I sound goofy please I was just thinking.


Thank you for the advice, you definitely don't sound goofy. I have put some aluminum foil over the top for a lid (just until I can afford to buy a real one) and added more water.

I have the biter in a "betta condo' (without the dividers in). I'll keep her there for a week and then reintroduce her. Thanks for the advice everyone!


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

thanks Let us know how she does.


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## EmilyN (Jan 22, 2012)

Will do!


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## GunsABlazin (Jun 1, 2011)

When a tank is decorated as heavily as that, i can see having 6 or 7 girls would work safely.
Very nice tank!
Good luck with her.
If she is still aggressive, you can put her back in isolation for another week. I had to do it three times with one big female i got. Now she is a happy member of the sorority.


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## EmilyN (Jan 22, 2012)

My aggressive girl continued to be aggressive after a week in the betta condo. I took her back to petco today and traded her for a different fish.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

I'm sorry to hear that. Is the new fish another girl? If so, how is she doing?


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## EmilyN (Jan 22, 2012)

Yes, its another girl. She is floating in her cup in the sorority tank for now. She flared at the other girls at first but she has calmed down now. Hopefully she is a better fit for my sorority.


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## lauren5cents (Feb 20, 2012)

This is my first time on here and i dont know how to use it... marley my girl betta i think might be in trouble and i really need some advice!!


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## EmilyN (Jan 22, 2012)

What kind of trouble?


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## lauren5cents (Feb 20, 2012)

She has a lump on her throat and tummy area and i dont know what it is.. shes not pregnant because she hasnt had any contact with the male in the tank next to her. she acts normal too..


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

A picture would help, lauren5cents.  Her tummy could be big because she is eggy. Bettas dont get pregnant


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## lauren5cents (Feb 20, 2012)

thats as good as i can get her


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

She just has eggs from seeing the male next to her it looks like. But just in case, how often do you feed her?


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## lauren5cents (Feb 20, 2012)

once in the mornings and thats it


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## lauren5cents (Feb 20, 2012)

i didnt feed her today though because i didnt know what to do


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

Alright. She should poop out the eggs in few days. Feed her lightly until it goes down, then go to twice a day.


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## lauren5cents (Feb 20, 2012)

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! i was so worried about her. i just fed her a little and she ate that to pieces haha! i had a plastic plant it there that covered over her big tank but someone told me to take it out so i did. is that ok? do that like room to swim or to hide


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

What size is her tank? Plastic plants are fine, as long as you run over them with pantyhose to check if they could rip fins. Perhaps put a piece of paper between the males tank and the females  A place to hide will make for a happy betta, so if the plastic plant fails the test, get a silk one or rinse out a coffee cup


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## lauren5cents (Feb 20, 2012)

i think a gallon and a half. okay


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

Is the tank heated? What temperature is it? As long as you can keep your 1.5g at 77-82F and keep up with water changes twice a week, that tank is okay, but if you get a bigger one, such as a 5g, it's less water changes and for sure can be safely heated  Just thought I'd mention this.


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## lauren5cents (Feb 20, 2012)

i fill up a 5 gallon jug of water and let it sit for 72 hours and then fill up the tank the whole way so the water should be room temperature.


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## lauren5cents (Feb 20, 2012)

tank is not heated


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

I would purchase a small tank heater and a thermometer, as room temperature is cold to bettas, as they are tropical fish. Also, if you get water condtioner such as Prime or Nutrafin, you don't have to let the water sit for 72 hours, you can add it right away.


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## Bonbonisbff (Jan 1, 2012)

+1 to bettafish15


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## SilkySiren (Feb 21, 2012)

Shirleythebetta said:


> very colorful and creative. I love it. I think you have plenty of hiding spaces. I use 4 coffee mugs and they like those. I have 6 gals in a ten gallon. They had issues at first and I have wanted to give up several times, I tell you. These gals can be a pain but they are worth it. I don't know if I sound like a total idiot or not but I see you have two tall plants and no lid. I love my lid since it keeps debree out (I have three doggys) and the girls in. If you were able to put a lid on there you could also add another gallon or two of water it looks like. May help with the little bit of extra swimming room. Ignore me everybody if I sound goofy please I was just thinking.


That is a very pretty set up!  I have to second the need for a cover though...I had a female
jump out of a 16G rect. tank (about 20 inches high) unexpected when I was rearranging plants, and picking her off the tile (thank god it wasnt carpet) was horrifying...but, she lived & acted like nothing happened..silly girl! 

Keep at this....once you get a group who settles their issues, it's amazing watching them
all live together!


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## Jaysbettas24 (Feb 22, 2012)

EmilyN said:


> I released 6 females into my 10g on thursday. At first there was mostly chasing and hardly any bites.
> 
> Today I came home from work to find that one of the girls (who seems to get chased and bit more than the rest do) has had her fins torn pretty badly. I isolated the fish that I think is responsible. (she chases and bites most of the other girls as well, just not as bad)
> 
> ...



I read through all of your comments, there is a strong possibility that the female you though tyou had was actually a male betta. When they are bought from the store/petco they are usually tiny and grow after some time. I bought 4 female betta's for a kids bday party and ended up keeping 2 of them because it was our kids bday and they really wanted them. They both got along fine than after a month had past the red betta was pecking at the blue one alot. the blue one was always hiding. Than I went to remove the blue one from the tank and she was missing. I'm not sure if betta's can eat other betta, but she vanished. Now today we just purchased tropical community fish, we have 9 new members. When I was at the store I asked if one of the betta's i seen at the store wqas a female, and he said no, that it was a male. That male looked the same size and fins as the one I already had at home. Keep in mind she (or he) was tiny when purchased and they can't really always tell the difference. Some have short fins. Anyways, we put all the fish in the tank and the only one acting up[ was the one we had before the new members. We have 3 betta females and purchased a male, but now we have 2 males separated. its amazing. Guppies are hilarious and so fast and fun. One of the betta females is as tiny as they are and she is chasing them around being curious. I have to keep my eye on the small one. lol, but from seeing your tank I realized we need much more hiding places for them, and we can have fun in doing this.


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## Jaysbettas24 (Feb 22, 2012)

Jaysbettas24 said:


> I read through all of your comments, there is a strong possibility that the female you though tyou had was actually a male betta. When they are bought from the store/petco they are usually tiny and grow after some time. I bought 4 female betta's for a kids bday party and ended up keeping 2 of them because it was our kids bday and they really wanted them. They both got along fine than after a month had past the red betta was pecking at the blue one alot. the blue one was always hiding. Than I went to remove the blue one from the tank and she was missing. I'm not sure if betta's can eat other betta, but she vanished. Now today we just purchased tropical community fish, we have 9 new members. When I was at the store I asked if one of the betta's i seen at the store wqas a female, and he said no, that it was a male. That male looked the same size and fins as the one I already had at home. Keep in mind she (or he) was tiny when purchased and they can't really always tell the difference. Some have short fins. Anyways, we put all the fish in the tank and the only one acting up[ was the one we had before the new members. We have 3 betta females and purchased a male, but now we have 2 males separated. its amazing. Guppies are hilarious and so fast and fun. One of the betta females is as tiny as they are and she is chasing them around being curious. I have to keep my eye on the small one. lol, but from seeing your tank I realized we need much more hiding places for them, and we can have fun in doing this.


plus we need a lid and more water, learned a few new things thanks everyone.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

That was a good thing to add.  Didn't think about the "could be male" possibility.


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