# Betta with platys care HELP (ten gallon planted tank)



## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

I have recently gotten a dragon scale betta with 4 platys in my ten gallon. i am somewhat of a experienced fish keeper (kept tetras). my tank is clean well maintained with plants. 
- my Betta keeps chasing my platys but doesn't seem to nip but can get somewhat aggressive with it. 
- he deosnt flare at them will chase them
- now my platys are getting kind of agressive towards each other
-what do i do please help
- also how much should i feed my fish i'm kind of figuring that out right now (pellets) (one betta and 4 platys)[/SIZE][/SIZE]


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## Lunatic (Jan 23, 2018)

Hello! I am welcoming you to the forum! :wave:

Firstly, you are overstocked for this tank size.
Platys can be kept in ten gallons, but not with a betta and in this quantity. They have high bioloads that will pollute a ten gallon and cause problems.
Bettas also may become problematic with platies, in the long run, they also aren't temperature compatible. I would rehome the platy.

You have aggressive platy because you must have more than one male without enough females.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

lunatic: thank you for the reply, but i have a vacuum thingy that doesn't take out water but takes out waste with a syphen and i do it everyday i have perfect water conditions just checked.
- but how should i fix aggression on platys? all my other platys are very happy besides the one aggressor should i just remove him and replace him with a calmer platy?
- the reason i went with male platys because they are a whole inch smaller than females and would not intimidate the betta and produce less waste.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Some Betta are not meant to have tank mates; that's why it's important to have a back-up plan. In your scenario the best you can do is re-home the Platys or get the Betta his own tank or have a trio of Platys of one male and two females. This constant aggression is, as pointed out by Lunatic, sexual in nature as you are trying to force four male Platys to live in an unnatural environment.

According to AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor you are not overstocked but at 88% capacity and should be doing one 25% water change per week.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

ahh thank you russel! 
- also my betta is a somewhat juvi, about a year it looks like, will he become aggressive?
- also should i add anacharus to top of my tank?
- also i do do 20% water changes and add some bacteria if i go over that to not mess up the cycle.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Can you post a photo of your tank? A Betta-based community tank needs to be well-planted.

Since the nitrifying bacteria is contained on surfaces and in the filter and not in the water, you can do a 100% water change without harm. There's no need to add any bacteria when you do water changes.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

how do i take picture? hahaha srry... 
- and thank u about the water changes i didnt know that 
- also my plants are fake


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

To embed a photo click on "Go Advanced" and then either the paper clip in the tool bar or Manage Attachments.

Fake plants are fine as long as they are soft and don't have ragged edges. Silk is better than plastic but I've seen some really nice, pliable plastic plants on the market.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)




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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

no reflection in far left that is another moss ball
- would you like me to take a side photo too?


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

woooowowowoowow my agressive platy gave my peaceful platy fin rot. should i just get 3 female platys instead and just return males?
- if i do that should i pull my betta out to ( for the territorial purposes) so he wont think the whole tank is his when making the transition?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I would get three females and keep one male.

I never remove my Betta when I add new fish. Never have had issues. Float the bag in a dark tank (covering with a towel is helpful). Release the fish into a dark tank and leave lights off for at least an hour. Allowing a bag to float in a lighted tank encourages Betta aggression/frustration.

BTW, very, very nice tank set-up. A great Betta-based community tank!


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

thank you very much, just realized with some research my beta had fin rot from the store (fins like that are not normal). i was thinking of taking him out and treating him for a weak( fin rot isn't severe bad) in a one gallon (i don't think i can afford any larger) while the platy females establish the tank in his absence.
-would this be okay?
- also would 3 females work? im woried that betta will chase to kill the fry, he might start to do the same towards the adult platys... but if all female no fry right?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Show a photo of him flaring if you can. Sometimes people mistake fin biting for fin rot. However, for fin rot the treatment is clean water. So if he has it then you'd up your water changes to 50% twice per week or if Ammonia hits .25ppm.


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## mjfa (Apr 23, 2018)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> This constant aggression is, as pointed out by Lunatic, sexual in nature as you are trying to force four male Platys to live in an unnatural environment.
> 
> According to AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor you are not overstocked but at 88% capacity and should be doing one 25% water change per week.


When you're dealing with platties 3-Fem's to 1-Male is a rule of thumb, although not written on rock nor with Bettas.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

so i dont need to isolate him? he will heal by himslef? 
- i will try to get him to flare, he usially only does that for a little when i wake him up in the morning (not a morning fish XD)


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

Mijfa i cant have that many fish too small of tank :'(
- thank you though


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Ghostr said:


> Mijfa i cant have that many fish too small of tank :'(
> - thank you though


But you can have three females and one male if you return the rest of the males. I believe that's what Mjfa meant. Not that you add 12 more females so each male will have three.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

- i got him used to his reflection early on so in case i forgot to leave the light on he wont freak out, now with a mirror he just goes up and glass rubs but that is it no flare.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

He's gorgeous! And he doesn't have fin rot. He might have some damage from decor or the Platys nipping him but definitely not fin rot.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

but wont 4 fish with females being larger producing more waste be over crowded? 80% tank fill?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Ghostr said:


> but wont 4 fish with females being larger producing more waste be over crowded? 80% tank fill?


No. You should be fine. But you can also do two females for one male.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

thank you ))) but he was like that before platys... also the platys never nip him, one squared up to him to his mistake and my betta chased around the tank like six times and now no platy messes with him lol


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Ghostr said:


> thank you ))) but he was like that before platys... also the platys never nip him, one squared up to him to his mistake and my betta chased around the tank like six times and now no platy messes with him lol


Unless you can watch the tank 24/7 you don't know that the Platys don't nip him. Actually, most nipping behavior takes place once the lights are off.


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## mjfa (Apr 23, 2018)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> But you can have three females and one male if you return the rest of the males. I believe that's what Mjfa meant. Not that you add 12 more females so each male will have three.


It must be my accent:nerd:
Do not add anymore fish. I'd would listen RussellTheShihTzu


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

ahh okay, 
- so over all
-- return 3 out of 4 male platys, get three females, keep tank clean with larger water changes, when add new platys use towel and no lights, add anachruas to top of tank
- and a lot of tlc


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

You got it!


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

thank ya'll so much this has been a huge help!!!
one last thing, should i get less bright of platys so the betta wont think of it as competition?


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## mjfa (Apr 23, 2018)

Ghostr said:


> ahh okay,
> - so over all
> -- return 3 out of 4 male platys, get three females, keep tank clean with larger water changes, when add new platys use towel and no lights, add anachruas to top of tank
> - and a lot of tlc


We all need more tick.

I prefer frequent Small water changes, which yields more benefit on livestock, than large water changes unless an emergency occurs.


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## mjfa (Apr 23, 2018)

Ghostr said:


> I have recently gotten a dragon scale betta with 4 platys in my ten gallon. i am somewhat of a experienced fish keeper (kept tetras). my tank is clean well maintained with plants.
> - my Betta keeps chasing my platys but doesn't seem to nip but can get somewhat aggressive with it.
> - he deosnt flare at them will chase them
> - now my platys are getting kind of agressive towards each other
> ...


It's ten gallons.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

one more thing will my betta nip another fish without flaring?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Ghostr said:


> one more thing will my betta nip another fish without flaring?


I've never noticed color making a difference. As to the question above: It could or it could not. It's one of those unanswerable questions.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

THANK yall so much!!!!! i got 3 female and kept my least aggressive male and they are all getting along wonderfully! one last thing can i get ghost shrimp clean up after them?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

It would be better to get a snail. Nothing eats poo but the snail will eat the leftover food and is less likely to be bullied and/or eaten by the fish.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

i have a snail that only eats algae and he already ate pretty much all of it, would he be competing with a second snail? also the food lands in plants that a snail or fish can get too, but i thought a shrimp can.
- what are your thoughts


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

How long has your tank been cycled? Shrimp cannot well survive in fluctuating parameters. For this reason it is suggested to wait at least two months after the tank is fully cycled before adding shrimp. You also need good places for them to retreat when they molt. This needs to be a place inaccessible to the fish.

My main concern is the survival of the shrimp. Some members may tell you that Ghosties are cheap and easily replaced so good for experimenting. I, however, consider this attitude rather crass and unfeeling as Ghosties are living beings and the value of life shouldn't be based on how much one pays for the animal.


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## mjfa (Apr 23, 2018)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> My main concern is the survival of the shrimp. Some members may tell you that Ghosties are cheap and easily replaced so good for experimenting. I, however, consider this attitude rather crass and unfeeling as Ghosties are living beings and the value of life shouldn't be based on how much one pays for the animal.


I think nobody around here may argue against this statement unless, her/his conscience has died.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

My tank has been cycled since august. I agree completely i don't see them as disposable things.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

Are you sure he doesn't have fin rot? it seems to be getting worse... he is young so i'm not sure if that's just him growing... thoughts?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

No fin rot. He's either biting or being bitten.


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## Ghostr (May 23, 2018)

if he doesnt get better in a week i will get him his own five gallon.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Fin biting and being nipped are indicated by u-shaped missing chunks of fin such as exhibited by your boy. Fin rot is indicated by more ragged, sometimes curling, edges that look somewhat like burnt paper. Fin rot is 99% environmentally-caused. In other words, filthy habitat. I sincerely doubt that applies to your care.


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