# I have a Male Betta with 2 male Platies, they nip eachother



## pettygil (Aug 25, 2010)

*I went to the pet store and the lady told sold me all three fish out of the same tank, which had male Platies, mickey mouse fish. The Blue Betta I bought were all from the same tank, so I though it would be alright. 

I have a 10 gallon tank, with a whisper filter and the temps are between 80-82. I have added Aquarium salt to. Just in-case Bully Betta has fin rot. I do ten percent water changes every 2 days on the ten gallon tank. 

My Betta "Bully" sometimes minds his own business, and other times he starts picking on my Mickey Mouse Fish. The Mickey mouse fish for the most part leave the Betta alone. Then the Mickey mouse fish like to nip each other. 

I do have to get more then one plant for the tank, which I will get in a few days. I have to wait to I get paid. 

I notice my Betta's fins look a little ragged. It doesn't look like fin rot, though I am not sure of that, just looks like his fins.. at the top of his fins, looked chewed on. Then, that could be normal, again I am not sure. *

*Should I keep the Betta, or take back to the store? I want to keep the Betta but the fish keep nipping each other. What should I do? I do not have another tank and I do not have room for another tank, nor the money. *

*I have a 5 gallon tank also, with one blue Betta named Charlie, Shark, but he is male and I can't place another male Betta Bully in with him, or someone one die.

I do have a glass bowl but I am not sticking my Betta in there to live. 
*


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## Atlas58 (Jul 2, 2010)

Depends on how big the bowl is, he can survive for the while till a new tank is established.


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

Are you intending to cycle this tank? Cycling the tank with nippy fish is probably not the best thing because the high chemical levels won't be very forgiving for the wounded fins. And you should try getting 2-3 more platy fish so they balance out the nipping and leave the betta alone and stick to their school of 5. If you are cycling, 10% changes every 2 days isn't always required. Instead, test the water every 2 days for Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates. And then change if they are in the danger zone.


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## betta99 (Aug 16, 2010)

the bowl could be a temporary home for him until you get a new tank. it depends on how big it is.


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## pettygil (Aug 25, 2010)

Phoxly said:


> Are you intending to cycle this tank? Cycling the tank with nippy fish is probably not the best thing because the high chemical levels won't be very forgiving for the wounded fins. And you should try getting 2-3 more platy fish so they balance out the nipping and leave the betta alone and stick to their school of 5. If you are cycling, 10% changes every 2 days isn't always required. Instead, test the water every 2 days for Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates. And then change if they are in the danger zone.


Yes, I am cycling the tank with the fish. You said 2 or 3 platy fish, can they be male, as I only have male fish in my ten gallon. I don't want any babies. 

The tank has been cycling for a little over a week, should I get more platy fish, or should I wait a little longer? 

I could get female platies, but then I might have a fish baby problem. 

I have been adding aquarium salt to the tank and I am doing water changes a lot.


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

I dont think you will have a baby problem, and if you do, it is likely the other platies who are not the parents will eat the eggs, or you betta will. I have 3 female phantom Tetras, and 1 male, and no eggs yet  Platies can be schooling fish I think, so if you had about 5 total (odd numbers) and one betta, that should be fine. 

Is it the betta who is hostile?


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

http://aqadvisor.com/

Mickey Mouse Fish are called Xiphophorus Maculatus and you can have about 5 of them and still have stocking room.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

really i didnt know that, that is cool!!


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

It mostly depends on the tank, if it is cycled, cause an uncycled tank usually cant have as much I think?


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## pettygil (Aug 25, 2010)

*Ok, the problem is the Betta is attacking my platy fish. So you are saying if I buy 3 more platy fish, then my Betta will stop nipping the platy fish? 

Should I take the Betta back to the store, or hope for the best? I do not know what to do. The bowl I have is too small for my Betta. 

I have 2 platies, 3 more would make 5 Platies. The platy is nipping the other platy, so if I buy 3 more male platies, then that should stop, the nipping? *
*
Do I have to buy female Platies, or all male platies, ok to have? Just asking.

I do have One male Betta in a 5 gallon and he is male. He is all by himself. The other Betta I have in a ten gallon and is male to. I don't know if the other Betta would be nice to my platies, then again that is a 5 gallon tank, so prob too small I would think. 
*


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## pettygil (Aug 25, 2010)

*Do I have to buy female Platies, or all male platies, ok to have? Just asking. If I do have to buy female platies, how many females do I buy, if I have 5 platies? 
*


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

pettygil said:


> *Ok, the problem is the Betta is attacking my platy fish. So you are saying if I buy 3 more platy fish, then my Betta will stop nipping the platy fish?
> 
> Should I take the Betta back to the store, or hope for the best? I do not know what to do. The bowl I have is too small for my Betta.
> 
> ...


how large is the tank?


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## pettygil (Aug 25, 2010)

bettalover2033 said:


> how large is the tank?


I have a ten gallon with 2 platies and one male Betta
I have a 5 gallon with one male Betta.
A bowl is not a tank, if that is what you are asking. 
The bowl is way too small and can't be heated for one thing, which I will need to do in the winter. I am throwing the bowl out, is no use to me, or my fish. 

Here is a picture of the fish bowl and I am not sticking my Betta in, it's too small. It's Betta abuse to stick in a bowl that tiny.


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## pettygil (Aug 25, 2010)

*I read on many message boards and talked with many Fish experts and they all told me any tank under 5 gallons, is way too small for a Betta. So even though I have the fish bowl I will never use it. I can't even heat it for another thing. And the water quality would suck as I can't stick a filter in a bowl. 

Really a Betta should have a Ten gallon. It is the best set up, but 5 gallons is an ok set up for a Betta. Not too bad, but could be better. Just like Glo fish should have a 20 gallon, some people stick Glo fish in a ten gallon. Not that the fish will die, just the best set up is a 20 gallon for Glo fish.* *

And my weird insane postings come from talking to too many fish experts, who told me for a ten gallon tank, that 2 platies and one Betta is all my tank can handle, or I am over stocking my 10 Gallon, with 4 fish. **

I was told take out all the Carbon from my filter and leave it that way, it doesn't hurt anything, unless I wanted to remove medication, if I used some, which I have not so far. I just added Aquarium salt to the fish tanks. I am then to place the white pad inside the filter, without the Carbon. 

Also some people told me I don't even need the Carbon to take out medication, that a 25 percent water change will do just that. 

I am to rinse my filter pads in tank water, never tap water, as that removes all good bacteria. So I only rinse my sponge, or pad in tank water. *


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

On the platy rules, it is actually best to have one male, to every 2 females. So 2 males and 3 females would be fine, but you already have 3 males.. Maybe get more males lol. Male sorority?


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## Alex09 (Aug 9, 2010)

Phoxly said:


> On the platy rules, it is actually best to have one male, to every 2 females. So 2 males and 3 females would be fine, but you already have 3 males.. Maybe get more males lol. *Male sorority?*


That would be a fraternity LOL
Ah, if only we could breed the aggressiveness out of male bettas then we could have frats! (They better behave...) That would be awesome.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

pettygil said:


> I have a ten gallon with 2 platies and one male Betta
> I have a 5 gallon with one male Betta.
> A bowl is not a tank, if that is what you are asking.
> The bowl is way too small and can't be heated for one thing, which I will need to do in the winter. I am throwing the bowl out, is no use to me, or my fish.
> ...


no no no DONT throw it out use it as a hospital tank such as fungus or finrot or other diseases. if not then mail it to me lol:lol::lol:


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## pettygil (Aug 25, 2010)

Phoxly said:


> On the platy rules, it is actually best to have one male, to every 2 females. So 2 males and 3 females would be fine, but you already have 3 males.. Maybe get more males lol. Male sorority?


My tanks set up now. I* took Betta back to the store. I now have 2 male platies and one female platy, that is all. 
* 
*I wish I would have known that because I just bought a female platy. I read it was 2 males, for a female, that must of been wrong then. 

I am cycling my tank and I don't want too many fish in the tank for now. 

I just noticed the one male Platy chasing and biting the female. Should I get another Female at least? 
I have 2 male platies and one female. Damn pet store people, never know what they are doing, then online I read it's 2 males for a female, that is why i bought the Female Platy, which looks a little orange and on the sides of the fish I notice some of the skin is a little worn off. Unless that is normal for a growing female platy. The Female platy looks ok otherwise. If it's not normal how would i treat it? I do use aquarium Salt and sometimes Melifix, is that ok to use?
*


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

"Suggestion: If you want to keep more than 1 *Sunset Coral Dwarf Platy*, minimum recommend male to female ratio is *1:2* (M:F). You will be less likely to experience problem if you get even more females."

I'm not fully sure about taking care of platies, I've never had any, or don't have any yet haha. Ask the tropical fish forum, the sister to bettafish.com?


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