# 2 female bettas fighting? What should I do?



## mufflepig135246 (Oct 18, 2015)

So I have 2 female bettas in a 2.5 gallon tank and I was told they could live together. They could and did until I introduced a third. They all started fighting so I took the third one back asap but now the first 2 (who used to get along) are fighting. I tried separating them for a few hours and trying it again but they started again. To be honest, it's one attacking the other. The other (my bigger one) doesn't seem to want to fight. She just swims away. They're separated once again. Getting another tank is out of the question so I am for sure finding a new home for the more agressive betta (unless you guys have any ideas because they were fine the first 2 weeks and have apparently lived together with a few other bettas for a few weeks before I got them. I don't know where the agressivelness came from aaaah). Would trying to get another female be worth it because I really do want 2 in a tank (that's why I got females) or would it be best to try something else? Thanks and sorry (i'm very new to this and I wanna make sure I'm doing what's best for the fish).


----------



## Fin Fancier (Aug 11, 2012)

Sadly, you were misinformed. Betta's should be housed only 1 per a tank due to their aggression levels. I'm glad you separated them, and hope you can figure a way to keep them apart permanently. 2.5 gallons is too small of a tank to divide, so you're in a bit of a hard spot. Is there a reason you can't set up a separate tank? 

When someone told you females could live together they were likely thinking of a sorority tank. This is considered an advanced set up due to the volatile nature of the fish being kept. They are usually large (15+ gallons) and include 5 - 7 female betta fish. They need to be densely planted, and have a lot of different caves and hiding places. Even tanks set up specifically for a sorority can end badly. When fish are stressed disease spreads quickly.


----------



## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> So I have 2 female bettas in a 2.5 gallon tank and I was told they could live together.


2.5 gal is too small for 2 bettas let alone 3, In my opinion 2.5 gal is too small for any fish.



> They could and did until I introduced a third.


They had established a pecking order of sorts introducing the fish meant they had to establish a new pecking order.



> now the first 2 (who used to get along) are fighting. I tried separating them for a few hours and trying it again but they started again


You need to separate them and keep them separated 



> I don't know where the agressivelness came from aaaah)


Bettas are 1 of the most aggressive fish in the hobby, And should not be kept in the same tank , Regardless of what you read about sorority tanks, even a male and female will fight if they are not actually breeding and even then it can be messy.


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Two territorial fish in a 2.5 is courting trouble. Rehome two and be happy with one female on her own.


----------



## Kyle15 (Apr 22, 2015)

I have 2 females... In a 60 liter tank .... They hate each other...
So I'm going to give the aggressive 1 back, or sell it


----------



## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

Mufflepig; do me a favor? Go back into that store to that employee who told you all of that, and slap them really hard upside the head. Tell them it's from me.

Betta: also known as Siamese Fighting Fish. Even a 5 gallon tank can only house 1 betta. Anything smaller than 5 gallons is only suitable for a quarantine container (temporary hospital tank) for a single betta.


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Mousie said:


> Mufflepig; do me a favor? Go back into that store to that employee who told you all of that, and slap them really hard upside the head. Tell them it's from me.


+1 What she said! :frustrated:



> Even a 5 gallon tank can only house 1 betta. Anything smaller than 5 gallons is only suitable for a quarantine container (temporary hospital tank) for a single betta.


Opinion. ;-) In reality anything well maintained can work and even a 30 can be unsuitable if it isn't maintained. However, my preference for Betta is five gallons but nothing smaller than 2.5 heated and filtered. Keeping in mind there are Betta who never adjust to larger tanks; I've had three like that. They stressed and fin bit in anything larger than a 2.5. Of course that meant I had to get additional Betta to live in their rejected five and 10 gallons. ;-)


----------



## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> +1 What she said! :frustrated:
> 
> 
> 
> Opinion. ;-) In reality anything well maintained can work and even a 30 can be unsuitable if it isn't maintained. However, my preference for Betta is five gallons but nothing smaller than 2.5 heated and filtered. Keeping in mind there are Betta who never adjust to larger tanks; I've had three like that. They stressed and fin bit in anything larger than a 2.5. Of course that meant I had to get additional Betta to live in their rejected five and 10 gallons. ;-)


My thoughts on a 2.5 gallon tank; once substrate, filter, thermometer, heater, and decorations are added you are left with roughly 1.5 gallons of water. I think people forget about water displacement most times. With a 5 gallon tank after everything is added you're left with roughly 4 gallons of water and not so cramped conditions. 

I do agree that an experienced aquarist such as yourself can keep healthy betta in a 2.5 gallon tank. I don't think these small tanks are good for beginners though... most times they're totally oblivious to the nitrogen cycle and the importance of liquid test kits. The smaller the tank, the faster things can go from good to deadly.


----------



## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

The biggest problem I had with my small tank is how hard it is to maneuver the gravel vacuum around and get it clean. 

+1 on informing the employee if at all possible. I've had some that told me to get my male a girlfriend and all sorts of nonsense. 

Good luck on finding a new home for one of your girls!


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Mousie said:


> My thoughts on a 2.5 gallon tank; once substrate, filter, thermometer, heater, and decorations are added you are left with roughly 1.5 gallons of water. I think people forget about water displacement most times. With a 5 gallon tank after everything is added you're left with roughly 4 gallons of water and not so cramped conditions.
> 
> I do agree that an experienced aquarist such as yourself can keep healthy betta in a 2.5 gallon tank. I don't think these small tanks are good for beginners though... most times they're totally oblivious to the nitrogen cycle and the importance of liquid test kits. The smaller the tank, the faster things can go from good to deadly.


I agree completely that 2.5 aren't the best and for the reasons you state. It should also be pointed out that 2.5 gallons is based on outside measurements; not internal so most are actually a tad less than 2.5 to begin with.

However, too many think what people say in a forum is written in stone. I believe, unless prefaced with IMO, it should be pointed out when statements are opinion and not based on studies. I've Googled and only found _opinions_ that 2.5 are inadequate for housing Betta. Shoot, one UK forum said 20 is minimum!

While I've read several places that a 2.5 loses one gallon my 2.5 plant holding tank has +/-.5 gallon displacement with five pounds of sand, internal filter, heater and a lot of plants.


----------



## Aquastar (Jul 17, 2015)

Space is really a opinion for Bettas. 
Some geniuses will say 0.5 is perfect and some more geniuses will say that minimum is 10gal. But what is "true"'and what most people agree on is 2.5-5gal minimum. And so that's what the world decided on.


----------



## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

In my opinion, based on the over abundance of SBD, popeye, and dropsy seen in small tanks on this forum, it is my belief that 5G+ sized tanks are better suited for a betta.


----------



## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> In my opinion, based on the over abundance of SBD, popeye, and dropsy seen in small tanks on this forum, it is my belief that 5G+ sized tanks are better suited for a betta.


I would like to add to that..
I also notice that problems occur where the tank is small and is unfiltered and or no air stone add to that plastic/silk plants and there are problems.


----------



## SplashyBetta (Jul 28, 2014)

Mousie said:


> In my opinion, based on the over abundance of SBD, popeye, and dropsy seen in small tanks on this forum, it is my belief that 5G+ sized tanks are better suited for a betta.


That's not a strong hypothesis at all... Small tank = disease doesn't give much information. What about the owner's knowledge and skill? Water maintenance? Original health of the fish? A lot of people posting about sick bettas on here have joined the forum because they have little knowledge of proper care and want help/advice. They have small tanks because that is the generally accepted idea of what a betta needs. So it's more like... Unknowledgable owner + low water quality + tiny tank = disease.


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

SplashyBetta said:


> <<snip>> So it's more like... Unknowledgable owner + low water quality + tiny tank = disease.


IMO, this is a much more likely explanation. And add that a lot of people buy "rescue" Betta which are already compromised so wide open to various ailments.

Even way back in 1967 when I first got my first Betta and kept them in unfiltered, unheated two-gallon bowls I never had SBD, dropsy, popeye, ich, etc. So, again IMO, tank size alone does not make for sick fish. 

Most diseases are preventable by practicing proper maintenance schedules and keeping habitat clean. Unfortunately, pet stores misinform new owners as to what Betta need. Add to that new owners aren't experienced enough to recognize the first signs of sickness. By the time they get to us it's almost always too late.


----------



## dannifluff (Jul 5, 2015)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Shoot, one UK forum said 20 is minimum!


Funny you should say that, most of the UK forums seem to recommend 7 gallons plus (that would be around 28 litres in the UK) - that's how I ended up initially upgrading Arthur from his 5 gallon as I thought it was too small.


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I was amazed when I converted the litres to gallons....had to do it twice because I didn't believe it the first time. :shock:


----------

