# male betta and cory cat fish



## IX3you224

My male betta (tiny) has been in a 15-gallon tank by himself for the past few months. Last night I decided to add 2 friends to the tank and brought home some cory catfish. I read that they are very friendly and good community fish. Tiny seems to think differently. When I let their bag get used to the water he kept approaching and flaring. Now that they are out however he keeps "raming" them and swimming away.:shock:

The question I guess is what should I do? I now have Tiny in his old tank ( one gallon ) and I don't want to seem like he is being punished. The lady at Petco told me to rearrange the tank and then my betta won't know that is it "HIS" tank, and if that doesn't work get a divider. But then when I went to the local pet store to get a divider, just in case, they told me not to waste my money because my betta would eventually give up. :roll:

I just don't want to come home to a blood bath after work. What is the best idea? :-?


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## xjenuhfur

Re arrange the tank and re-introduce the betta to the tank.  the lady at your lps was right. 

Also, cories like to be in group of 4+ so while your out one day get 2 more.

Eit: she wasn't right about the "they'll just give up part though"


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## Micho

What kind of Cories? Also Cories like to be in shoal of 4+, also is your substrate sand or fine gravel? Because it'll hurt their barbs if it's not, and also their tummies because the like to swim on the substrate. ):

If your Betta is being a meanie what I would suggest is removing him, re-arrange the tank and make it look different. Put the Cories in, then lastly put your Betta in. If he's still being a jerk, then he's not cut out for community life. :l


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## registereduser

My betta loves his catfish buddy! However he seems to want to EAT the little oto  I seem to remember the betta not liking the cory the first few days but now they have a bromance going :lol:

Before everyone lights into me for having 3 fish in a 5 gallon tank, let me put your fears to rest: my plan is to put Phillip Betta Fish in my new 20 gallon along with Pookie the Peppered cory. Pookie will be getting at least 3 new friends. Oto will be getting one or 2 more friends and a whole BUNCH of new hiding places.

The 5 gallon will then be home to a new betta and a nerite snail.

OK? ;-)


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## Bombalurina

Not ok! How dare you!

I jest. In all seriousness, though, I'd aim for a school of at least 5 for the otos, and at least 6 for the cories.


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## Shirleythebetta

Patty (lady betta) cuddles with the larger cory's in the caves, lays with them. Totally weird..... I wonder if your corys in bigger numbers would be less of an easy target. Saftey in numbers maybe? Oh I also invented this cave thing that only the cory's go into. It's a piece of 5 inch PVC pipe cut in half and sits only about two maybe three inches high. The cory's love it and it provides a good protection. This is in my other tank not my sorority. Anyways, I used some gravel on the bottom of the tank and siliconed (aquarium sealant) it on to the "cave" so it looks more like decor. My ghost shrimp loves it. He sits on top the cave a lot.


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## registereduser

Bombalurina said:


> Not ok! How dare you!
> 
> I jest. In all seriousness, though, I'd aim for a school of at least 5 for the otos, and at least 6 for the cories.


I also want 6 or 8 neons, too much?


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## Olympia

I had this problem with my lone pygmy cory, except the betta was added last. I removed the betta, and I am waiting from my live plants to ship in, and waiting for the store to get more cories. I think a large enough group that has lot's of shelter would be the best way to go. That and what everyone else has said.


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## Bombalurina

registereduser said:


> I also want 6 or 8 neons, too much?


1 betta, 6 cories, 5 otos and 8 neons? That'd be fine in a 20 gallon, especially if you have live plants. 

I agree with everyone else on the numbers+shelter issue. They'll learn to keep out of the betta's way, and he'll learn to get over it.


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## IX3you224

*stil not doing too well*

Last night I rearranged everything in the tank and let the corys hangout. When I reintroduced tiny he seemed to be fine untill salt & pepper moved. Once that happened it was all over again and tiny came ambushing from above! I had to place the divider in my tank because I couldn't stand to see the poor things be beat up by my bully tiny. 
After I put in the divider whenever salt & pepper got near tiny would try to hit them, but thankfully the divider stopped him.
Today things seem a little calmer in the tank. I think I will let this living situation stay like this for a few days then remove the divider to see what happens. 
I hope they don't have to live like this forever, and can eventually all get along. :|


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## kfryman

Salt and pepper? I take it one is a peppered city and the other albino? That doesn't work, cories need to shoal with cories of the same species. The only cories that can be kept all together that are part of the same family are green/emerald, bronze, and albino. Your cories need members of their own family, so sad to say you will have to get rid of one and get the remaining one at least 3 more of the same type. That is if you don't have the same family of cories.

Also is your substrate sand or gravel? Cories need sand as the burrow their nose in the sand to find food, also gravel can injury their barbels.

Your Betta may be too aggressive for tank mates. It is something to look at when deciding tank mates.


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## freemike

You could try to find a new Betta for the community tank and leave your current Betta in the tank and try him with the snail. That's what I had to do with Mystic, but he even beat up the assassin snail I tried with him.


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## IX3you224

So.....
I had instaled a divider to seperate the fish because I couldn't stand to see the betta beat up the catfish anymore!
Today i did a complete change though. I did a 100% water change, bought sand for the tank, and bought all new objects to go inside.
I put the catfish in first and let them play, then added my betta.
At first he swam around checking things out, even swam right over the catfish, and things seems perfect. UNTILL the catfish started playing.
Now Tiny chases them around while flaring. He doesn't run into them though so I guess it is a little better.
I just don't understand. The catfish don't even bother Tiny. He swims over to them and then gets all mad and flares. Should I go back to the divider?


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## BeckyFish97

I think if there are plenty of places for the cories to hide, then leave it as it is for a day, if there's no improvement by tomorrow or if you see the betta causing injuries in the catfish then divide the tank again, I think tiny may be finding it hard to adjust to having playmates, maybe he thinks that's playing, but its not quite the way the cories think of it, he'll learn!


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## kfryman

I would recommend getting some terracotta pots for areas for the cories to hide in. It will help provide more areas for the cories to flea from your betta. I would also say make an area of the tank more dense that why if your betta does Chase the cories they will go in there and hide.


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