this has been an interesting experience, to say the least.
i started off with a mega biOrb tank of 16 gallons. this was exclusively for my female bettas. i have six.
two older ones, who are about maybe 1.50 inches long. and four young ladies, who are about .75-.80 of an inch long.
during the first week, everyone was checking each other out, flaring going on here and there, but not all the time. some how, at night, nipping munch fest would take place and little by little, fins started to get ragged.
violet, my blue/violet/purple one, was the first to be yanked out because she seemed to get the most nipped. i restored her fins in about five days time. she is the one that exhibited stress markings - in the big tank, as well as her little tank. this would be off and on so i couldn't tell what was stressing her out.
the next to be yanked out were Inez and Pearl, a young and older girl betta. i actually put them together in their own healing tank and checked them out to see what their bonding would be like since they both are mostly on the white color scheme. Inez is a little more on the lite green and Pearl is a more pinkish dalmation. they got along fabulously for a couple of days.
i also yanked out Fabiola, who is my orange young one, and she is feisty and doesn't back down. i've seen her approach many girls face to face and elsewhere too. i thought she may be the source of the nipping.
so left in the biOrb was Isabel and Sally. Sally, to say the least, is my spotted aqua greenish girl, who has NOT ONE nip on her. i am impressed. i can't explain how she has gone this long without one single nip. at that time, i returned Violet in to the tank. they all got along okay. Isabel though was getting impatient and feisty with both Sally and Violet and would chase them out of her area.
violet, upon reintroduction, was no longer showing her stress marks.
i left Violet, Sally, and Isabel in the tank for one day on their own.
The next day, everyone in the tank, was fine. No nippage.
I reintroduced Inez and Pearl for one whole day. Isabel had a fun filled day chasing everyone, even her older friend Pearl! Everyone was busy that day, getting to know one another. Violet impressed me by getting more social and swimming more with the other girls and to the surface; before she was mostly hiding, exhibiting stress marks, and well, she pretty much was a loner.
The next morning, everyone was back to having some nips except Sally. Violet has some on her spine fin. I was saddened but at least her anal fin was okay.
So that day, I reintroduced Fabiola.
Everyone was doing well. Checking each other out. And well, some flaring amongst the little ones. The older ladies were all okay and not really flaring. However, Isabel was chasing when she could without flaring.
This morning, everyone was nipped with the exception of Sally.
My main concern was that Violet was always exhibiting signs of stress (horizontal marks) and now it is seldom. She will have them here and there, but not like all day as before.
I rearraged the plants and put in some new digs and established some more hiding places. I did this when I only had Isabel, Sally, and Violet in the tank.
So here is my 2nd attempt at establishing my sorority betta tank. I hope they all stop nipping. Else I am going to have balding fins betta girls!!!!
i started off with a mega biOrb tank of 16 gallons. this was exclusively for my female bettas. i have six.
two older ones, who are about maybe 1.50 inches long. and four young ladies, who are about .75-.80 of an inch long.
during the first week, everyone was checking each other out, flaring going on here and there, but not all the time. some how, at night, nipping munch fest would take place and little by little, fins started to get ragged.
violet, my blue/violet/purple one, was the first to be yanked out because she seemed to get the most nipped. i restored her fins in about five days time. she is the one that exhibited stress markings - in the big tank, as well as her little tank. this would be off and on so i couldn't tell what was stressing her out.
the next to be yanked out were Inez and Pearl, a young and older girl betta. i actually put them together in their own healing tank and checked them out to see what their bonding would be like since they both are mostly on the white color scheme. Inez is a little more on the lite green and Pearl is a more pinkish dalmation. they got along fabulously for a couple of days.
i also yanked out Fabiola, who is my orange young one, and she is feisty and doesn't back down. i've seen her approach many girls face to face and elsewhere too. i thought she may be the source of the nipping.
so left in the biOrb was Isabel and Sally. Sally, to say the least, is my spotted aqua greenish girl, who has NOT ONE nip on her. i am impressed. i can't explain how she has gone this long without one single nip. at that time, i returned Violet in to the tank. they all got along okay. Isabel though was getting impatient and feisty with both Sally and Violet and would chase them out of her area.
violet, upon reintroduction, was no longer showing her stress marks.
i left Violet, Sally, and Isabel in the tank for one day on their own.
The next day, everyone in the tank, was fine. No nippage.
I reintroduced Inez and Pearl for one whole day. Isabel had a fun filled day chasing everyone, even her older friend Pearl! Everyone was busy that day, getting to know one another. Violet impressed me by getting more social and swimming more with the other girls and to the surface; before she was mostly hiding, exhibiting stress marks, and well, she pretty much was a loner.
The next morning, everyone was back to having some nips except Sally. Violet has some on her spine fin. I was saddened but at least her anal fin was okay.
So that day, I reintroduced Fabiola.
Everyone was doing well. Checking each other out. And well, some flaring amongst the little ones. The older ladies were all okay and not really flaring. However, Isabel was chasing when she could without flaring.
This morning, everyone was nipped with the exception of Sally.
My main concern was that Violet was always exhibiting signs of stress (horizontal marks) and now it is seldom. She will have them here and there, but not like all day as before.
I rearraged the plants and put in some new digs and established some more hiding places. I did this when I only had Isabel, Sally, and Violet in the tank.
So here is my 2nd attempt at establishing my sorority betta tank. I hope they all stop nipping. Else I am going to have balding fins betta girls!!!!
