Adding New Females

[Buggsfish]

I had a 30 gal tank with 5 female bettas, 6 mollies & a couple ottos... One of my betta girls died over the weekend, she was my first girl so she's been around for a year or so. My question is do I need to add another betta to prevent fights or will the 4 remaining girls be ok? They've been together for over a month and are ok with each other now... The other day I was watching them and all 5 were in a row at the bottom of the tank... And if I add a betta do I want to add a second betta so there's more than just one newbie in the tank? I know someone said when I posted about first setting up the girls that 4 was a very small group and more would be ideal, but to add more I'd have to rearrange my tank so it was new for everyone...

 

[BethK]

Firstly, before adding anymore, work out why she died, a year is pretty short for a betta. What are your water tests showing?

They should be ok as they are, as long as she wasn't the alpha female.

 

[lilfishie]

the other girls might be ok as they are but if you do decide to add another then bag the other girls up individually, re-arrrange the tank then add them all as you would new fish

 

[Buggsfish]

She got an infection when the other girls were added... They all bickered as I had expected, and even tho I changed out the water after they were added, the 3 girls that were fighting the most got a fungal infection... The other 2 weren't so bad, they had faded spots, but her infection got her fast & hard, I had her in a fish net clipped to the top of the tank for a week while I treated cuz she couldn't make it to the top to eat even and I wasn't sure if she'd make it up to breathe... She looked like her body hits had healed, but her fins weren't growing back as quickly as the others... Unfortunately I don't have a body to check, I work a triple out of state on the weekends, she was fine when I left Sat morning, and when I got home early Monday morning I couldn't find her... I found what lil of her that remains this morning moving the plants around...

pH 7.6
amonia 0
nitrIte 0
nitrAte 10
temp 78* F

 

[BethK]

I would give it a clear month before adding anymore bettas or fish. Just to see if the other fish are ok and that there is no bacterial infection.

 

[Buggsfish]

So I was giving my living room a thuro cleaning Wed & I found my missing betta... on the floor next to a vent about a foot from the tank all dried up... So I'm not sure who/what was the white "fish skeleton" I found... Everyone is now accounted for except for ottos, but I can barely find them on all the plants I have... Still wait?

 

[BethK]

Bettas can jump and if you haven't put a lid on, it's likely that it could be her.

But if you still think there was a bacteria infection, I would still wait a month. If not, then you could add another female, up to you x