Betta And Guppies

[Kovitlac]

I have a question about these two. I have a tank consisting of two male guppies, a Plecostomus, and a new betta. Just introduced about 15 minutes ago, my new betta will not leave the guppies alone. He's constantly flaring at them, chasing them around, and generally being a brat. As far as I can tell though, he hasn't hurt them. He's been leaving the plecostomus alone for the most part. I've read that bettas and guppies usually got along well. Is it just being newly introduces that's the problem (and they'll eventually start getting along later)? Or do they need to be seperated?

 

[dwarfgourami]

As you probably know, bettas are very territorial and many males will attack anything that looks even vaguely like a male betta (e.g. a male guppy with its long flowing fins). He is already indicating that as far as he is concerned, these other fish are rivals. I would take him out of there before there is bloodshed. Get him a nice little tank of his own.

 

[lisie]

DEFINITELY remove the betta and put him in his own tank. You should never put a male betta in with other fish that have bright colors or have flowy fins... and male guppies have both. He's not being a brat, he's trying to defend his territory from other fish that look to him like other bettas. He'll probably end up killing the guppies eventually (you're lucky he didn't already), or at least stress himself out. Bettas are best housed singly because they are very territorial and like their own space.

Edit: dwarfgourami beat me.

 

[Kovitlac]

Thanks guys, but it's already too late - one of them died. I know that males are violent toward each other, but generally get along better with some other kinds of fish, and had heard from the store and many of people that bettas do get along with guppies, but from the looks of it, I was duped. I already took out the betta, but now I don't really have anyplace to put him. He'll just have to deal with being in the cup until I get one of my extra bowls from home. I already have four bettas in my betta keepers, so there's no room for him there...

 

[lisie]

Actually, bettas generally -don't- get along with other fish. The only ones that they usually get along with are dull colored ones like plecs, otos, and cories... and some bettas don't even like those.

At least now you know to take what pet stores say with a grain of salt. Sorry about your guppy though.

 

[Kovitlac]

Thanks. I can take the dead one back and get a new one, but still, I'm sorry he died. Guess I shouldn't listen to everything I hear, huh? Oh well, now I know, and I'll keep that in mind for the future.

 

[92cw12]

Thanks. I can take the dead one back and get a new one, but still, I'm sorry he died. Guess I shouldn't listen to everything I hear, huh? Oh well, now I know, and I'll keep that in mind for the future.

male bettas will see any guppy as a threat

 

[jollysue]

Do you have a large vase, or anything you can put a lid on that is larger than the cup?

So far each time I have tried Bettas with even cories, the Bettas stressed the cories a little eventually. They didn't hurt them just played bossy. Even though they started out sharing the cory's cave, they got bossier as they got older and chased them areound--may have been about food. I have tried several different Bettas of various lineage with different fish and communities. Eventually it ended badly for the Bettas. The Bettas were ended short lived for one reason or another.