Betta Attacking Fish At Night

[lofi]

Hey guys

I have a betta in a community tank,6X neon, 10X rummynose tetra, 10X pygmy corys in a 100 liter tank.

During the day the betta fish gets along fine with the other fish i sometimes see him sitting next to the pygmy cories while there resting on top of him. But at night when i have the lights off & i turn the room lights on, I see the betta nipping at sleeping fish, is this normal? i'm pretty worried for the rummys because there getting little nip marks, i haven't seen any fins nipped off just little marks here and there, one of my rummys does have an eye missing

 

[Cazgar]

Bettas can be aggressive in community tanks, & they're sneaky as you're finding out, they'll do it at night when they think you aren't watching.
He could be seeing the rummy's as a threat which is why he's picking on them

 

[pablothebetta]

I used to have a betta similar to this, though he would sometimes attatck in the day too. It's as if your betta is 'playing nice' by day, but showing their true self at night.

Perhaps, though, if you have seen him fine with the cories, it's just the rummynose that are bothering him. The cories are more bottom-middle dwellers, whereas the rummynose are more 'in his way' sort of thing, and are more colourful than the cories. They are similar to the neons in this way though, too - does he display issues with them, too?

 

[lofi]

Perhaps, though, if you have seen him fine with the cories, it's just the rummynose that are bothering him. The cories are more bottom-middle dwellers, whereas the rummynose are more 'in his way' sort of thing, and are more colourful than the cories. They are similar to the neons in this way though, too - does he display issues with them, too?

no he seems to ignore the neons all together , hes always so peaceful during the day, i see him swimming with the rummys mid level sometimes.

Could it be he doesn't recognize the fish in the dark?

I'm considering moving him to a little breeding container at night, but then i'll feel so bad for him, is there anything i can do?

 

[pablothebetta]

Possibly to do with recognition, but not nescescarily. You could move him into a breeder, though this may result in attacks in the day if he really wants to attack them. Perhaps moving him to his own separate tank long term might be an idea. 10-15 gallons would allow him to stay with the cories in a separate home and save those rummynoses from being picked on.

 

[lofi]

hope this attachment works here is a quik picture of him swimming with the rummys

http/imageshack.us/photo/my-images/26/img0172qx.jpg/

 

[HannahBear77]

Or he might be taking advantage of them during the night since he really can't attack them the day since their awake and alert and they can make a fast get away

one of my females use to do this she would right up to the others when they were sleeping and take a bite out of their tales knowing that their not gonna do any thing but swim away