Fish Fight Help!!!!

[twinsmom]

Help! My betta was just added to my tank 2 days ago, and up until tonight he was fine. Now all of a sudden he is chasing my male dwarf gouramie non-stop He is torturing him. I can't seperate them right now because my other tank is filled with guppy fry! He just stalks him and swims at him! What should I do? I thought they would get along ok with each other. He leaves the other guppies, molly and pleco alone

The pic is of my gouramie you can see he is not to small!

 

[mm_simb]

Dont you have a container to put the betta in? Anything would do fine as long as it's more than a gallon and it has the same temp. I don't know if anyone's mentioned that bettas are siamese fighting fish...therefore, some are more aggressive than others and do not do well with tank mates even if they get along for a while. You should separate them as soon as possible or he'll probably kill the other fish.

 

[bluefire]

sometimes males of antibatiod species won't live together, which is obviously what has happend in your canse and there isn't much that you can do

 

[SPLiSH]

You need to relocate that betta ASAP.

1. Find a suitable CLEAN container. As said, it should be at least 1 gallon but as a temporary home less will do. You could use a large coffee jar, a Kritter Keeper... anything that is fish-safe.

2. Rinse it (the container, not the fish ) under running water a few times. JUST use water, no chemicals.

3. Use some substrate from your other tank for the bottom.

5. Use water from your other tank too, so the temp., pH etc. are the same.

6. Gently net the betta and put him in his new tank.

As soon as possible, go to your local fish store and get yourself a nice betta tank. Nothing too small, they like swimming room.

Hope this helps.

 

[mm_simb]

And don't forget to dechlorinate (sp?) the water

 

[Torrean]

ok well I can't seem to find any pics but if it's not too big of a tank couldn't you just get a colored divider for the tank? Ok it's late and I'm getting a little too creative here, this is probably a REALLY REALLY REALLY bad idea but oh well. What if you took a jar oh wait I just thought myself out of that one. I was gonna say put the jar in the tank with a lid with holes in it so he could breath but couldn't attack the gourami. Well what happens when the jar tips over and the betta is trapped underwater. He is a labrynth breather. He'd suffocate. I was thinking that the tank would regulate the temp in the jar and the hole would allow for filtration but if the fish suffocates that won't matter too much will it. If you see me posting check the time I posted. If it's after about 2 AM take my advice with a grain of salt as I should really be asleep. But the divider might work as long as it's dark so they can't see each other. Otherwise buy a ten gallon and a few bunches of plants. He'll be a happier fish alone, maybe a mirror to play with once in a while but that's it. Oh don't keep the mirror beside his tank all the time because he will stress himslef flaring at his reflection. Just as a daily excercise for the little guy. Ok I'm starting to ramble. Goodnight. HAHA Starting. I think this whole post was a ramble. I hope the mods don't get after me for spamming or going off topic or whatever it is they call it. Best of luck and I hope your gourami makes it. goodnight

 

[GSD]

buy the betta his own litle 2.5-5 gallon tank with asmall heater and some plants and meabe even afew snails for company!he will love you for it

 

[Inchworm]

Hi twinsmom

Bettas and gouramis are both territorial fish and the problem is that, since they are both air breathers, they both need to claim that area of the tank as their own.

If you have a breeding net for your guppies, you could hook it on the side of your tank as a temporary home for the betta. This is not a permanent answer to the problem, but it will give you a little time to make better arrangements.

 

[wrs]

a little one gallon tank with a light should be $10, that would be a good home for the betta. You can find one at most chain stores.

 

[twinsmom]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I am trying to find something for him now! They both survived the night (thank goodness). Unfortunately my girls are sick, so I really can't take them to the lfs. My husband is in NY and the rest of my family is in the hospital w/ my grandfather (he's in ICU on a ventillator) My breeder was dropped in the toilet by accident ) and I have those blue bleach tabs in it, so the breeder got dumped! I am going nuts as to what to find for him! For the moment they are not near each other and if I am lucky, someone will be home in time before the lfs closes and I can buy him something! I don't know what to do

 

[Torrean]

ok mason jar plus gravel plus tank water equals new temporary betta home. Or you could use a net suspended in the water as a breeding net. I hope things work out for you.

 

[BettaMomma]

If I were you, I'd dig until I found something - even a solo cup would be better for the betta to be in right now. ANYthing - a cleaned out ice cream bucket, anything.
Just make sure there's no residue in it like cleaning agents or anthing.

Somebody will end up severely injured or dead unless you get him out of there tonight I'm afraid.

Oh, and whatever it is - make sure you keep it covered, but accessible to air.

 

[LuBear]

My Betta, Draxxus, had the same problem with my community as well. I was forced to remove it into a container. But after a couple of days I decided that I could use a bucket or bowl of somesort approximately a gallon and decorate it like an intense forest. My betta is doing really good in it now and I also made a little floating cork that is attached to the bottle by a peice of string so that it would not reach the surface. Now my betta is playing with it all the time. Bettas can survive without running water and filters, as long as you change the water once a week, they'll live!

 

[mlee0332]

i would just use a breeder net that hangs on the side for now, until you get him a tank of his own (that is if you have one already)

 

[LuBear]

I used a breeder net... but somehow... my betta jumped over it... you know how bettas can jump when they want to.