New Guy, New Betta, Weird Behavior?

[finz]

Hello TFF! Glad I found this place. Quick introduction: After about 10 very successful years in the TF hobby, I got out of it for a while. I'm back now and have been for about a year. Past experience with many community type fish, Cichlids, etc...

Background on my question - I recently set up an acrylic 6.6 gallon 24" long by 12" high X 8" deep aquarium. I started the tanks cycle with a pair of long fin leopard danios. Water is great, danios are active and healthy. Last night, I added a beautiful male betta. He appears very healthy, colorful and isn't shy (comes to the front at feeding time). He's eating well and isn't being bothered at all by the danios. He's not really interested in them either.

The question - He seems to be flaring quite often. Not at the danios (they rarely visit him) but at the sides, back and front of the tank. It's like he's seeing his reflection constantly, although I don't know how he could. My tank has a photorealistic background of plants and such and the sides are front are "open" for viewing. There are no other tanks in sight, no mirrors or anything reflective. He just swims back and forth flaring at nothing, occasionally attacking the "phantom" fish as well.

Do I have a psycho-betta? I would think that this behavior would exhaust him.

Any comments are welcome - Thanks in advance.

 

[Synirr]

He's seeing his reflection, no doubt. It's common, especially if the room outside the tank is darker than the tank itself. He should get used to it and settle down eventually

 

[finz]

He's seeing his reflection, no doubt. It's common, especially if the room outside the tank is darker than the tank itself. He should get used to it and settle down eventually

Ah, of course - Like placing a black piece of paper up to a pane of glass. I guess that wouldn't be an issue in a bowl as there are no flat surfaces.

Thanks - I'll keep an eye on him. Hopefully, he won't chew through the tank

 

[OrkyBetta]

This is exactly why. After a while, he will be fine. Mine all do this on occasion.


So you keep your betta with danios? This seems like a surprisingly good idea. Danios are fast, have short fins, and are dark colored. Hmm, how is this working for you? I might have to try this.

 

[SRC]

I thought Danio's needed to school and be in a significantly larger tank then that?

Why would you even try it? Why do people feel the need to stick other fish in with a betta...a fish that has been bred to live alone? I'll never understand that...not ever.

 

[finz]

I thought Danio's needed to school and be in a significantly larger tank then that?

Why would you even try it? Why do people feel the need to stick other fish in with a betta...a fish that has been bred to live alone? I'll never understand that...not ever.

To answer all questions... so far, there's no problem. Yes, the danios are fast and don't really look anything like a betta, so I assumed (correctly) that there would be no aggression issues. The betta doesn't even pay attention to the danios and they pay very little attention to him.

These are long Fin Leopards and they won't get bigger than around 2" - There are 2 of them currently at 1" (purchased to start the tanks cycle) and I may add 2 more. For now, they hang (school) together and there's plenty of room for them (24" long tank).

I added the betta to the mix because at least half of what I've read said it was okay to keep a betta with peaceful, community fish. I guess it all depends on who you believe. Some say they should be alone while some say that they don't do well in a completely isolated tank. He's not hiding in a corner sulking, he's out and about, checking out the tank.

Is it cruel to keep a betta with some other peaceful fish? I feel that putting it in a 1 gallon bowl, with poor water conditions, no heat and nothing to do is far more cruel. When he's not attacking himself, he seems to be enjoying life.

 

[Synirr]

Technically bettas were never bred to live alone, just to fight other bettas. Unfortunately in some fish this carries over to aggression towards other species, but this isn't always the case and personally I see no problem with housing bettas with others so long as there is no aggression or fin-nipping going on.

However, danios really do need a bigger tank. Some say 10 gallons, most say 20... they're a very active fish and need a disproportionate amount of room so they can swim around. They need to be kept in groups of at least 5, so obviously you're not going to be able to have a full schoal in a 6.6 gallon without the risk of overstocking, especially with the betta in there. Personally, I'd return them and go with a more suitable species like otos, cories, or khuli loaches.

 

[finz]

Technically bettas were never bred to live alone, just to fight other bettas. Unfortunately in some fish this carries over to aggression towards other species, but this isn't always the case and personally I see no problem with housing bettas with others so long as there is no aggression or fin-nipping going on.

However, danios really do need a bigger tank. Some say 10 gallons, most say 20... they're a very active fish and need a disproportionate amount of room so they can swim around. They need to be kept in groups of at least 5, so obviously you're not going to be able to have a full schoal in a 6.6 gallon without the risk of overstocking, especially with the betta in there. Personally, I'd return them and go with a more suitable species like otos, cories, or khuli loaches.

I've already got an Otto Cat on the list, just waiting for the tank to mature a bit. I'm also a big fan of Khuli loaches, but they seem to be hard to find in my area currently.

As for the danios... there seems to be different info depending on what you read. Some say 3 are enough to constitute a shoal. Again, they were purchased purely to get the tank going. There's a 30 - 40 gallon tank in my future and that may be where the danios end up ultimately.

Thanks for all the info folks. I'll keep you updated on the betta as well as the future BIG tank.

 

[Bloo]

Danio in a 6.6 gallon - now sorry but that is just cruel These fish really need a minimum of 15 gallons - ideally 20.....and a school does not consist of 2 or 3. To be happy, the would like to be 6 or more.

 

[finz]

Danio in a 6.6 gallon - now sorry but that is just cruel These fish really need a minimum of 15 gallons - ideally 20.....and a school does not consist of 2 or 3. To be happy, the would like to be 6 or more.

hmmm... I was always told (and have read) that tank dimensions were also important, not just capacity. So a short, stubby 10 gallon is better than a long 6.6 gallon? Danios seem to like to travel side to side as opposed to say, up and down (although they do that whenever you get near the tank - beggers).

Am I wrong in this assumption? It would seem to me that a longer tank would be better for danios than say, a stout one.

 

[Bloo]

That is true - but nonetheless, that tank is much much too small for Danios