What Teh!?!

[Big_eyes]

My 5 females have gone nuts!!

They've all developed thick horizontal stripes and are chasing each other like mad! By mad I mean that they are moving quicker than the eye can see to get at each other. This is in a 4ft tank with many many hiding places. They are fine for a while on and off but every so often they seem to be pairing up, fully flared and rubbing against each other like lunatics.

Is this normal or should I be worried?

 

[Haych]

its normal to an extent, but it may be because there is an odd number. usually 6+ is best.

The other thing one could be a boy (happened to me) and all of them got stressed until I removed Herman!

 

[theshadowinc]

My 5 females have gone nuts!!

They've all developed thick horizontal stripes and are chasing each other like mad! By mad I mean that they are moving quicker than the eye can see to get at each other. This is in a 4ft tank with many many hiding places. They are fine for a while on and off but every so often they seem to be pairing up, fully flared and rubbing against each other like lunatics.

Is this normal or should I be worried?

Sounds like you have a male in the tank, maybe one of them is a male, are they the normal splenden's or another specimen?

 

[Big_eyes]

Yeah they're the normal ones.

It's a wierd thing this really. As serious as it looks when you watch them, none of them have any tail or fin damage etc. Probably just marking territories.

It's the side by side rubbing that I've never seen before though!

 

[betta fish]

It just sounds like your girls are squaring up to one another, I have had girls do this in the past where they side up to one another to test each others size and strength, it's completely normal and means they are evenly matched, they may do this occasionally just to test each other as they all want to be top fish but only one can! would love to see a pic of them if you have any

 

[aly_starh]

Is there 1 female who is bullying the others more?
If so, then take her out, let the ones in the tank settle for 15-30 minutes, then pop her back in.

(Bag her up, then acclimatise her...)

 

[Big_eyes]

Hmmmm things are still the same although tears are now being made and chunks taken. Only two in particular seem to be doing it to the rest and the same two seem to be getting all of the damage.

If I can get rid of my guppy fry then I can put the nastiest betta in the tank they are in currently and see if things calm down any with her out of there. I had planned a more fancy male for that tank though so I may end up rehoming instead.

How can I tell if any may be male?
Hard to tell now as flaring seems to be skipped and full speed chase occuring instead.

 

[Haych]

I have that issue.

One of my girls is getting worse with bullying. She may have to be removed as one of the other girls has major nips taken out of every fin. The other girls just flare and square off to each other. The biggest bully is really big compared to the others.

 

[Big_eyes]

Well as a quick update.......

The violence chilled slightly but yesterday one (my favourite one) lost a few scales May be time to seperate sigh!

 

[Haych]

is this the tank with the suspicious boys/girls?

 

[Big_eyes]

Yeah, will be moving one to the tank upstairs once I can get rid of the guppy fry currently living in there. The other fellow will be off to the LFS I suppose.

 

[Haych]

Where you based?

I may be able to take one off your hands

 

[Big_eyes]

Where you based?

I may be able to take one off your hands

I'm in Cumbria...sunny old cumbria

 

[Haych]

ah

sorry nevermind eh!