Solution To Betta Fin Nipping

I recently introduced "Flash" by 1st betta into my community tank,i know that they dont all typically get on in community tanks,but he is so beautiful i had to have him.He is white with pink,blue and maroon markings i think he is half veil half crown but not too sure.Anyway as expected 1st morning a few nibbles were taken from my guppies,the next morning same thing,that night i left the light on to see if it was night time fighting,well it was...no more nibbles,now i cant leave the light on at night as that would not emulate normal day/night routine.So i have put a compact mirror near where he hangs out,this morning no more nibbles and i get to see him flare occasionally.He does not attack his reflection..i actually think he is very vain,he seems to like puffing out his beard at himself The other thing is he seems to fancy my ruby shark he is not aggresive to him,just follows him around really and shows him his beard,i didnt know if this is normal,but there again who or what is "normal" I just thought i would pass on the info about a mirror to see if helps anyone else
Melanie

hmmm, I guess he is watching the "other betta" in the mirror to make sure to protect his territory. He may not be flaring much or attacking the mirror, but this may still stress him. It is always best to just keep a betta separate. However, I'm sure you are keeping an eye on him; it's just in my experience, I'd never had a betta mix well with others.

Thanks for your reply,
i forgot to say in my post that i only put the mirror in on the night time once the lights are off,(it is in now as an experiment)so far he looks healthier than when i 1st got him,fins are fuller colour richer and he is more active.
Melanie

photo added sorry it is a bit big

the photo doesnt do him justice he has a pale blue running around his outer body near his fins
melanie

Lovely Betta !
Im Gonna Get A Male Soon, Might Use A Mirror Too ! Thanks.

With tailbiters, you never quite know what works best. Some, like this fish, are 'boredom biters' and benefit from the stimulation of a reflection or other fish. Others are 'fear/stress biters' and will start biting due to any sort of stress whatsoever, including changes in the environment or the presence of other fish.
I get a lot of tailbiters in as rescues, and have a mix of both. Two of my boys CAN NOT see other fish, need to be in a low-traffic are of the room, demand dim lighting, and need their tanks set up exactly as they were after WC's, or they munch their fins clear off. Two of my other biters bit whenever they were unstimulated, and both now live in divided tanks with female bettas they can see, but not touch. Following the girls along the dividers, making bubblenests, and strutting around the tank keep them happy and nip-free. I also have one male who doesn't bite so long as his habitat stays consistent, and he can see his "neighbor," the Plakat one tank over; he's some kind of mix of the two types of biters.

Thank you very much,im sure your information will also be helpful to other betta owners as well.
melanie