Betta Problem

[moeldner]

I have recently aquired a new betta. She has been very quiet since I got her, and is sharing her tank space with another female.

This morning I noticed she has some scales missing, and a orange/red wound near her tail. The other bettas in the tank are not showing any problems.

Is this likely to be a wound from a fight with the other female? or is it something I should be conerned about?

She is a lilac coloured girl, who has yet to be named. The other female is sharing the same section of tank with her, with a divider between them and a male.

Water tests 2 days ago showed no sign of problems with ammonia, nitrate or nitrite levels (all 0).

 

[LifeBear]

A fight is the most likely culprit. Don't think things like that don;t happen even if you don't see it. I had a couple of girlies live together in peace for 6 months before they started to hate one another. My advice is to separate them. Even with good councelling, there isn't much that can be dome otherwise.

 

[moeldner]

Thanks. Only reason they were together is that there isn't much room in a 2.5 Gallon tank for a heater, filter and 3 bettas when they are all separated. I may have to remove an ornament I had in there for the girls so they could at least get out of each others sight.

The new betta (the one with the injury) is the most timid betta I've seen. She is wuite happy to run away from her food (happy being a relative term that means "take it I wont fight you for it") as soon as the other female turns her head towards her.

Anyway, I'll reconfigure the tank tonight, and see how they go.

Thanks again.

 

[Synirr]

When keeping female bettas together, it is best to keep four or more girls in a tank no smaller than 10 gallons with plenty of hiding places. Any less than 4 girls and aggression doesn't get spread around enough; any smaller than 10 gallons and there will be territorial disputes. 2.5 gallons is kinda a tight squeeze for 3 bettas in the first place... I'd suggest getting the new girl a 1 gallon of her own. If you don't separate her from the other female she will almost certainly be pecked to death.