Changing opinions.....

[mm_simb]

Just give her some time to adjust. She was probably just stunned by the clean water. Did you acclimate her to the water?

 

[Kiarra]

The vertical stripes are aggression between females. If you have the two of them together, they should be separated. The vertical stripes are a bad sign for their compatibility in so few numbers.

 

[riogal_11]

Ok, I'm in the process of seperating them. Thanks for the info, I had no idea, b/c they had been getting along. Is this something they develop when stressed or what?

 

[mm_simb]

Well, they should never be kept together in any groups smaller than four. They are better off in a 10 gallon tank with 4-6 females. If in groups of 2, one will pick on the other one over and over again. Were they in a cup together too?

 

[Kingsnorky]

You have very perrty bettas, hope the one is okay.

 

[Kiarra]

The thing is...sometimes they CAN be kept in pairs. But usually they can't. One female asserts herself as the dominant of the pair, and then, to keep her position as dominant, she is aggressive with the other female. This can result in injuries, illness, and death.

Signs of stress (especially in females) is paling of color overall and then horizontal stripes on the body. Vertical stripes are a sign of aggression and the desire for dominance, and, in the case of breeders, readiness to breed. Between two females, it is invariably the former. Between a male and a female, it can be either former or latter.

 

[BettaMomma]

That junk on the bottom of their cups is algae and crap that started growing on the cup. If you ask them to bag a betta for you, they'll keep the cup and reuse it, over and over. OR... if they have fish that sit on the shelf for eons - their cups will start to look like that. It'd be the same thing as if you dumped the water out of your tank at home w/out disturbing the gravel, then putting new water back in w/out ever scrubbing or rinsing anytyhing. I had a long discussion w/someone at one of the WMs here in town about those kind of yucky cups..

I would say that if anyone ever sees one in a cup like that, they're a very good candidate for a rescue, especially because not long after that goop starts to build up in that cup, can you imagine how fast they will deteriorate with illness?

By the way - congrats to you on your new girls.
I flipped thru your photo album and saw all your fish. They're fabulous!

The girls are very lucky you came along.
They're in good hands now!

 

[ManyFISH4Me]

They may be in a bit of shock, now that they are in nice CLEAN water.
They look like they will be real pretty when thy grow up. Not that they aren't nice looking now. I really like that chocolate/orange male you have.

 

[riogal_11]

Thanks everyone for your help and compliments. They are now seperated and as soon as I can I will be getting a 1 gallon for the other girl that had to be taken out. She is now in a little less than one gallon b/c that's all I had.

 

[Synirr]

Aww, you did a good thing taking those poor girls out of that situation . No one ever buys the females, it seems.

My parents are starting to loosen up about my fish as well, so I know how nice that is. My dad comes in my room almost every day to feed my oscar, and my mom is actually giving me spending money for the betta show this weekend... she also bought me a book on bettas today, and wants to borrow it and read it herself

 

[eudielynn]

I'm so glad you got those little gals out of that stinky, filthy water. I hope they both do well.

 

[BettaMomma]

Ya know, it's odd.
The females just fly off the shelves here at our WalMarts. I had to wait and wait and wait to find some when I was trying to get 5 of them for my tank. I got 2 at first, then found another and another, then another, for a total of 6. I didn't even really care what color they were because i just wanted 6 girls. I had to go into the store the day they got a shipment so I could find any.

It turns my stomach, though, thinking that ppl buy the girls to stick in with boys so they can breed. uugh

 

[riogal_11]

Well I went back into the same wal-mart today to check on things, and the cups were actually very clean. There was only two girls left on the shelf and they both had clean water. (It's a good thing b/c I have no more room) Maybe they actually listened to me the other day, I'd like to think it was worth it! Anyways the girls are doing good. Having trouble getting them to eat though, but I'm sure that will get better as they get more used to their new home.