Female betta

[Tenko]

I've got 2 female bettas, both have been fine since I got them over a month ago. They swim slowly about and investigate nooks and crannies. For the last week, one of them has been very evasive. She's hid at the back behind a plant and rarely ventures out. I've only seen her feed a couple of times and she seems to have lost her deep red colour, she now looks dark grey.

Due to a disagreement between 2 gouramis, I've been treating the tank with melafix to prevent infection. Before that I treated the tank with myxazin for a guppy injury and did a water change after.

Water paramaters are all okay. I've fed the fish bloodworms or daphnia every other day with flake food and pellets every day.

Any suggestions about what I should do?

 

[Synastic]

I also got to females bettas a few weeks back. I also had they same problem. They were both together in a really large bowl. What I notice was that one female had became the dominant one. So the dominant would flare and peck, when the other one would go up to eat or would be near her. I finally just bought them both a betta hex. The shy one is now so happy, she has also gotten sooo big. I will hold up a bloodworm and she will jump out of the water to get it. Try to seperate them and see what happens. Worked for me. Good Luck

 

[Tenko]

Thanks Synastic.

I fed them a little while ago. Red betta emerged but looks very dull in colour. She didn't eat a thing but a least showed she's still alive. The blue betta looks in quite good condition, best condition since I've had her.

I watched them for a while and noticed that the blue one kept seeking out the red one and chasing her. There was no nipping at all, just swimming close to her then chasing her when she bolted.

I have quite a large tank, 100cm by 40cm by 50cm, so would hope that 2 female bettas could live together. Do you think getting a few more hiding places for the red one to use would help at all?

 

[Synastic]

Ya that could work too, because I had shells where they could both hid. Also what I've read alot throughout the forum is, "If you are going to have female bettas together its better to get 4. Because (2 females) one will be dominant, (3 females) two will become dominant and gain up on the weaker one, (4 females) They will keep each other in line. Keep us updated.

 

[Tenko]

Thanks again

I think I will get a few more hiding places, it will keep all the fish occupied a bit more then.

I think I'll also take your advice and get a couple more bettas, they are really nice fish after all.

 

[Synastic]

Yup, the females are so spunky. Both me and my girlfriend have females and we love them to death, but my female is better then my girlfriends, she does tricks so j.k. I am glad my girlfriend is not on the forum, she would kick my butt for saying that. lol

 

[Tenko]

I've bought 2 small pieces of hollow bamboo today so will stick them in tonight and see how they go. I'll look around for some females later in the week.

 

[Tenko]

Got home tonight and red had died. Gutted, she was such a colourful fish. I've put the bamboo tubes in anyway and am thinking about getting 3 bettas this week to keep the other one company.

I'm getting so angry about the new lfs I went to a few weeks ago.

They sold me black widow tetras who ate half their tankmates within a day and a half. Later I asked my old lfs about it and they said black widows would attack cardinals and guppies, which I had, so would be expected.

I got 2 pairs of dwarf gouramis, one died but the new lfs refused to change it after 2 days. My old lfs gives a 7 day guarantee. They also told me dwarf gouramis were perfect community fish and wanted me to get some large ones too. I've recently had to medicate a guppy and the remaining neon dwarf who's partner died after being munched by another gourami. The old lfs told me this is not uncommon and it's best not to keep them together.

Also got 2 female bettas from them. I should have been wary as they had a male in the tank with a load of females. I was under the impression that males can be a bit bitey when mating. Anyway, I've since learnt here that it's best to have more than 2.

If I'm to buy 3 more females, I'll have to go to the new lfs as the old one only sells males.