Harlequins Hovering in the same spot?

[maritzsa]

Harliquen Rasbora's need a 15g tank as a minimum. I recommend you separate the Betta and the HQ's. Keep the Bettas in the 10g and get a 20g long for the HQ's.

I would’ve loved to do like a 20Gal+ but my university allows 10GAL aquariums in dorms at max if its bigger you are forced to remove it otherwise u get fined. I was thinking of just doing a big aquarium and leaving it back home and have my family care for it daily and do big weekly cleanups by coming home on the weekends. However this way I would have no relationship with the aquarium and diminish the point of keeping an aquarium. Maybe I can give away the rasboras and pick up another peaceful species or just keep the betta alone.

 

[Byron]

Male Bettas are solitary fish and should not be in with other species. The fact that you have had success with this is the exception, but it can also change literally overnight; other members have seen this occur. While the present mix may seem OK, removing the rasbora and adding some other fish may inflame the Betta, and I certainly would not go down that road.

Another point to recognize is that "aggression" is not just physical confrontation that we may see (or may not), but fish communicate chemically with pheromones and allomones, and can send out very aggressive signals without even swimming toward the other fish. Understanding the inherent needs of a species and providing for those is the best guide.

 

[maritzsa]

Male Bettas are solitary fish and should not be in with other species. The fact that you have had success with this is the exception, but it can also change literally overnight; other members have seen this occur. While the present mix may seem OK, removing the rasbora and adding some other fish may inflame the Betta, and I certainly would not go down that road.

Another point to recognize is that "aggression" is not just physical confrontation that we may see (or may not), but fish communicate chemically with pheromones and allomones, and can send out very aggressive signals without even swimming toward the other fish. Understanding the inherent needs of a species and providing for those is the best guide.

Should I just donate my HRs to the local petco then? Also I was thinking maybe the betta will do fine with Kuhli Loaches? Although I know they dont do well in 10Gal. Any suggestions for tank mates would be cool althought I will aim to donate the rasboras and keep the betta in the 10Gal

 

[Byron]

Should I just donate my HRs to the local petco then? Also I was thinking maybe the betta will do fine with Kuhli Loaches? Although I know they dont do well in 10Gal. Any suggestions for tank mates would be cool althought I will aim to donate the rasboras and keep the betta in the 10Gal

I don't like suggesting someone get rid of fish, even if the situation is certainly not advisable to begin with, but its done and for all we know it may work out. Individual fish do not read the textbooks on how they should behave, and sometimes one lucks out. Trouble is, we have no way of knowing the signals the Betta may be sending out, and if these are impacting the rasboras.

Male bettas are solitary fish, that is in their DNA and I would not tempt fate with any new additions.

 

[maritzsa]

I don't like suggesting someone get rid of fish, even if the situation is certainly not advisable to begin with, but its done and for all we know it may work out. Individual fish do not read the textbooks on how they should behave, and sometimes one lucks out. Trouble is, we have no way of knowing the signals the Betta may be sending out, and if these are impacting the rasboras.

Male bettas are solitary fish, that is in their DNA and I would not tempt fate with any new additions.

Then I think I might just have to give them away so they get a better life instead of stressed and unhappy

 

[Fishmanic]

I had 5 rasboras in with a betta in a 10 gallon tank. But I soon noticed the Betta was hiding a lot in the bushes and lower areas of the tank. I got a 5 gallon and transferred the beta there and sure enough, the beta was much more lively and explored more of the tank. And the harlequins were happy in their own 10 gallon.

 

[Colin_T]

Here ill attach a whole pic of the tank (sorry for bad lighting. They seem to do this in the evening mostly. So like 5-7pm. Maybe their group is too small?

Maybe they are watching television, or they are trying to go to bed.