New Male Betta Flarring/chasing Platies

[BLASK]

Just yesterday I picked up a beautiful purple male betta for a 20gal heavy planted tank. The betta looks very healthy. he was purchased from a tank full of some schooling fish and not in a cup. the other occupants of the tank are 8 platies and 3 otos. I acclimated the betta for a long time before instertion as my ph is very low due to pressurized co2. I had him sitting in a container of the lfs's water and I slowly with a droplet I added my water for about 30 min. The temp was exact on each end. He seems all happy - he ate the two or three betta droplets I threw him. He explores the tank but sometimes when he sees the platies he will chase them slighly and flare up. I have 7 teenagers (unknown sex) and one male adult platy. the betta chases the male adult like crazy all over the tank untill the platy hides real good and betta looses him. I thought bettas would be ok in a tropical setup like this without harrasing other occupants.

Would it be wise to keep him in this setup? Or should I return him?

Stats:
20gal
am: 0ppm
nit: 0ppm
nate: 10ppm
ph: 6.6
kh: 4 degrees
co2: 30ppm
phos: 1ppm
temp: 79-82 F

 

[BWBettas]

Hi

They should be fine together until you see any physical damage or aggression to the platies. He is most probably acclimitising to his new area and claiming his territory.

HTH

Bret @ BW BETTAS

 

[catxx]

some bettas make good community fish, some really really don't
see if he settles down after a few days
if he doesn't you've got yourself an anti-social betta!

i have one, he was taking chunks out of my cories dorsal fins.
he now lives on his own.

each betta has it's own personality.

 

[Durbkat]

I thought platys weren't compatible with bettas because the betta will confuse their bright colors for another betta and thats why they shouldn't be put together and maybe thats why he is chasing them.

 

[BLASK]

thanks all for the reply everyone.

catxx:

I couldn't stop laughing at the comment about your betta and how he now lives on his own, lol.

I will give it a day more, if not I will return/exchange him. He really is brutal towards the male adult platy (he is all black in color) I have a few 1gallon tanks just for bettas, but the reason I purchased him was because I wanted his beauty in my planted tank. He really has nice colors, I will try to import a few pictures.

cheers

 

[BLASK]

* just an update *

after a few days it seems he has calmed down. the male platy does have bite marks on him, but he should recover. I dosed some melafix so everything should be fine, i took pics but now i cant find the usb cable for my camera!



thanks all

 

[Durbkat]

Wait, you did half dose right? Because with bettas your either suppost to use bettafix since its more dulited and bettas can handle it or half dose of melafix since its to strong for bettas.

 

[Joby]

Good to hear he's settling down.

Don't panic with the melafix, I've used full dose on my bettas many times with no ill effects

 

[juliehainsworth]

My betta was the same with my platies for the first week he was constantly chasing them! Now he has settled down and only chases them when they're in his corner or at feeding time when they are eating the freeze dried tubifex (I think he gets a bit jealous and likes to keep a bit for himself)

 

[BLASK]

the dose of melafix was only 2ml and I used a pipette (sp) to spray directly on the platy. I did it for two days and his wounds are healing. a full dose is 5ml per 10gal, 10ml for the whole tank then, so I think the betta should be fine. I didn't know they were vulnerable to this stuff thanks for the tip.