New Sorority! :d

[nikkifro8994]

I just set up my new betta sorority! I have a 10 gallon that's had tetras in it for about a year. I moved the tetras into my other 10 gallon with the 3 livebearers.. Then I added 5 female bettas to the tank. I have 4 crowntails and 1 regular. Right now, 2 are trying to establish which is the alpha. The other 3 are exploring and staying out of the way. I'll let them establish their pecking order for a few days. One has already claimed the territory by the heater. I'll post pics soon. If you have any advice on sororities I will gladly take it.

 

[nikkifro8994]

PICTURES!!!!!
#1 She is the first one I saw, making me go home and shuffle my tanks so I could have her. She is a bright blue CT.
 

Betta sorority by nikkifro8994, on Flickr
 
#2 She a gray CT with steel blue streaks in her fins.


Betta sorority by nikkifro8994, on Flickr
 
#3 She is a black CT with red fins and black tips.


Betta sorority by nikkifro8994, on Flickr
 
#4 She is a normal red betta. I don't know what type.


Betta sorority by nikkifro8994, on Flickr
 
#5 She is a white/red CT with red fins. I think she has some dragon scale in her. She's also a piggie. I think she ate one of the ghost shrimp. I only gave her a few pellets.



 

Betta sorority by nikkifro8994, on Flickr
 


Betta sorority by nikkifro8994, on Flickr

 

[nikkifro8994]

Tank picture

Betta sorority by nikkifro8994, on Flickr

 

[nikkifro8994]

It looks like the girls have established their pecking order. My white-red CT is the alpha. Now 2 of them have some damage on their tails. How do I help them heal? Will they heal on their own? I have MelaFix and PimaFix, but I don't want to use these if I don't have to. I also have aquarium salt (not sea salt). Should I add one of these to help their fins heal?

 

[Wildbetta]

To help heal fins or missing scales(both issues you will see with sororities) clean, warm water is all that is needed.  If a particular girl looks beat up or overly damaged -- you might need to remove her to let her heal a little bit away from the others.  Your setup looks nice and your girls are really cool.  The one thing I caution you on is the bamboo in the far left corner.  If it is real and alive, you need to remove it because it is not a aquatic plant and will eventually rot and foul up your tank.  I know a lot of stores sell them as an aquatic plant but they are not.  I also suggest a little bit more in the front to break up line of sight. 

 

[nikkifro8994]

Thanks! None have been bullied, just slightly torn tails on the 2 that wanted to be alpha. The temp is at 80F. I'll do a water change tonight. The bamboo is fake. Currently the only live plant is the moss ball. I have some bulbs growing in my 1.5 gallon that I'll add when they sprout some. I only planted them yesterday. The girls are getting along well. No fighting or nipping after the first few hours. The solid red one isn't eating, but she may still be adjusting to her new home. She will look at the pellets, but won't even go for one. The others are eating well.

 

[Wildbetta]

The solid red one?  The one that is not a CT?  If so I meant to mention that if her fins stay that way( clamped up--her tail fin looks clamped in the pic) then you may need to watch her a little more carefully. Especially if she is not eating.

 

[AshP1986]

is 80 a little high for bettas?

 

[nikkifro8994]

The solid red one?  The one that is not a CT?  If so I meant to mention that if her fins stay that way( clamped up--her tail fin looks clamped in the pic) then you may need to watch her a little more carefully. Especially if she is not eating.

Yes, the one that isn't a CT. Her fins only look clamped because she was swimming when I took the picture. I've seen her flare a few times and her fins look good. I think she's just getting used to the tank. If she won't take the pellets by Sunday, I can give her some of the frozen bloodworms or frozen brine shrimp that I give my puffer.
 

is 80 a little high for bettas?

Ideal temp for bettas is 75-85F. I am going to put it at 83 until the fins on 2 of them are fully healed. Then I'll let it down to 80 again.

 

[Wildbetta]

is 80 a little high for bettas?

 
80 F is actually on the lower end for bettas.  79F is the lowest I will keep any of my betta splenden tanks with around 82F-84F being the optimal temp that I use with mine.

The solid red one?  The one that is not a CT?  If so I meant to mention that if her fins stay that way( clamped up--her tail fin looks clamped in the pic) then you may need to watch her a little more carefully. Especially if she is not eating.

Yes, the one that isn't a CT. Her fins only look clamped because she was swimming when I took the picture. I've seen her flare a few times and her fins look good. I think she's just getting used to the tank. If she won't take the pellets by Sunday, I can give her some of the frozen bloodworms or frozen brine shrimp.

I am glad to hear that the fins looking clamped was because of how the picture was taken.    Hopefully she will stop being stubborn and eat the normal pellets for you soon.

 

[nikkifro8994]

It doesn't help that when I feed them she only wants to swim around. She's not interested in food at all. She took one bite of a pellet this morning and then turned her nose up at the rest. I tried giving her a few of the frozen bloodworms that I gave the puffer this morning. She ate one but turned away again. She might be a picky one that only wants live food. Problem is none if my lfs sells live food, so she'll have to be fine with pellets and frozen food. None of my other fish have ever been this picky.

 

[Paradise3]

She'll be settling in. Also, I'd watch that Grey and Blue CT. I don't know how big she is but I see no eggspot and she looks almost identical to a "female" someone on a betta group I'm on bought which turned into an underdeveloped male. Just a warning, might be nothing but just a warning Also, I'd not add any more females to the tank - 10 gallons isn't ideally big enough for 5 female let alone any more. Just all advice, not trying to say "don't ever keep betta's" or "that grey and blue CT is male" just warnings and advice

 

[nikkifro8994]

Thanks. They are all a little over 1.5 inches. I made sure they all had egg spots before I bought them. I don't want any plakat males in this tank. I made that mistake with platys and had babies 2 weeks later. I'll probably replace one if she does, but 5 bettas and 3 ghost shrimp is plenty. If I had a 15-20 gallon I'd add a couple more.

 

[Paradise3]

Thanks. They are all a little over 1.5 inches. I made sure they all had egg spots before I bought them. I don't want any plakat males in this tank. I made that mistake with platys and had babies 2 weeks later. I'll probably replace one if she does, but 5 bettas and 3 ghost shrimp is plenty. If I had a 15-20 gallon I'd add a couple more.

 
Okey Doke

Like I say, was just warnings and advice. I wasn't trying to be condescending or bossy or anything like that.
 
Oh and for the record - I always kept my betta's between 26-28c(80-82f)

 
Another thing, your Red and White CT isn't part Dragon Scale. Just metallic which is a shiny version of normal.

 

[Wildbetta]

She'll be settling in. Also, I'd watch that Grey and Blue CT. I don't know how big she is but I see no eggspot and she looks almost identical to a "female" someone on a betta group I'm on bought which turned into an underdeveloped male. Just a warning, might be nothing but just a warning

Also, I'd not add any more females to the tank - 10 gallons isn't ideally big enough for 5 female let alone any more. Just all advice, not trying to say "don't ever keep betta's" or "that grey and blue CT is male" just warnings and advice

 
I disagree with this statement.  Normally on stocking I would agree but with female bettas in a sorority -- they work better a little "crowded" compared to other fish and situations.  A 10 gallon with just females and ghost shrimp could easily handle around 8 or so females.  From personal experience, my sororities always worked better "crowded" and I seen less fin/scale damage since no one female could really be singled out with so many of them there.  Just a personal observation and meaning no disrespect to your advice.  (there have been a little too many...dirt slinging...on here lately so wanted to make sure I wasn't misunderstood.     )