Problems with tetras and bettas

[KeddyPie]

It is more about the tetras then the bettas, but I feel more comfortable in the betta forum... Hope you don't mind

I've had 3 peaceful betta girls in my community tank, with 0% fighting and, well... peace. They commuted fine with the school of 7 bloodfin tetras with absolutly no chasing or flaring or nipping from EITHER party. I thought it was a dream come true, never expected it to work out. They've been this way for, oh.... at LEAST 2 weeks, maybe 3. I lose track of time easily.

Well, today I notices something... I went to clean off the intake of the filter, and quickly noticed something was amiss... I could not find ANY bloodfins! I moves plants around,and discovered all 7 of them were hiding under a peice of slate I have, close to the bottoma nd surrounded by plants.... I'm not sure what to think of it. I can take this 3 ways, but that is all I can think of.

1. The girls started being a hassle and they took refuge there in fear.

2. There is some sort of breeding thing going on, which explains why they are out of harms waym or

3. Someone died, and they rest are gathered nibbling on remains, and the bettas have not discovored it.


I don't want to move the slate, bcause it is going to disrupt the Java fern I have trying to establish itself on the rock, and mess a few other things up. I'm gonna throw some bloodworms in there to see if everyoen wont come out of hiding... Occasionally 2 or 3 of them (never alone) wil coem out and wander around the bottom 5 inches of the tank... that's about it. I'll wait a few days, and if nothing changes, I'll try removing the bettas.

And I did think of something... I have left the light on all night for the past 2 nights (Unintentional... I've been so sleepy I keep forgetting to turn it off). Maybe the change forced them to seek out darkness?

Thanks,
Katy

 

[SRC]

If you started out with 7 and all 7 are under there..none can be dead..yet.

Tetra's don't congregate and hide like that when breeding...most of them seek out broad leaf plants to shag under lol. The males shimmy and shake and nudge the females with their belly's...thent he girls flip over upside down..and they get jiggy....doesn't take long and you'll have hundreds of eggs...which they'll eat if not seperated from.

It's been said before, but I'll say it again...

Having bettas in with otehr fish may last a lifetime, a year, a month, a week, a day....or it may last til you walk away from the tank. It's all a matter of chance....one I dont' think (if you were the other fish) you'd much like if left in that position.

Watching my own girls try to maul each other through their dividers....I can only imagine what'd they try do to anothe rfish.

 

[KeddyPie]

I know it is risky and a lot of people do not approve of it, which is why I don't normally parade the fact around. it's not permanent (though not necessarily short term), just until I get a ten gallon set up. I am not in a hurry, because at this moment in time, the community tank is as peaceful as ever, and the girls are happy. I am fully aware that this can change in an instant, and I know the risks of keeping them all together.

In other news, everyone has come out of hiding. I am going to guess it had to do with the lightint. After I did the weekly 20% water change, everyone went back to their normal behavior.

Katy