siameese fighting fish (males)

[asoftuk]

Ok I have purchased 2 Siameese fighting fish both males. One is a jet blue colour and the other is a deep red, they are in different community tanks also.

The fish seem to have settled in but both have totaly different attitudes.

The red is aggressive towards all other fish in the tank, while the blue is passive and hides in the shaddows most of the time. Which is the normal behaviour or do they vary within this type of fish?

 

[Morrgan]

Siamese fighting fish, or bettas as they're often called, have quite varied personalities. I guess that's one reason why so many people find these fish so fascinating. I have had 3 males and 3 females during my fishkeeping years, and they've all been different from each other. Some have been lazy and friendly, others active and aggressive.

Their behaviour can also depend on what fish you keep with them. If they're kept with fish that have long, flowing fins, the betta might see them as competition and treat them aggressively. Then again, if there are for example fin nippers in the tank, or other dominant bettas, the betta can be shy and hide away.

One thing that's normal for them though, is swimming among plants. They prefer dense vegetation to free water; in fact, they should always have at least a densely planted corner for themselves in a community tank. This might be the reason why some people claim their bettas have gone "insane" in a big tank and won't stop swimming like mad: they haven't had enough plants within which to establish their own territory.

Humm, this went a bit OT, but I suppose it wasn't too bad.

 

[asoftuk]

Humm, this went a bit OT, but I suppose it wasn't too bad.

lol its not OT any advice is good advice.

An update on the fish.

Both fish are settling in well and the blue one is now starting to show itself more often than hiding. I think it was just the shock of being took out of a tank at the LFS with no other fish in with it, to being placed into a heavily populated guppy and mollie tank.

The tanks are well planted and well populated so i think they will get on fine in them.

Unfortunatley my digital camera does not take brilliant pictures of the fish but i will try and get some images on here of them.

Many thanks for your advice on this it is much appreciated.

 

[Big_al_d]

Hi asoftuk

I'm not an expert, but I do own a Siamese FF - he's a great fish B)

However, I've been told by more than one person, including staff from my LFS, that guppies are not good to keep in the same tank as they're nutorious fin nippers

Maybe someone else (more seasoned) could add input into this?

Hope it's all ok

/my two pence (FWIW)

 

[CMC]

I have my betta alone in a 1-gallon tank w/ a small 25-watt heater. I have noticed that if I keep the temperature around 79-80 he is very active but if it drops below 78 he just stays around the bottom of the tank. The heater isn't very accurate in that small of a tank but it never goes over 80 degrees. I can't have the light on and the heater on at the same time though or it will get too warm. I'm sure yours just needed to adjust to it's new enviroment. Good luck to you and enjoy your bettas. They are beautiful fish .

 

[mutation]

I've recently purchased a blue betta and he's very shy and hides a fair bit (mind you he's only been in the tank a few days)

Fish are probably similar to people, they probably have different personalities !!!

 

[asoftuk]

that guppies are not good to keep in the same tank as they're nutorious fin nippers

The guppies steer well clear of the siameese its the mollies that are feeling brave. However they soon run when when the siameese turns around and faces them. I think he will do alright in there i will just have to keep my eye on the mollies tho.

 

[shoboy]

I love these guys, and over the years have bought quite a few small 2-5 gal. tnaks just for them.....had 20 running at the same time!!!!!

In my experience, my betta's would always harasse the guppies because of the guppies fins. Dont know if the betta thought they were "rivals", but the male guppies got more "attention" from the betta than any other fishs.

I had a betta live in a 50gal with 2 full grown Oscars. He would flair up at them and they NEVER messed with him, EVER....even at feeding time with lots of goldfish.

As of yesterday, I now have 2 males living in a 90gal with other fish. Both have seen each other, chased each other for a few minutes, and so far, have thier own spots.

My betta's have pretty much held thier own in any tank they were in with other fish. But this 90gal is the first time they have lived together, more than 1 in a tank. But it's still new, time will tell.

 

[modernhamlet]

You're saying that neither the Oscars, nor the Frontosa, brought any harm onto a betta in their tank? This I've got to see.

 

[shoboy]

You're saying that neither the Oscars, nor the Frontosa, brought any harm onto a betta in their tank? This I've got to see.

I have 5 zebra danio's in the tank with my Frontosa right now. Plus 2 little skunk loaches. He has never messed with any fish. He has chased some fish when they tried to get into his cave, but he has never eaten or killed a fish in the 6 years I've had him. Ghost shrimp will get jacked pretty bad, but no fish has ever gotten eaten.

I did have pics of the betta in the oscar tank. I had 1 good shot of him flairing up at the oscar, and another shot a second later of the oscar swimming away.

No one believed me till I posted it in a USENET forum. Was on an old PC though, so I dont have it anymore.

I have had some really wierd stories with fish I have had. Fortunatly, most had been witnessed by others, so I had credit when I would tell them at work.

 

[modernhamlet]

Oh, man... track me down if you ever find those pics.

Until then, this will be my new favorite "tall tail" story.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi asoftuk

Bettas are great fish. I have three of them and they live with my cory cats.


I'll move this thread to the Betta and Gourami forum where you'll get lots of interesting responses.

 

[asoftuk]

Ok thank you for moving the thread.

The Siameese have now settled in and are starting to set out their territories.

All fish are now steering well clear of them because they do not like it when the Siameese flares itself up.

If i can get some clear enough pics i will post them but with a cheapo £100 digital its not getting the right sort of pics and they are coming out a bit blurred.