Suicidal Betta?

[PEZpirate]

I have a 10 gal tank with 2 female bettas and 3 female mollies
(we also have a snail, plecostomus, and a few live plants)
everyone has always gotten along well with eachother.
Beginning yesterday, my 2 female bettas have started getting there heads and sometimes their entire bodies stuck out of the water.
(either stuck against the glass above the water line,
or on top of a plant whose leaves touch the water level)

The following is a pic of one of the inccidents

As soon as i put them back into the water, they do it again.
How long can they stay out of the water like that?
Why might they be doing this?
Is this a normal behavior for them?
Is there anything i can do to discourage it?

 

[sukie]

Have you tested your water???

 

[PEZpirate]

I tested my waters PH, nitrate, nitrite, and amnonia levels and all were fine.
should i test for anything else?

 

[Durbkat]

What are the water stats because what seems fine to you may be bad for the bettas. When you have more than 1 female in a 10g your suppost to have at least 4 in there. Try adding more water to the tank so the water level isn't so low. Your pleco will out grow that tank, they can reach up to 2 feet in length.

 

[bettawen]

what is your ph, it does sound like something is irritating the bettas, mine like to lay on top of the plants or filter but not actually jump out, i dont recommend raising the water as if there is a chance of the bettas actually jumping out all togther

 

[liz2]

I see you are on this thread...fish any better?

 

[Durbkat]

Well they may want more room to swim and with the water level that low there may only be about 8g in the tank.

PEZpirate why would you let the water level get that low for? How often do you do vacum cleanings?

 

[PEZpirate]

PH, 7.0
nitrate, around 10 (possibly from my plants?)
nitrite, 0
amnonia 0

I use bottled water to fill my tank after vacuuming (half distilled, half drinking water).
which i also add some "aquasafe" to
I've been very successful using this method with my larger tanks.

I vaccuum 1-2 times a week

the picture was an extreme close-up...
the water level is about 2-3 inches from the bottom of the black rim (i can't think of what to call it)
- is that too low?

 

[Durbkat]

Don't vacum that much I'd suggest once every 2 weeks. Yes I would think thats to low. Fill it up to the black line, thats what I do. I usually never let my water level get lower than a inch at the most.

 

[PEZpirate]

the rim of my filter goes down quite a bit

I'm afraid if i do raise my water level to the black rim,
my filter may not work right.
(but i could be wrong)

 

[Durbkat]

No I meant the intake tube.

 

[BWBettas]

Well they may want more room to swim and with the water level that low there may only be about 8g in the tank.

PEZpirate why would you let the water level get that low for? How often do you do vacum cleanings?

Durbkat if the water height is the problem and the fact they are in 8 gallons of water cant be the problem as many people keep them in 1 gallons and they dont jump?? your so confusing

 

[PEZpirate]

When i woke up this morning one female was dead.
She was all dried up stuck against the side of the glass.
I haven't seen the other female try jumping out today...
hopefully she wont try to do that anymore.

I'm still trying to figure out exactly why they were doing that in the first place.
If anyone has any guesses please let me know.

 

[BWBettas]

Oooh, She looked a very nice bettas from what i saw of her sorry for your loss

 

[ron1]

When i woke up this morning one female was dead.
She was all dried up stuck against the side of the glass.
I haven't seen the other female try jumping out today...
hopefully she wont try to do that anymore.

I'm still trying to figure out exactly why they were doing that in the first place.
If anyone has any guesses please let me know.

Oh dear .That's so sad Maybe the other female was bullying her and she was trying to escape--Bless