agressive females

I have a question from a friend of mine, He as two females I don't know what size tank but it looks about the size of a typical betta bowl (1 gallon) would they get aggressive towards each other because they are in such a small space? I know females are usually really kind to each other unlike males....any thoughts

thanx
~inari

 

First of all, females are still Siamese FIGHTING Fish. They can live together and not kill each other automatically like the males would but that does not mean that it may not happen. Betta fish have definite personalities and they are territorial and aggressive and never more so than when they are CRAMPED. [and in a container that size they are not just cramped, they are abused] The smalller the amount of room an aggressive or territorial fish has them more feisty and cantankerous it is going to be up to and including killing its tank mates to keep the space to itself. I am not too sure that even some of the more peaceful species cannot be pushed into killing when they are "backed into a corner" where space to live is concerned. All species have the instinct to protect themselves and with no area to live in they are bound to feel very threatened.

If your friend does not get both of those fish into something larger, they will do damage to each other or possibly one or both of them will die. You have seen with your own two eyes the difference in a betta when they are given room to live in, so tell your friend about it and tell him that females really need to be kept in 3's so that a dominant female can be established. If there are just 2 they are going to constantly be in competition to see who is dominant. If there are 3 then one of them will take over and make the other 2 behave themselves, but only after they have a big enough tank to live in that has been properly cycled. Bettas are not good fish to use to cycle a tank, they get sick too easily and besides everyone should do a fishless cycle, but then you will have a couple filters that are already cycled from the tanks that are set up now.

Please let me know if I can do anything more.

Rose

 

How do you tell your friend that he needs to spend more money on these fish and get another female other wise they could kill each other...any ideas are welcome
thanx

~Inari

 

Just say that they are fighting because they need a bigger tank and need to be kept in 3's.
Question for Rose--would adding a third Betta to an already established pair cause a fight? Or would it not be a problem if they were all introduced to the tank at the same time? I was just wondering if it would be safer for Ineri's friend to risk leaving them as a pair of adding a third one (assumnig he gets a bigger tank).

 

I am afraid that adding a #3 to this situation is not the answer.  It would only make the situation worse.  In THIS CASE AND THIS CASE ONLY the answer is to separate the two females into 2 tanks and keep them seperated with NO other bettas with them.  Now that they have become this aggressive they may as well be males as far as their temperment goes.  They will not get along with any other bettas of either sex.  The reason that I can speak on this with such force is because I just went through the crumbling of my trio here.  My dominant female became very ill and had to be removed from a much larger tank than what you are speaking of.  The two who were left in the tank nearly killed each other trying to determine who was the boss.  I finally had one bloodied and bruised.  I had to start a 4th tank and I now have 4 bettas in 4 tanks, they are all aggressive as the dickens and none of them will ever make good tank mates to another of their own kind again.  (my dominant female did die so I did not have the option of reintroducing her to the tank and starting over or she would have whipped them into shape again, but the dominance needs to be established right away so with your friends fish this will not work]

This is why it is always a good idea to get 3 or more females AT ONE TIME and do not add more at a later time.  The original group will keep the newcomer from the food and starve them to death.  Bettas are different fish.  You cannot just put one in here and take one out there like you may be able to do with other species.  They just will not allow it.  Some days it is so hard not to stand in the middle of the floor and yell at the top of my lungs at them in total frustration, but I would not trade one of them for anything.  If you are going to keep Bettas, you have to be ready to do what the Betta needs, and it is usually the thing that is not what you want.  It costs money to keep fish.  The days of being able to buy a little bowl and stick a little fish in for the little kids are over.  We now know that this is cruel and inhumane.  Bettas are not pretty toys.  I am sorry to say that if your friend wants to have 2 betta females then he needs to take care of them or take one of them back to the store.  [and still get a good sized tank for the other]

You know all of this so why am I giving you the sermon     .....HMMMM?

Rose

 

Yeah we all do pretty much know all this its on the main site I think if not I know there is literature out there that will tell the same thing anyway thanx for all the advise

~Inari