Betta tried to eat my guppy

[Bettafeathers]

So my halfmoon betta and two guppies have been getting along absolutely splendidly for the past almost five months. Today I come home, and my guppy is without a tail and huddled on the aquarium floor! Poor little guy is a mess. I scooped him out into a small cup...but I don't know if he'll make it

Is there anything I can do to help him as much as I can? Or should I just leave him be?

*scolding* BAD BETTA!

(and yes, I realise this was a risky choice to put those two together, but they were watched very closely for quite some time with no issues. Betta was housed in a community tank before I bought him)

[BeckyFish97]

The first thing I would say is treat your guppy for fin damage, the other thing I would say is get the other one out A.S.A.P, or put in a divider.

[Bettafeathers]

I got to the poor guy too late...I think he just passed :( . I feel terrible...

I have a small one gallon I can put either of them in until I have another solution to this.

[Olympia]

Yea, sometimes they lash out even after being fine for a while.
I'd probably find a larger container for the guppy and treat for rot..
How large is the tank?
Your two options are adding a ton of plant cover (think a female betta sorority) to reduce chances of aggression, or just separate the betta.
It's happened once, it will pretty likely happen again.

edit: I'm sorry the guppy died.. I'd probably put the betta in the one gallon for now.
You're going to have to buy the guppy a friend as they get lonely..

[Bettafeathers]

Thanks, I'd read that they sometimes act out for no reason. I'd hoped that wouldn't happen, but apparently I didn't get lucky. I feel bad that I hadn't gotten to him soon, but it probably wouldn't have made a difference. He was a mess.
I'll get the small tank prepped and work on my mom to let me get another small tank for the betta. She hates the idea of another tank and I hate the idea of putting him back in the 1 gal; he shredded his fins when I kept him there the first time. But that beats the heck out of letting him kill my other little guppy.

I'll try to get out and purchase a couple more guppy friends for the survivor of the Jaws attack.

[Bombalurina]

That's the trouble with bettas - they are such unpredictable fish.

Poor guppylet. :(

[Bettafeathers]

Very unpredictable...its too bad..

I got a couple of black moscow guppies for my little loner guppy. I plopped the bag into the tank to see if the betta would do anything/care. He lost his marbles. So out he came, into the one gallon. Looks like this is going to be a guppy tank. Ah well, at least they're cute!!