Adding to a sorority

[logisticsguy]

Originally Posted by Xeek

They have such complex personalities. Moving decorations around and all that is probably best if adding one to a sorority. If you add more then one then moving things around isn't as necessary.

I like to add 2 at a time now because things go so smooth when I do. If the new females are smaller than the girls it is even better it seems, as not one nip when I added 2 juvi females a couple weeks ago. For some reason after they were added it has been like peace in the Middle East. Sorority Zen has been reached. Ive had to put 2 females in a divided 10g because sorority life was not for them, they did not play well with others and needed an apartment. Ive have also found that a female betta get v stripes quick if another female is introduced nearby while conditioning. A lil jealousy for the males attention can make them pretty crazy.

[Xeek]

I've also noticed a change in behavior under special circumstances that can mess with your fragile sorority. I had a female that was getting obese and I only fed the other females and ignored her. I only planned todo this for 3 days then gradually give her back the same amount of food as the others.

She became overly aggressive when she used to be docile. I think she felt she had to be more competitive to get food. It temporarily changed her. I moved her to a tank by herself for a good while and with my second start of a sorority she is being one of the more docile ones again.

So jealousy and competition can play a role in a betta's behavior it seems.

[ChoclateBetta]

Humans build sorieties too.

[Xeek]

I wish I could go to one of their parties. Considering I was the only male.

[CLCDiver]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm still keeping an eye on tank health. Tomorrow (today, actually, since it's past midnight) is the last day of the 5 day Maracyn 2 treatment. My girls are still looking stressed, though not as often, and my alpha female found an old shell to hide in which scared the crap out of me when I couldn't find her.

I'll probably get two new girls tomorrow. By the time they're out of quarantine, I should be reasonably certain that the main tank is healthy. If not, then they'll just have to spend longer in quarantine. Separated, of course.

I'll definitely try rearranging the tank. And I'll do the same floating introduction that I did last time.

Thanks again for the help.

[ChoclateBetta]

Real floating plants live or silk would be nice.

[CLCDiver]

I have a few real plants, although only one is floating and none are particularly good hiding places. They do disrupt the line of sight on the bottom half of the tank (the tank is new-ish and they're not tall yet). For hiding places, I have one cave, and a couple of lean-to like hiding places where they can get away from each other but I can still see them.

I'm done medicating the tank, and my new females are waiting in quarantine for me to be certain that everybody is healthy and flaring at each other.

So far there hasn't been any real increase in aggression between the two females left, but they're both still showing stress lines, which worries me. Ah, well. Hopefully that'll pass by next week.

[ChoclateBetta]

What species are they?

[CLCDiver]

I have an anubias, an anacharis, and something that i don't know the name of but is tall and quick growing, with thin leaves that look a bit like smallish pine needles

[ChoclateBetta]

Anarchis will really help.