Help! Male betta and platies

[Windstar7]

Hi all,
Help! I have a 12 gallon tank that I originally had divided in two with a male betta on either side. They were the only fish in the tank. One of the bettas recently died. I then took the divider out and redesigned the tank decorations. I thought I'd like to try to have a community tank with the remaining betta. I did a LOT of research about possible tankmates and decided on three male platies -- each a different color. I picked out three of the calmest looking platies at the pet store and added them in the tank. At first my betta was just stalking them and flaring. After a while, all seemed well, but the betta seemed very upset. The platies were happily swimming around and scooting away from the betta when he got too close.

After several hours, I noticed the betta was still stalking them very menacing-like. He will stalk and then rush one of the platies with his mouth open. I saw him bite a piece of skin off the back of one of the platies and eat it. He then proceeded to go after a red platy and got a chunk of that fish's back and ate it too. Then the red wag platy grabbed a bit of the betta's tail fin and ate that. Good thing I was watching!! I practically threw the divider back in the tank to separate the betta as fast as I could. The platies seem OK -- looks like the betta just took off some surface skin/scales. The betta looks much, much more at ease now that the other fish are "gone". My question is this. Will the three platies be OK in the 6 gallon space? Or should I just take them back to the pet store and just get another male betta. I think the platies are beautiful and would like to keep them but only if they will be happy in a smaller space. What a nightmare!!! I never anticipated such problems!! And this betta seemed pretty non-aggressive (for a betta) before. He hardly ever even flared at his old tankmate betta.

[Hopelessaddict101]

Originally Posted by Windstar7

Hi all,
Help! I have a 12 gallon tank that I originally had divided in two with a male betta on either side. They were the only fish in the tank. One of the bettas recently died. I then took the divider out and redesigned the tank decorations. I thought I'd like to try to have a community tank with the remaining betta. I did a LOT of research about possible tankmates and decided on three male platies -- each a different color. I picked out three of the calmest looking platies at the pet store and added them in the tank. At first my betta was just stalking them and flaring. After a while, all seemed well, but the betta seemed very upset. The platies were happily swimming around and scooting away from the betta when he got too close.

After several hours, I noticed the betta was still stalking them very menacing-like. He will stalk and then rush one of the platies with his mouth open. I saw him bite a piece of skin off the back of one of the platies and eat it. He then proceeded to go after a red platy and got a chunk of that fish's back and ate it too. Then the red wag platy grabbed a bit of the betta's tail fin and ate that. Good thing I was watching!! I practically threw the divider back in the tank to separate the betta as fast as I could. The platies seem OK -- looks like the betta just took off some surface skin/scales. The betta looks much, much more at ease now that the other fish are "gone". My question is this. Will the three platies be OK in the 6 gallon space? Or should I just take them back to the pet store and just get another male betta. I think the platies are beautiful and would like to keep them but only if they will be happy in a smaller space. What a nightmare!!! I never anticipated such problems!! And this betta seemed pretty non-aggressive (for a betta) before. He hardly ever even flared at his old tankmate betta.

Oh, wow. That sucks.

They would be OK in the 6 gal space, I think? They would survive. But I do suggest you treat them for their injuries, and the same with your male.

:)

[Fishybitty]

I thought I knew my betta reallywell, and I stressed him out real bad when I added 5 neons. He was fine with the snail but the neons just didn't work out.

I'm sorry that happened.

[waterdog]

In small spaces the best chance is to put the betta in last so he doesn't 'defend' his territory against the intruders. In my 5 gallon I put two sunset honey gouramies. The next day I added the betta. They are all well a month later.