I am really thinking about taking it apart. They are all stressed out, and two of them are constantly getting their fins torn apart. I can't stand to see my girls like this. Any suggestions? Maybe adding two more girls (I only have 4) and more hiding spots? The cheapest, but safest way to keep them is what I am looking for. I really can't afford to buy two more ten gallon tanks and dividing them in half. I want them to have atleast 5 gallons each if I divide the tanks.
I have platy fry so I really need to buy a large plastic bin for them. I also need another ten gallon tank for the mother to give birth in, so no matter what I do, I need atleast two more tanks.
My brain is so scrambled right now. I worry about my girls, and walking in and seeing them so torn up is hard for me to handle :(
What size tank? if it is a 10g, adding 2 more to make 6 might help to a degree, however, you would be pushing the bioload IMO, what kind of filter are you using? sometime that increased current can help...but not always.....
IMO the smallest for sororities is a 20g for unrelated females, and either heavy planted or silk plants to kill the line-of-site for safe territories along with lots of hiding places of caves, rocks, driftwood...etc....with at least 6-10 (8 ideal) females all added at one time, filter that has some water flow, this can be helpful in the since that the girls have to fight a little harder in the current making it harder for the dominate female to get the weaker ones, they will soon learn how to avoid the current so it needs to be moved about an inch or so either direction with the weekly water change.
Adding some of the culled platy fry can also help them to direct their aggression to something else...
I have a ten gallon tank. I am not sure about the filter, but it has a high and low setting which I have experimented with and they seem to feel better with the high setting. I might try getting tons of plants from the petstore when I go next time. I found one type that I really like, but I got it so if the platies give birth in the 20 gallon tank, the fry might have somewhere to hide in.
I don't think I could bring myself to putting fry in with the sorority. I always was a sucker for weak or deformed babies.
Your right they don't like turbulence, but I have found that the current will help break up fights in sororities sometimes....stress from current or stress from fights........
I keep anywhere from 14 to 18 Betta females in 10 gallon aquariums,
Adding them all at once and of the same age I always found best,
I use the tetra submersible power filters for 30 gallons.
The basic rule I always use, If you have 2 younger betta's add 2 more, if you have 4 add 4 more, 6 then 6 more and so on,
Older females are always harder to work with,
If I have to work with older females, the bigger the tank the better, If they adjust to each other,. then given time you can downsize their tank.
It's actually the two youngest bettas picking on the two oldest. I will come home to find out that the youngest girl is chasing the biggest girl around. If needed I can easily put one of the more aggressive girls in another tank and just buy another one that doesn't seem as aggressive.
I only have one filter, so I pretty much have to keep it on high, but it doesn't affect their swimming too much. They can easily go to the bottom and swim is what my little Thiea has figured out. She has even found out that she can swim under the driftwood in their tank.
Chicklet, why so many females in a 10 gallon tank? This question isn't meant as a criticism, I'm just curious.
I have alot of fish here and every tank space needed,
As fast as I get an empty tank I get rescues and trades, So I never know what will be coming in tomorrow,
Besides the higher numbers seem to create more peace over lower numbers.
Even with good filtration and frequent water changes 18 is the max I will do to a 10 gallon,
I'm not saying others should do that many, As I do have lots of time to dedicate to my fish..
and If I should need a tank I can drop and immediately buy one.
Should a problem ever arise I'm pretty much on top of it, I'm Retired and can devote my entire time to my fish and critters here :)
That is what you have to do with some of the cichlid species too, over crowd them to keep aggression in check...as odd as that sounds it really works in some cases, you just have to watch water quality pretty close and it sounds like Chicklet is on top of that, I don't recommend it unless you have time to monitor closely..... like Chicklet and myself for that matter....lol....being retired gives us more time....laffs....
Check out the eBook Betta Fish Care Made Easy
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