Female Betta changing colors, is this okay

[Jazander]

Hello,

I have a female betta fish in a 10 gallon with some mollies. Sometimes her whole body is a dark blue, then 10 minutes later she has pale pink strips and her whole body is alot pailer. Is this normal normal? Her strips are horizontal on her body.

[Silverfang]

It sounds like she might be stressed out from the change. When bettas seem paler it can be a sign of stress. Also horizontal stripes on a betta, male or female, are commonly called stress stripes, a fair tip off that she is indeed stressed. Was she in a tank by herself before? Some bettas, males or females, just don't do well with other fish.
I hope someone who has more experience can offer some other suggestions.

[Jazander]

Oh no! Stress stripes! Thats horrible! She was alone... But I thought she would be okay. The mollies dont pick on her and I put her in there to eat some of my mollie fry because there is so many. She chases them around and Im sure shes caught a few. Is there anything I can do for her?

[Sakura8]

You could put your girl back into her own tank. Then use a brine shrimp net that has really fine weave to net some of the fry and put them into her tank with her. Just don't feed her if you see that she's eating the fry. She sounds like the anti-social type so it's probably best if she has her own place. Some are like that.

[Jazander]

I think its me that stresses her out! I noticed that its when I turn the lights on that she gets her pale stripes and just now when I got home I went to check my 10 gallon, she was dark blue. When she swam by the front of the tank where I was, she got her stripes. I dont know what could have caused this. Is this odd behavior for a betta?

[frogipoi]

Maybe she strongly dislikes you? Try seperating her from the mollies and put some fry in with her

[Jazander]

Maybe I will put my male in the 10 gallon and put her in the fish bowl he is in... I hope he will be okay. Maybe my female doesnt like being netted, and the couple times it happens she knows it was me?

[Sakura8]

How long have you had her? It takes them quite a while to settle in and in my experiences so far, the females can get stressed very easily during this time. My one female Goldikova didn't stop showing stress bars at me until a few days ago and I've had her for almost three weeks. But she still gets stressed when she sees a camera.

I wouldn't say she dislikes you. I think she's just very skittish, possibly from being netted. I know some people prefer not to use a net at all and use a small cup to scoop them up.

Give your girl some time. If you want, you can certainly transfer her to the smaller bowl (change the water daily!) and keep that bowl near you. The more she sees you and the more you touch her tank or move around it, the more comfortable she'll be around you.

[Jazander]

Thanks guys! I will get it sorted. :)

[dramaqueen]

No, she doesn't dislike you. lol I have found that bettas really don't like strong light so maybe that's what is stressing her. If you want her to eat fry you could always catch some and put them in her tank. She'll take care of them. lol