Betta nipping male platy

[spencerward]

I have a 55 gallon tank with 4 female patties, 1 male platy, 2 dwarf pleco, 2 dojo loaches, 1 female molly and my male betta. My male betta is attacking only my male platy and could care less about the others. Now my male platy is the smallest fish in the tank but my betta also was attacking another male I had which has died. My guess is its a male on male thing what do I guys think?

[Olympia]

Hmm, is the platy brighter than the others?
You may have to get your betta his own tank to stop the aggression.

Also note, your dojo loaches will grow to around 9" and eat your betta, platies and probably the Molly.

[garigou56]

when i got a betta for my big tank he used to snap at the platies and the guppies too. but then a few days after he learned to live with them i guess. someone from the pet shop told me that the betta will only attack and cause harm if he thinks that the fish has more brightly coloured fins than him. so i guess what you can do is make sure the betta is the most brightly coloured and big one in the tank.. lol that reminds me of snow white's step mother "who is the fairest of them all?" or in the bettas' case "who is the brightest of them all?":):)