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I have 2 identical sibling girls and I would really like to house them together if it's possible. Problem is, when I tried to put them in a tank together, they circled, flared and nipped at each other so I had to separate them. Is there anything I can do to get them used to each other and not be so nasty?

I have thought about putting them in a tank with a mesh divider so they can see one another without being able to fight, then see if they eventually get used to seeing each other without wanting to brawl. They are both at the extra aggressive adolescent age, so i'm wondering if they will mellow a bit over time.

When I tried them in the tank together they weren't actually doing any damage, just sort of ramming each other and flaring. Neither ended up with any torn fins or missing scales but I didn't want to take any chances with my girls. I guess what I'm wondering is if I can get them to cohabitate without seeing the other girl as a threat? Also is spatting between girls temporary until they decide who's boss or will they continue to fight until one of them is seriously injured?

mesh divider is the best way to go, and they do tend to mellow with age

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Wile yes females tend to less aggressive than the males. It is not uncommon for them to be outright nasty also. Like calla said the divider is the way to go. Who knows they might settle down in time.

well letting them fight isn't bad. in the wild these fish would be fighting and most of the times if it happens in nature then it is " o.k." just let them go at it and usually they wont get beat up to bad. just let nature take it's path. if u are trying to make it so that the females withh have no nips and fights then you are dealing with the wrong fish.

I agree with the first two posts. Try some kind of fine screen to separate the girls. Over time, they should be less inclined to fight.

Last edited by jason_r_s at 10-Dec-2004 21:59

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

well what do u think the fish are doing in the wild? i know that they aren't how would ya say have tea together! if fish it is in every bettas blood. but they don't fight forever and after the fish should get along after the pecking order has been astblished.

Last edited by bettachris at 10-Dec-2004 21:23

Last edited by jason_r_s at 10-Dec-2004 22:00

Bettas do fight in the wild, that is true. However, big fish eat small fish in the wild, as well. Would you want that to happen in your tank? To have say, an oscar gobble up your Sterbai's cories? No, I think not. Just because something happens in the wild, doesn't mean it needs to happen in a fish tank.

Last edited by jason_r_s at 10-Dec-2004 22:00

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

now what your saying is that for example if i had a let say a super rare fish that should be released into the wild to live with let's say another super rare fish of that kind then i should feed it live fish so that when i let it go into the wild then it would starve b/c it isn't use to eat live food?umm...... i agree that if at all possible they shouldn't fight but it isn't wrong. i mean if mother nature didn't want them to fight (by nature) then they wouldn't be bettas now would they?

Last edited by jason_r_s at 10-Dec-2004 22:02

bettachris I completely disagree with letting them fight and your posts have moved completely off topic. If you want to have a conversation about betta fighting instinct, please open another thread, as this really isn't the place for it.

Thanks everyone who posted in favour of using a mesh divider. I'll pick one up and see if I can get them living together. If they continue to fight, I don't mind leaving the divider in the tank.

Let's not derail the thread anymore than it has been already.

i agree that if at all possible they shouldn't fight but it isn't wrong. i mean if mother nature didn't want them to fight (by nature) then they wouldn't be bettas now would they?

Wether or not bettas will fight is a mute point. This thread was created by tryst in an attempt to find out what can be done to make her bettas stop nipping at each other. Obviously letting them fight it out will not stop them in the mean time from nipping on each other. It seems the best solution so far is a divider, which is what I would have suggested. If anyone has another method that may get these bettas to stop fighting, please let tryst know.

I have 13 sibling females living together. Two I had to separate....they were weaker and were getting picked on. They seem to form a pecking order. If you had a larger group that might help but whenever you introduce a new female the group order has to be re established. Mesh would be the way to go.

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