Betta are Punks

[saiyrus]

OK. I have two betta fish. One is in a 1.5 gallon tank, and the other in a 1 gallon fish bowl. They both have pleasant rocks and a few fake plants, but I decided to get them some friends. So I went to the store, like an idiot, blind to the fact that WalMart sucks sometimes. I bought two Otocinclus catfish, one for each area.

I've already found out that my blue betta is super aggressive, because though I once had a divider in the larger tank for both betta, the red one jumped over and got his tail kicked and some fins shredded by the blue fish.

After introducing the Otocinclus catfish to the betta fish, the red one took notice, but they are calm together. The blue betta, however, keeps chasing the catfish. I am not sure if he is playing with him, because he'll sneak up right next to the poor suckerfish and then jab at him. Luckily, the Otocinclus catfish is quick, and avoids pain.

Should I remove this Otocinclus catfish?

 

[saiyrus]

Oh yeah, and I think the blue betta knows when to not attack, because whenever I see him creeping toward the Otocinclus catfish, he looks at me and slowly turns away. ^.^

 

[An t-iasg]

Welcome to Aquarium Advice, saiyrus!

Yes, I would remove the otos from each betta bowl. IMO, a 1 or 1.5 gallon bowl is not big enough for a betta, let alone another fish. Bettas can be aggressive, as you've seen, especially in a small space, where they are defending their territory. Do you have a bigger tank for the otos? Otos prefer to be in groups. I would place them in a group of at least four otos.

In addition to being cramped for space, the betta and the oto will quickly overwhelm the biological filtration of the bowls and cause an ammonia spike. A bowl of under 3 gallons is very hard to keep cycled. I think you're asking for trouble by keeping one oto and one betta in a small bowl.

An arrangement that would work is a 10 gallon tank for one betta, and four otos.

 

[saiyrus]

Thanks. ^.^