Grumpy betta

[SteveJP]

Is there any way to calm him down? I introduced him to my 45 gal community tank. It's stocked with guppies, platies, skirt tetras, and cory cats. He was doing good for 6 days or so, then he started flaring his gills at all of my fish, now he's chasing them around everywhere. The tank is very clean (healthy clean) the water is at 77*f and planted. Anything I can do?

 

[MartyMA]

Male bettas are gumpy all of the time. There is nothing you can do to make him more sociable. Bettas are not a good community tank fish but I don't think he is going to really bother any of the others. I would be more concerned about the fin nippers turning the tables on him. He will most likely settle down on his own in time.

 

[Koopamaster]

When I introduced my betta to a 10 gal community I put it in a breeder cage for 2 days. This helped ease aggression as the fish could still see each other without any fear of attacking. Now my betta is able to live happily with a dwarf gourami and bolivian ram. But really it all depends on the betta so the method may be different for you.

 

[aqua_chem]

How long has he been in there? He might just be getting established and will calm down in a while.

 

[SteveJP]

I'll give him some more time to see if he settles. If not, I think Mr Grumpy Gills will be moved to his own tank.

 

[Sharpchick]

Guppies and black skirt tetras are not terribly compatible with bettas. It's kind of like expecting him to quit acting like a betta.

 

[SteveJP]

I understand that. My parents put a beta in with their guppies and he acts like a normal fish. Same with the beta I had for a few years before this one. I thought I was having a good streak of happy betas, but this one has proven me wrong.

 

[Sharpchick]

What kind of betta is he?

I have two male crowntails. I've found crowntails to be a bit more aggressive than veiltails.

 

[SteveJP]

He's a crown tail. The previous few we're all dragon scale half moon betas. I didn't think there would be a temperament difference.

 

[Sharpchick]

He's a crown tail. The previous few we're all dragon scale half moon betas. I didn't think there would be a temperament difference.

It could be just my fish. I've kept a lot of bettas in the last 10 years, and these are the first crowntails I've had. Both of them are all over their tanks, all the time. They are nosy as all get out, and flare at *everything.* One is in a tank with 3 ADFs, and he is always in their business, at the bottom of the tank.

Both of them get really tank possessive when I do water changes, and they charge at my hand.

Plenty of attitude to go around...