Aggressive Betta in Sorority 1 Day In 00

[AndyPham]

I am currently keeping 4 female elephant ear bettas in a temporary 13 gallon bin as I am am setting up a 28 gallon tank. So right now I have the 4 bettas I’ll call them by their tail colors. So Blue, Lavender?, Green, and White. That’s also what I think their hierarchy is. I am currently getting more cover for the tank so the bettas don’t have to constantly see each other, but so my blue betta is usually chasing my others around. I just introduced them yesterday and The blue one has been chasing them it calmed down a bit as where only when the others get in a certain vicinity around her. My Lavender Betta I tested that she will harass my others the second I remove my blue one, but with the blue one in the lavender get along well with most of the other bettas and sometimes with the blue. While the Lavender would sometimes join a chase if the blue is chasing one the Lavender would chase the other. While the blue mostly picks on the most passive betta my white one. And the lavender picks mostly on the green one.So I’m thinking of what to do Rn, since it’s only been 1 day so I’ll wait a couple more days and get some more cover in the aquarium and hopefully things get better. So I was seeing if this was a good choice or is their better ways to do this. (I might have accidentally use him a couple of times I rechecked but just in case. so Him=Her 00) In the image the Lavender is on the bottom left. The Blue is staring at White and Green is minding her own business When Lavender and Blue kinda team up a bit against my white and green.

Also is it okay to add another Cattapa Leaf? It says 1 Leaf per 12 Gallons would it be bad to add another? Since the Bettas really like it.

[Autumnsky]

One of the meanest fish I ever had was a female Betta. Killed anything in her path. Obviously she was removed from social tank.

One of my issues in keeping a sorority was, one fish was actually a male, so I kept having dead fish. Maybe the aggressive one is a male. Also once identified as the killer male, was removed. Personality plays a huge factor is peaceable tanks. Female Bettas are not all sweet.

You likely will need to remove the mean one. (maybe things will calm in a larger tank, remove now for safety try adding back in later when you have the others settled in to the new tank) Also as a side note, these fish can live in smaller areas /tanks, but they appreciate lots of room and "their" areas. It is great you are making them a big space.

IAL are best added in gradually if you are adding them in dry (not boiled) Then the pH or tank parameter changing properties will be more gradual. Same with adding all botanicals, adding something weekly.

Some items are thicker or harder, acorn caps or catappa bark curls as an example, vs. Maple leaves which are very thin and break down quickly. Guava leaves, and IAL break down moderately slowly.

IAL vary in quality as well but usually they can color the water fairly quickly. After a few days they start breaking down they will put out the most benefits and I would wait appx. a week between adding in the next leaf or part of leave depending on the size 6" compared to 12".