Female Betta acting aggressive...help please

[madeinpa]

Hi everyone...new to fishkeeping so I am hoping to get some advice from the experts

I have a 10 gallon tank...right now I have 3 panda corys and a female betta. I got the corys about a month ago (after I cycled my new tank) and then the betta about a week later. She was from a friend and had been living in a peaceful community tank. I have been watching very closely for signs of aggression and haven't seen any. The betta actually seemed to hang out with the corys a lot, and they didn't seem scared of her in the slightest. They actually would swim around together (no chasing) and seemed to enjoy each other. Today though, I noticed a tear in one of the cory's dorsal fins. My betta is also chasing them around and forcing them to stay in a small pagoda type decoration I have in the tank. Whenever they come out, she flares and chases them back in. I haven't seen her act anything like this in the past month, and I am worried about my pandas. Am I overreacting? I am wondering whether I should separate her immediately or if I should give it another day or so?

 

[siva]

Hello and welcome to AA!

I'm sorry about your troubles with the betta. In my experience once they act they this, there isn't going to be much you can do about it. She's most likely just not a candidate for community living. You could try to re-arrange the tank and maybe add some new plants or decor. This might buy you some time, but my guess is the behavior will start up again. Most female bettas will never bother another fish..especially one like a cory...she's an aggresive one and I'd say this just isn't going to work.

I also want to point out that IMO panda cories belong in tanks of 20 gals or more and because they are a shoaling fish they should be kept in groups of 6, definitely no less than 4.

 

[BettaKing]

^^^+1 She is just an aggressive Betta. Get her her own tank, and enjoy! Sorry it didn't work out like you wanted it.