Help me id this guy... Or girl

[Phillyb32]

So I got this guy at the store. He looked super cool. So I put him in with some other Africans and he was the most boring bland looking fish. There was another fish in the tank at the store we thought was a female, but was beaten badly missing fins, tail all bitten off.

So.. They said "it was probably male and female, and if I put them together with cover they should be fine" so we let "her" heal.

Today I went and got her and put her in, he got all crazy looking again and chased "her" all around the tank. So I have "her" in an upside down mason jar for her safety.

Any advice for the situation?

 

[Jakepen]

Thick skin. And "her" being under that jar is probably just as stressful as being chased, well almost.

 

[JumperGirl117]

Her bring in the jar might make him even more mad. Do you have another tank one of them can go in? I would let everyone settle in first and then try again.

Now that I think about it I would put "him" in a separate tank so she can map out hiding spots and so he is being introduced into "her" territory. May not matter but that would be my assumption. But I am not a fish psychologist...

 

[Phillyb32]

Thick skin. And "her" being under that jar is probably just as stressful as being chased, well almost.

That's what they told me to do at the store so she doesn't get killed...

 

[Jakepen]

That's what they told me to do at the store so she doesn't get killed...

If they're both thick skins, and one is a male, and the other a female, he is gonna continue to harass her. Most likely you will have to get two more female thick skins, or get rid of the one female.

 

[Phillyb32]

How do I tell if they are male female?

 

[bettaowner]

This species is a maternal mouthbrooders so the male will have egg spots on his anal fin to encourage a female to nip in that area. When he feels this, he fertilizes the eggs in the female's mouth

 

[Phillyb32]

So the aggression is "ok"?

 

[JumperGirl117]

It might not be "ok" in the long run but probaby normal.

 

[Jakepen]

Just keep a close eye on them