Sick Betta (pic)

**nicolanicola** · 03-03-2013, 10:02 PM

I have a 63 litre cycled tank. My betta has been fine until yesterday. He had initially flared up at my platties when I first got him but calmed down.

Yesterday I added a female fighter, 5 tetras and 2 dwarf Gouramis. Immediately he started chasing and flaring at all the new fish, but especially the Gouramis. I went to my boyfriends and when I came back today, I had a dead molly and a dead female guppy. He has never bothered either of these before, so I don't know if they maybe died from something else. Anyway, all today I have noticed he is still chasing the gouramis. Then a few hours ago, I noticed him hovering at the top of the tank beside the filter. When I looked closely at him, a lot of his fins have become threadbare, you can only see the the thread running through them. He was not like this yesterday. I have not seen any other fish bothering him,it's been the opposite. What do you think is wrong with him? Is it stress? I have tested the water, there is no ammonia or nitrite and minimal nitrate.

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**ScottishFish** · 03-03-2013, 10:07 PM

Gouramis and bettas should never ever ever ever be mixed. They are closely related and will fight till the death. Even your two gouramis will fight. Keeping males and female fighters is tricky and requires multiple females to one male. Generally unless you intend to breed them them never mix them.

I advise you rehome the gouramis aswell as the female fighter and review your stocking options.

**nicolanicola** · 03-03-2013, 10:09 PM

Really? The fish shop said they'd be fine together. Plus when I went back today for something, I mentioned he was flaring at them and the assistant said how that was unusual, they usually get along fine.

**MandyK** · 03-03-2013, 10:10 PM

The information the pet store gave you is completely false. This happens often. Pet stores are pretty much the worst place to ask questions.

Def return the Gouramis.

**nicolanicola** · 03-03-2013, 10:14 PM

Ok, so do you think they have been biting him then and that is how he has got like that?

**ScottishFish** · 03-03-2013, 10:17 PM

No doubt about it.

**nicolanicola** · 03-03-2013, 10:17 PM

Poor wee guy. They must have been doing it when I wasn't looking then because all I have seen is him chasing them.

**ScottishFish** · 03-03-2013, 10:20 PM

Your fish's health will deteriorate if he is constantly chasing them. Also as his fins are damaged and his stress levels will be high there will be an increased chance of infection in his fins.

So you better keep the water really clean and rehome the others ASAP