Bought new fish but..

[horse_gambler]

I just bought 3 Cardinal tetras to occupy my female betta as she is terroizing the other female but I was dumb and forgot to ask at the fish store what to feed the tetras.

can they eat the betta food or do i need to get a different food for them?

[Blossom112]

I use the betta fry food to feed my cardinal neons and they love it!....

[horse_gambler]

I have Top Fin Color Enhancing Betta Bits(female's food) and Bio Gold Betta pellets(male's food) I don't have any fry food as I haven't attempted yet to breed bettas :Smile:

[Melody]

I have yet to see a food formulated for Bettas or Livebearers that gave me any indication of what earned it the designation. Omega One Vegie (not Super-Vegie) should suit everyone. It is primarily seafood protein but has more vegies in it than most staple food. The vitamin fortification is the best I've seen in a processed food.

All will do better with some variety in their diet, including fresh & freeze-dried food. When you feed a freeze-dried meal (worms, etc) it's a good idea to offset it at the next feeding with a bit of pea (pealed and cut into quarters), cooked just enough to soften it. Bettas can be prone to digestive issues so it's a preventative measure and peas are good for them. If you choose a small worm, a culture would suit both and worms can be gutloaded to add nutrition and prevent digestive issues. BBS would also suit both.

It won't harm the Cardinals to eat the food you have now, but I'm not sure how well they'll eat pellets. Otherwise, don't fret too much about it - nobody wants to throw out food or have feeding turned into a stressful event. You can add some variety and still use your fave Betta food, for that matter.

You'll hear a zillion opinions on nutrition for any fish. The best we can do is read as much as we can find about the species in question from reputable sources, then do what we feel is best. It's great that you're considering their individual requirements and I'm sure you'll enjoy a more healthy fish because of that.:yes:

[Pamelajo]

Variety is a big factor because not all foods are perfect so but feeding an assortment you are bound to get different nutrients from each food therefore meeting the nutritional needs of your fish more than with just one food. Just like us humans.:yes:

[horse_gambler]

So I can try the betta food for tonight and I'll get something else for them tomorrow when I go back with one of the tetras..

Anyone know if Big Al's guarantee covers my Betta killing the Tetra?

[thegrandpoohbah]

Unless these are full grown cardinals, I would bet that the betta pellets will be too big for them.

[jewels]

Ahhhh, the beauty of paraphrasing

Anyone know if Big Al's guarantee covers my Betta ?

No retail outlet can guarantee that customers will make wise compatibility decisions.

Tetras are vicious no-minds. I would keep an eye on the Betta's fins.

[Melody]

I didn't have nipping issues with Cardinals, but I had quite a few of them. Community Tetras seem to get progressively more obnoxious as their numbers dwindle.

[horse_gambler]

Ahhhh, the beauty of paraphrasing


No retail outlet can guarantee that customers will make wise compatibility decisions.

Tetras are vicious no-minds. I would keep an eye on the Betta's fins.


Its the Betta causing the problem she has already killed one of the tetras(I'm guessing it was slow as she can't catch the other two so far)

and I did ask the fish store if the tetras would be ok/get along with the female bettas before I purchased them.

Anyone have sugestions on what I can put in with this female that can hold its own against her, I really don't want to have to pull her from the tank and put her back in a cup as I don't have another tank to put her in and she is working hard on killing the other female and the 2 tetras. the tank is only a 5 gallon and up to my 3rd female betta dieing everything was fine everyone got along, now this one seems to think she is Jaws.

[sheamurai]

get one or two more female bettas, would be my thought. At least that way she'll be picking on her own size, and the aggression will get dispersed amongst more fish.

[horse_gambler]

Well I don't have to worry about feeding the tetras now as she managed to get the last 2 in the last hour while I was out.

I had thought about another female betta but I think she go after them too as they'd be smaller then her, and I am hoping once the 2 bettas I have are gone to change the tank to other fish.

Is it normal for a female to be more agressive then a Male betta?

[mdfa.ca]

Poor little tetras. Yes, female bettas can be very aggressive and can actually kill the male as well. Sounds like your girl is very territorial. One way of "messing with her head" so she doesn't feel like the whole tank is hers, is this:

Take her out. Change the tank decore, i.e.: add some wood or plants, take out a rock. Whatever will make it look totally different. Also make sure you have provided lots of hiding places like an overhanging piece of wood or rock, thick plants. Somewhere where fishies can hide. Change large portion of water. Now, if you can, purchase the other fish or another girl at this time. Put all the fish in at the same time.

Hopefully this will confuse her, she will think she is in another tank alltogether and won't act as the boss. They will work out their hierarchy but on much more peaceful terms as they are all starting at the same level.

Another thing to consider is to get fish that are more of a bottom dweller. Bettas are mainly top of tank fish so they are not so preoccupied with what is on the bottom.

In my 5 Gal tank at home I had 2 girls (one now as the other turned out to be a boy-a long story :laugh:) and 11 corys. Noone is bothering anyone else. I know it's overcrowded, but it's also heavily planted and I keep a very careful eye on it.

Good luck and tell how it's working.

[Melody]

I'm sorry to hear that it didn't work out. Female Bettas seem to do better if they're all added to the tank at the same time. I've noticed this and had it confirmed by a breeder, but I can't remember which one :confused: .

The tank is really too small to to accomodate anything remotely aggressive with other fish, as they can't establish a territory or get away from each other. Distributing the aggression can help them live through it, but I don't feel it's a good situation to put them in just so we can have more fish. I don't like to see any Betta in a tank less than 5g's, they're a large fish and this 'mud puddle' nonsense is just that. Sure, they live in mud puddles as a way to survive when they have to but I'd survive in a closet too - it doesn't mean I'm meant to live in one.

In her defense, the Tetras may have been bothering her and she defended herself. It would be difficult for her to catch them if they weren't in her face.

I'd plant it up pretty and leave her as the main attraction. If you want more fish, it's time for more tanks - darn it, you simply have to:wink: !:Letter4Santa:

[horse_gambler]

So I went back to the fish store talked to them and they recomended trying mollys with her they think they can hold their own against my betta.

I brought 2 dalmation mollys home plus bought gravel, I have since emptied the tank cleaned everything added new sponges for my filter cleaned the new gravel poured it in put the plants back in in different places in hopes of confusing the betta, I then added Red the other female betta that is getting picked on in first(after allowing the tank to cycle for an hour or so) then after 5 mins added the 2 Mollys(who have started to pick on Red) and after 5 mins I have just added the Big betta so hopefully everyone will settle in together.

Tank before
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/Gamblershideaway/DSCN1786.jpg

Tank Now
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/Gamblershideaway/DSCN2035.jpg

I'll add the pictures of the mollys to my picture post in the photo section

[OldMan]

Mollies will hold their own against many fish their size or less but they can also sometimes be aggressive and not a pleasant thing to have in the tank. There seems to be quite a variation among them.
Another thing I would have considered is the water itself. I only really try mollies when I have hard water with a high pH. Right now my tap water fits the bill, but in a lot of places that is not the case.

[horse_gambler]

Just thought I would do an update,

I lost Red(the smaller female betta) the day after the tank change I think partly to age and the other part to the damage the big betta had done to her.

The 2 mollys and Strawberry(the big betta) are getting along wonderfully now, it seems she only needed a day of her chasing the female and getting attacked from behind by the male, in which she would turn and go after the male and the female would get her.

[thegrandpoohbah]

Did you completely clean out the tank and filter? If so then watch out for an ammonia spike because your tank is going to have to cycle all over again.

Also, how big is that tank? It looks like a 5G bowfront to me. If so then I would stop going to whatever pet store you are going to if they told you it was OK to put 2 mollies in there. In case you didn't realize, mollies grow to 6" long and need a lot more room than that. Perhaps see if you can return them and get something more appropriate?