Weird behavior beta splendans

[mmfh]

Yesterday I bought a tiny 2" albino senegalus bichir. It is way to small to put in with my other bichirs (8"+) so it is in a grow out tank. It just so happens that I had thrown a betta spenders in the grow out tank a couple months ago. I really wasn't expecting them to have problems but figured if I was, it would be the bichir nipping fins. Well, no aggression, but the betta is displaying for the bichir and sleeping right next to it, following it around the tank.... It's downright goofy. Now I'm watching to make sure it's the bichir who is going to be okay and not too stressed out by the betta to eat. (Sorry don't know how to edit the spelling in the title)

 

[Draketeeth]

Bettas are super funny about who they may or may not make friends with in a community setup. My last betta grew up with some cory cats and took to chasing them around the tank when he got in a mood. It wasn't nippy aggressive, but definitely territorial. When I needed to move some kuhli loaches around and compact down tanks, I put the loaches in with the cory cats and the betta, but was worries the betta might not like the new fish. Surprise surprise, the betta followed them around for a time, couldn't follow them under a piece of tank decor, and settled down outside the hide waiting for them to come out again. They were best buds from then on. He still chased the cats, but would lay down on the bottom and just let the kuhlis wiggle all over him. It was bizarre.

bichirs seem really neat, but I've never had the space or time to dedicate a tank to them. They're so awesome looking, I love their little faces and their long bodies.

 

[mmfh]

That's funny. I'm glad someone else had this experience with a betta. Birchers are very cool. I'm drawn to the primitive fish, like you said they are awesome looking-- like owning little water dragons.

 

[twinkleyell]

ive had this issue too! i had a couple of glowlight tetras that used to tease my poor betta, cornelius. its always funny to see that its the betta who gets bullied instead of the other way around. thankfully, they just played around with him instead of actually nipping at his beautiful fins.
generally i hear if you put a little hide for one of the fish, it might just hang around there instead of being territorial. dunno how well itd work though