My 2 Bettas are dead.... What happen?

[MrNiteOwl]

Yesterday I did a 50% w/c. Readings were pH = 7.6, Ammonia = .25, Nitrite - .5, Nitrate = 10 before w/c. While doing some aquascaping I noticed one of my F Bettas was very beat up (the newer one I got). I had noticed the M would chase her around a bit; never saw him do more than chase her for half the length of the tank and it was every once in a while since I put her in. I thought just because she was new and he was trying to show his dominance. But when I saw her yesterday.... all her fins were tore up. Like they were nipped. She was always chilling under the lag I have in there, so I didn't notice it until I took that out. None of my other fish have this issue.... not even my other F Betta. So I took her out and threw her in my 1.5g so she can heal. Redid everything and that was that. Everyone was doing fine. I woke up this morning and she was doing fine. But when I went to turn on my lights for the 72g.... My M Betta was dead. Because I was running a bit late already and in uniform (Navy) I didn't have the time to fish him out. I figured I'd do that first thing when I got home and test my waters.... When I went to my 1.5g.... my F was also dead. I asked my wife and she said that when she got home from being out.... she was still alive.... so she had died in about the last 2 hours since I got home. My M Betta was half eaten.... and my Ghost Shrimp were already starting on my F in the 1.5g. So I did my readings using the API Master FW kit.... 1.5g - pH = 7.6, Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = .25, Nitrate = 10. 72g - pH = 7.6, Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 1.0, Nitrate = 10. Should I do another water change? Should I wait to redo my readings tomorrow? Please give me some advice.... I know the Nitrite in my 72g is the highest I would want it to be. Can I wait till tomorrow and see what happens? Everyone else in there seems to be fine.... My Crayfish did his first shed. All the free guys I got where but in Th of last week. Thanks again for all the help.

 

[RexyTexel]

They may have died from the stress of eachother. If they had tried to spawn they may have gotten hurt this way. Fins can get torn to shreds if one or the other is too rough.

 

[jo3olous]

mixing male and female bettas generally do not work out. All female is okay, I believe mixing all males is okay too, sorry for your loss

 

[PerenGee]

mixing male and female bettas generally do not work out. All female is okay, I believe mixing all males is okay too, sorry for your loss

No no, mixing males is a BIG NO. There's a reason why they're called Siamese FIGHTING fish. Males will fight until one is dead. Bettas will also fight fish that are fancy looking or somewhat resemble them. I believe that includes guppies and gouramis.

 

[jo3olous]

No no, mixing males is a BIG NO. There's a reason why they're called Siamese FIGHTING fish. Males will fight until one is dead. Bettas will also fight fish that are fancy looking or somewhat resemble them. I believe that includes guppies and gouramis.

well thats what I tried to say a couple times last year and no one listened so wth. i didn't think males could go with males initially, oh well. Anyway yes bettas should not be kept with any fancy tailed fish, they mistake for their own, so right on that. Bettas also should not be kept with fin nippy fish like danios and tiger barbs

 

[MrNiteOwl]

I did know about not throwing in 2+ M Bettas together.... I thought a 1 M and 1+ F was ok? My first pair was doing fine.... no aggresion or anything. So I figured to add another F. Either this one he really didn't like or really did like. Because he did nothing of what I mentioned with my first F. And she is still doing fine. You guys think I should throw in another F or two in there? The one that died had a 15 day guarantee.... so she is still covered and can get her replaced. What about my Nitrites.... should I do another w/c to bring them down? Or should I wait some? How about my stock, Would I be able to add another Goldie.... I saw a really nice looking green lionhead. Was just waiting because I added the Dragon Fish and others.... didn't want to overload my bio. What about a tire track eel? They're cold water as well.... do you think that would work? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Won't be really adding anything until I bring down my nitrites and I can find out if the eel and dragon can and will get along.

 

[jo3olous]

I did know about not throwing in 2+ M Bettas together.... I thought a 1 M and 1+ F was ok? My first pair was doing fine.... no aggresion or anything. So I figured to add another F. Either this one he really didn't like or really did like. Because he did nothing of what I mentioned with my first F. And she is still doing fine. You guys think I should throw in another F or two in there? The one that died had a 15 day guarantee.... so she is still covered and can get her replaced. What about my Nitrites.... should I do another w/c to bring them down? Or should I wait some? How about my stock, Would I be able to add another Goldie.... I saw a really nice looking green lionhead. Was just waiting because I added the Dragon Fish and others.... didn't want to overload my bio. What about a tire track eel? They're cold water as well.... do you think that would work? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Won't be really adding anything until I bring down my nitrites and I can find out if the eel and dragon can and will get along.

I really disagree on bettas being with goldfish, period. Guess I cannot provide any more helpful advice for you

"No no, mixing males is a BIG NO. There's a reason why they're called Siamese FIGHTING fish. Males will fight until one is dead. Bettas will also fight fish that are fancy looking or somewhat resemble them. I believe that includes guppies and gouramis."

 

[MrNiteOwl]

Thanx jo3.... I've decided not to add any more bettas to my tank.... If I get another tank, I'll be making it tropical so I can have more of a variety. You've been great help as well as everyone else....

 

[PerenGee]

I don't know why people didn't listen to you Jo3 because you were right. Although I've heard of male bettas sort of getting along because they had their own territories and because they were raised together since being fry.

MrNiteOwl, I've heard of people keeping males and females together with mixed results. Either good or disastrous like your experience. It really depends on the personality of the fish. Some people only introduce a female for breeding times and then promptly take them out. It's sort of a toss up really. I would generally err on the side of safety, which is what it looks like you're doing.

 

[D'Cecilia]

i tried mixing two females together and one ended up
hurting the other one really bad, ahah so i took
the mean one out and put her ina cup for a couple
hours before goign to school and when i came back
it had jumped off the cup and was all dried up in the floor,

couple days later i got some guppies and put them in
the tank, one of them got ick and i put some
medication in the tank, next day she has NO fins
left, ALL of them were torn off, sided back and top,
she was just a little stup floating around, the other
betta did it, ahah crazy bettas, now i have her in a
1 gallon tank.
just wanted to share my story

 

[PerenGee]

Yeah, what I've learned from research is that mixing females only works in numbers 3 and above. One will always claim dominance and then the others will sort out their own territories. After that first bit of chaos then things should settle down. But again, there will always be those fish who just want everything to themselves. Silly bettas haha

 

[MrNiteOwl]

So I have found out the answer to my Bettas death. It wasn't stress from trying to mate.... It wasn't an aggressive M.... Or jealousy of two F's.... It was one very aggressive and/or always hungry CRAYFISH. *ALL* The other morning I caught him red clawed.... Before heading out the door for work, I always give my tank a minute's glance to make sure I can see everyone.... And there he was.... my last F Betta in his grasp and half eaten.... Needless to say.... I took the time to take him out and throw him in the 1.5g taking out the Ghost Shrimp I had in there and throwing them in my 72g. I know that that isn't the best place to keep him.... But apperantly that night he was a pretty busy boy.... As one of my orandas and my ryukin and a bit of fin damage.... my guess is that my fishies were sleeping and he came up trying to have a late night snack.... my F Betta was the one that didn't get away.... Anyone have any ideas what I can do with him? I know he was eating.... He would get a few sinking shrimp pellets and an algae wafer that he always took into his little hole. I wouldn't doubt that I don't have a full count of my Ghost Shrimp either.... I would like to keep him.... but not at the expense of my other fishies.... Its too bad too.... Because I found a local guy selling Electric Blues for only $3 or $5 for the pair.... I was going to buy a pair.... but not after the horrible crime I have witnessed....

 

[jo3olous]

So I have found out the answer to my Bettas death. It wasn't stress from trying to mate.... It wasn't an aggressive M.... Or jealousy of two F's.... It was one very aggressive and/or always hungry CRAYFISH. *ALL* The other morning I caught him red clawed.... Before heading out the door for work, I always give my tank a minute's glance to make sure I can see everyone.... And there he was.... my last F Betta in his grasp and half eaten.... Needless to say.... I took the time to take him out and throw him in the 1.5g taking out the Ghost Shrimp I had in there and throwing them in my 72g. I know that that isn't the best place to keep him.... But apperantly that night he was a pretty busy boy.... As one of my orandas and my ryukin and a bit of fin damage.... my guess is that my fishies were sleeping and he came up trying to have a late night snack.... my F Betta was the one that didn't get away.... Anyone have any ideas what I can do with him? I know he was eating.... He would get a few sinking shrimp pellets and an algae wafer that he always took into his little hole. I wouldn't doubt that I don't have a full count of my Ghost Shrimp either.... I would like to keep him.... but not at the expense of my other fishies.... Its too bad too.... Because I found a local guy selling Electric Blues for only $3 or $5 for the pair.... I was going to buy a pair.... but not after the horrible crime I have witnessed....

Wow sorry I did not pick up on this. Your crayfish will eat anyfish it can catch, and the bettas were probably just too slow to get away from it. Sucks