I've got a Double-Tail (pic related) that absolutely shredded about 50% of his finnage in the past 24 hours. I noticed some nipping around the edges when I gave him breakfast yesterday morning, not much more in the evening.
He's generally pretty aggressive, to the point of being a complete asshole to females (will attack them to cause harm more than often. I've stopped trying to breed him.)
He's nipped his own fins in the past, but only a couple bites, usually when he can see his reflection, or another betta he can't get to. He gets a serious murder-boner for attacking other bettas.
I put him in a 20 gallon community tank a couple months ago with a clown pleco and a handful of fathead/rosy minnows. He actually seemed to have calmed down, chasing a minnow when it got too close to him, but never hitting the murder switch with any of them. He'd usually just hang out in the wisteria or explore the corners of the aquarium.
The community tank is established, well-filtered, and well-balanced. Heated to about 77 degrees, and is aerated and well-planted. I have no idea why he would suddenly get it in his mind to rip himself down as far as he can reach.
OP here: Sorry for the shitty image. He won't hold still for a single fucking moment. Best pic out of 20.
>>2020072
How powerful is your filter? Betta don't like heavy (or even light) currents.
>>2020077
The filter is really barely more than a trickle. Enough to get the water around the bottom of the tank moving so the pleco can continue being a couch potato.
More than a few inches away from the source, the current is just strong enough to push a memeball a few more inches away. On the other side is the 1" aerator stone that creates its own current.
I doubt either of these are bothering the betta, since he tends to stay toward the surface most of the day, on the side furthest from the aerator.
OP here.
Out of curiosity, are DT bettas generally more aggressive and shitbag-ish than other types? I've had three so far and they were all ready to kill at the drop of a hat.
>>2020095
ive always had atleast one betta for the past 10+ and they all have their own personalities, though a i have noticed plakats tend to be able to terrorize a community tank a little easier with their smaller fins not slowing them down.
most agressive betta i've ever kept was a female black dragon ct, she looked as mean as she was. was never even able to breed her, get her in a community tank or have her in a female group set up.
>>2020116
I had a female plakat that wouldn't co-habitate with anything. I had her in a sorority tank and things were pretty chill for a couple weeks, then I woke up tone one dead CT, two severely beaten HMs, and a VT that was left with stringy stumps for fins. The culprit was pretty obvious. Had to euthanize the entire lot of them.
On the flip side, I had a cellophane HMPK female that was pretty chill. She'd ride the current from the filter or hang out with her snail buddy. I moved her to a community tank for a while and she did well. Ended up trading her for a pretty baller male OHM that I still have. He's about the size of the palm of my hand when he flares.
>>2020095
Get a plakat betta.
