Why do male beta fish kill the females if you put them together?

Answer 1

Generally bettas in the wild live in huge rice patties, large ponds, and the like. So there is a lot of room to swim around despite the often shallow water. (Generally bettas found in puddles, and foot prints were washed there by flooding. These betta will die if they aren't washed into to a larger body of water by the next rain.) If a betta wanders into another bettas area they fight. The loser moves on.

In a bowl or small tank the loser can't escape, and a fight to the death ensues. (In the wild 2 bettas would never survive in 5 gallons of water. One must die to increase the winner's chances to last until the next rain.) When males and females in the wild meet they either fight, and one will flee, or if they both are interested in mating they mate, and then the males drives off the female.

Generally you can't keep male bettas with bettas (of any sex) other than briefly for breeding. (Most peaceful tropical fish are okay in large tanks, but some males are just plain pycho.) In large tanks females can be kept together if there is enough space and hiding palces. (I generally limit them to 1 per 10 gallons.) A few people who raise bettas have mixed sex tanks with many females, and a couple of males. These bettas were raised together from birth.

Breeding is rather complex subject best addressed by sites like bettatalk.

Answer 2

Male Betta will only play nice with a female when he's ready to mate with her. And, should that happen, the female needs to be removed from the mating tank soon, or he'll go back to kill mode. For more information on Betta fish, check out Bettatalk.com . Lots of information, beautiful fish, and it's great for a beginner.

Answer 3

It depends on the tank set up.

If the tank is between 2-3 gallons with 80 degree, still water with plants for the female to hide just in case the male gets rough than yes they can be in the same tank.

The male is less likely to attack the female if there is some floating plants in the tank, and the male builds a bubble nest.

follow this tank set up and your female should be safe

But watch them you never know some males are more aggressive than others.

you can email me for more questions at [e-mail]

I hope this helps

Best Of Luck Joe

Answer 4

I never had that problem. Never put two males together, they will fight to the death. But in a community tank, the male will just blow bubbles, trying to make a nest, if there's a female present.

I've never tried keeping them in anything smaller than a 20 gallon tank though...

Plants! Yes. I always keep plants in the tank as well.

Answer 5

It is because mating two Bettas is throught pecking one another. If the female is ready to breed, the male will swim surrounding her. If she is not, then the male will start to chase and peck her which will lead her to great danger. Infact, male and female are not suppose to be together unless you try to breed them, which need more females around to minimium the aggressive. Try to remove the female once you feel the danger is there. You can always try mating again throught other time.

Answer 6

Betta fish are japanase fighting fish, that's just what they do. When they are ready to mate you can place them together but only until the deed is done, then they must be seperated.
Here is a great website for information on this fish species. It has helped me learn about the care of my betta fish.
Good luck
http://www.bettatalk.com/

Answer 7

It is a dominance issue, they will fight one another and actually kill a female if they feel that they will not be able to have her.
Don't keep same sex together and if keeping both sexes only one of each.

Answer 8

mine did not kill the females just the other male.

Answer 9

Maybe they don't fit together or b/c they are aka. Siamese fighting fish.

Answer 10

Think about humans... maybe they catch them cheating on them. Now re-evaluate and ask the question again.