Canabalistic Betta!!!

[kittyhazelton]

Ok, I have a nice pretty white betta in a 5gal tank with a couple of neon tetras.
The betta's never really been agressive, just kinda sticks to himself minding his own business.
Well, last night I purchased a couple more neons so I would have a little mini school of 4. I was watching them, they were swimming nicely together, and i noticed one of them was quite fat in the belly, almost as if it had eggs or something. I was watching them swim around peacefully when all of a sudden my betta attacked the plump bellied one and ripped its belly right off!!!! Right after that he went back to minding his own business and did not even pay any attention to the mortally wounded fish as it floated to the top gasping. It died very quickly.
WTF!?!? Is this normal behavior? This betta has never shown any agression towards neons before, or any other smaller fish for that matter. What could this mean? Perhaps the neon insulted his ppearly white fluffy fins.
Has anybody else had "strange" betta behavior like this?

 

[Onikun]

Its normal for fish to pick on sick/injured or weakened fish. If that fish was indeed pregnant it would be considered weakened.

 

[Marala]

One of mine attempted to eat a young guppy that I thought would be fine in the tank with him because the guppy was to big to fit into his mouth. Well it turned out I was both right and wrong. My Betta did try to eat it, but it was way to big for his mouth and got stuck. I came in to find my Betta with something lodged in his throat and when I do a head count my baby was missing. I moved the Betta to a smaller container where I could keep a better eye on him and eventually he spit the now dead baby guppy out. I have no clue why they sometimes pick on small fish when they are usually peaceful, but my Betta now has his own tank all by himself with one or two ghost shrimp.

 

[Holly9937]

IMO, a 5 g tank is too small for much more than a betta and maybe some shrimp or a snail. So my guess is between a possibly weak fish, not wanting to give up more space, and the fact that bettas can be pretty territorial, all added up to an attack!

 

[echoofformless]

In my years of experience, I've come to the conclusion that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to fish. Think of species descriptions as more like gentle guidelines than anything else.

I've had gouramis who hid in fear from other fish. I've had gouramis who refuse to stop attacking other fish. I have a gourami right now who basically runs the tank by chasing fish around here and there, but he never really attacks anyone.

I've seen female bettas fight viciously and flare at each other. I've seen them get along. I've even seen two male bettas live in the same tank together for years. (No I wouldn't suggest trying it! Let's just say I have friends with less than swift intellects.)

Long story short, always keep a watch on your tanks. You never know who might get along who is not said to do so, or who might fight to the death who is said to get along peacefully.

 

[Emg]

Bettas are aggressive carnivores...........they generally have a bad a$$ attitude and they naturally eat living things...and that can include anything you have swimming in your tanks with them, especially if it is small and tasty looking.

Most of the time a betta will leave your other fish/critters alone, but sometimes the tiger in them gets out and "WHAM" !

 

[Yoemen]

hmm

Just for the sake of argument To be cannibalistic it would have to be eating another betta, not simply another fish.

 

[Primetime]

Just for the sake of argument To be cannibalistic it would have to be eating another betta, not simply another fish.

Not really, lol. A Betta is a fish, and its eating another fish so its a cannibal. That other fish does not have to be a Betta. Your argument is like saying if a white human ate a black human, it wouldnt be cannibalism.

 

[kittyhazelton]

It was definitely both horrible and amazing to watch such a small peacful looking fish explode. Any suggestion for live treats that I could give this guy every once in a while. I don't like blood worms, they're nasty, and not many of my fish seem too interested in them.

 

[Clurin]

Not really, lol. A Betta is a fish, and its eating another fish so its a cannibal. That other fish does not have to be a Betta. Your argument is like saying if a white human ate a black human, it wouldnt be cannibalism.

Actually, Yoemen was correct. Your example would be saying "if a crowntail betta ate a halfmoon betta." Saying because a fish eats another fish (of a different species) it is a cannibal is like saying because a human eats a cow, it is cannibalism because they are both mammals.