My betta hates my pleco

[DarkSoul]

Yeah, since I added the cory cats and the pleco to my tank, along with a buttload more plants, he has been picking on the pleco.

If the pleco is anywhere but on the gravel, the betta will go and chase him away, and nip his fins.

I dont know if he is being territorial over the plants or just being mean, but I dont know what to do about it. I thought adding more plants would help, but now he just protects them all or something.

what should I do? the tank is 35 gallons and pretty well planted.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

move some thing around and make sure the pleco has plenty of places to hide.

 

[DarkSoul]

there are a TON of plants, and thus, places to hide, but the betta seems to pick on the pleco more when he is on or near a plant... this fish has an attitude problem.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

keep a eye on it make sure it doesnt harm it. bettas are..... crazy at times

 

[iamgroovy]

That's for sure. I have a betta that can't have anything in with him except large snails (and he eats the little ones).
He even bit a chunk out of my cory's dorsal fin. That's when I moved him to his own tank. If he injures your pleco, you may have to do the same.

 

[DarkSoul]

I would feel so bad moving him to a smaller tank..... and a smaller tank, much smaller, is all I would be able to do.

 

[Rbishop]

is your betta's name Dexter.....?

 

[Hooked Newbie]

If it's a Common pleco, you may want to get rid of it before you get attached (since it'll outgrow the tank) and get a bristlenose. If you do want to keep it, you could try adding a school of danio or small tetra. They should distract the betta and be fast enough to avoid it. Just my 2 cents.