How to deter male endler from nipping betta's fin

[Arthemisa]

Hi all,

I have a 10 gallon planted tank with about 9 male endlers and 1 male betta I got almost 2 months ago. I've had these endlers for quite some time with no problems but about 2 weeks ago I had to quarantine my betta because it got fin rot. I caught my biggest endler and one shrimp munching on the diseased fin edges, so O took him out to treat him.  After a week I put the betta back once his fins were growing back, but then I caught that same male endler, and only that one, nipping at the betta's tail and constantly trying to mate with him. 

I have the endler in a breeding box in the tank for now to give the betta a break, but I don't know how to make the endler stop nipping. He didn't do it until about 2 weeks ago and if possible I'd like to break his fin nipping habit. I don't know anybody who would take this fish and the closest fish store is like 18 miles away (I don't have a car and have some minor issues with mobility, thus I tend to buy my fish online).

Does any of you have any suggestions? 

[Aquatic Journal]

I've never found a way to break a fishes habit. The best option for this is to put in more decor or more plants and try and break up the view. If you can't rehome the fish then your next best option is to setup another tank. 9 endlers or the betta could easily go in a 5 or 10 gallon. 

Best of luck!

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

It’s just too tempting for just about any fish. This is why so many betta keepers advocate for betta only setups.  Agree with @Aquatic Journalchange up the decor and see if that helps if not choices will need to be made or time to hit the 50% off tank sale. 

[CalmedByFish]

Thinking about the mobility issues. Since you might want to not add a tank, maybe you could order a tank divider online. I haven't seen them lately (haven't looked), but a divider I used to have for a 10 or 20 was basically a stiff sheet of plastic, with many tiny holes in it, and some kind of in-tank frame to hold it in place. You could have an endler tank and a betta tank, without having another tank, and without even getting in the car. (Your filtration could go right beside the divider so both sides of the tank get decent filtering and air.) 

[ARMYVET]

Some fish are just nippers....you could try the things mentioned above ...you could try maybe making sure he is eating a bit more if maybe he is just a glutton but in the end if none of that works....the most likely outcome will be to separate the fish one way or another.  

[Johannes]

Females😂 but this is if you want to have breeding or not