Mean female betta fish?

[Lavender]

So, I got my girl Sprinkles from a broken-down sorority tank. She’s young still, very sweet, but she was planned to go into a community, and although I have a backup tank for her, I would like her to go in first try. However, the more I plan, the more I wonder. As Sprinkles has short fins, a softly rounded belly like most female bettas, and what is probably a egg spot (hard to tell, because her belly is white).

 

However, she’s also the meanest little betta I’ve ever had. And that’s saying something. My most aggressive male doesn’t hold a candle to her. She’s the only fish I’ve ever had leap out of the water to bite my fingers. Not the food. JUST the fingers. She literally pecks at the exposed part of the nerite snails I’ve put in her tank. She’s that mean. It’s incredible. I have no clue how I misjudged her personality this badly, but is she a male or something? She’s the rudest little girl I’ve ever seen. This is a pic of her- excuse the water, it’s a old picture from the day I got her. 
 

Anyways, Sprinkles here will be tentatively tried out, but she’s pretty obviously going to be in the backup tank, unless she has a real major change of heart soon. I’ll show off my next new girl (or perhaps plakat boy) for actually going in said community tank whenever I get her.

Edited August 19, 2023 by Lavender

[Alex S.]

On 8/18/2023 at 8:53 PM, Lavender said:

So, I got my girl Sprinkles from a broken-down sorority tank. She’s young still, very sweet, but she was planned to go into a community, and although I have a backup tank for her, I would like her to go in first try. However, the more I plan, the more I wonder. As Sprinkles has short fins, a softly rounded belly like most female bettas, and what is probably a egg spot (hard to tell, because her belly is white).

 

However, she’s also the meanest little betta I’ve ever had. And that’s saying something. My most aggressive male doesn’t hold a candle to her. She’s the only fish I’ve ever had leap out of the water to bite my fingers. Not the food. JUST the fingers. She literally pecks at the exposed part of the nerite snails I’ve put in her tank. She’s that mean. It’s incredible. I have no clue how I misjudged her personality this badly, but is she a male or something? She’s the rudest little girl I’ve ever seen. This is a pic of her- excuse the water, it’s a old picture from the day I got her.

From what I can tell I’m pretty sure she’s a girl. It’s hard to tell in the picture, but especially if it looks like she’s got an egg spot I think you’ve got it right.

That is crazy that she acts like that though. I know that each betta has its own personality and some females are still agressive, but she seems over the top. I wonder if her being in a sorority tank made her that way. I know some people have luck with them, but I have heard a lot of people don’t recommend them. My guess is that maybe she just got territorial with the other bettas in order to hold her own. That really is just a guess though. 
 

I will say, that may be one of the most beautiful bettas I’ve ever seen. I know it’s not your plan A, but I think she would look amazing in a tank by herself. Hopefully the longer you have her the more she will mellow out. None the less, she’s an awesome find! 

[Lavender]

I have little idea about why she’s this aggressive- gonna bet she was a isolated cup betta from a big pet store, so that probably contributes, but still, when they said female bettas could be aggressive, I didn’t think they meant this aggressive…It was a awfully put together sorority tank, though, so that could have contributed. Sorority broke absolutely every rule- apparently some kid wanted a bunch of bettas and decided to just follow the pet store employee. So, there were like 5 in a 5 gallon. Poor girlie…it’s miraculous her fins aren’t nipped. Likely, as your theory is, she was just so aggressive nobody even got close to her. So now, she’s a slight sociopath. A cute sociopath, but a sociopath nonetheless.
 

I will say she’s the most entertaining betta I’ve ever had- super cute little girl, always up at the front of the tank. She even looks around the room for me. It’s like she’s part Oscar or something. Hopefully she’ll mellow like you said, but…well, I’m pretty sure I’m just in possession of a Oscar-like betta and that’s that. I might put her in a cup and show her to one of my two males (Bluey and Reddi respectively- pet tax below), see if he starts acting like he’s around a girl or if he just flares at her constantly.

I’m just kind of sad for her. This little girlie was supposed to go into a 75 gallon and have a whole four feet of space to zoom around.  She’ll probably just end up in my ten gallon now. Oh well. If she doesn’t like it, she doesn’t like it. I will say she’s my new favorite in terms of personality- so fast and zoomy and Oscar-like.

 

Wow, I went on about Sprinkles for a while. Well, I’ll go back to enjoying her rampant zoomies. 

[Lennie]

Sprinkles look cute. I believe that's a she. Her body and fin structure exactly looks like my females.

 

And yea you know, bettas and their characters change a lot. It is always a risky choice to try them in a community no matter what their gender is. At least you have a back up plan, which is great. A reason to set up a new tank ;D