Beta Question

Question
Hello. We have a 10 gallon fish tank. We have a heater that keeps the water a constant 78 degrees. We add a bit of aquarium salt and change the tank water and filter every week and a half.

The problem is with our Beta. We have a female beta, we had three mollies, and we had three neon tetras. None of the fish are the same color as the beta.

Over the course of a month, three mollies have died. We could not figure out the causes, until my mother saw the beta attack and eat one of the neon tetras. We are assuming she killed the mollies who were rather small.

We have removed the beta from the tank into a fish bowl. Is there anything we can do to prevent the beta from harming the other fish so we can put her back in the tank?

Thank You!


Answer
Laura,
One problem with trying to keep mollies and bettas together is that they resemble each other too closely, and being an aggressive, territorial fish, the betta will most likely attack any molly he encounters.
Sometimes they can live just fine with neons, but as with most fish, they are opportunistic eaters - and will eat almost anything they can fit in their mouths - including other fish.
You might try again when your neons grow little larger, and stick to strictly neons and bettas, and give plenty of cover for your neons so that if the betta tries to go after them, they can get away.