Stressed, possibly injured female betta

[Suzisuzisuzi]

I was introducing 2 new female bettas to my mini sorority of 2. First I had the new girls together in an isolation net so the new and old could get used to each other. Then I switched and had my existing 2 in isolation watching the 2 new explore the tank. All are now free in the tank. The 2 new seem to be doing well. The old dominant female and the bigger new fish seem to be working out who will be boss with some circling nose to tail and minor occasional chasing with long periods of respecting each others space. The smallest girl is lightening fast and good at finding spots to hide when the others test her, and seems to be largely unharassed.

The less dominant of my original pair does NOT seem to be doing well and I'm worried that she and the dominant fish fought when they were in close quarters. I can't see any obvious wounds but she is sticking close to the bottom of the tank in a heavily planted corner and her tail is closed up tight. The other 3 seem to stop by to check on her. At first she'd swim away, but as they have been completely non-aggressive she's now staying put and kind of nose touching with them, even the new girls.

I'm wondering what is the best way to help her rest and recover. No one is harassing her and she doesn't seem in the slightest danger from the other fish. Should I let her shelter in the part of the tank she has retreated to or should I catch her and put her back in the isolation net, alone with plants, which I fear could continue to stress her, especially if being in it at all is what has her stressed?

Any thoughts? Also any way to know if she's actually injured and if so how to treat her?

 

[Suzisuzisuzi]

After a while folding laundry in front of the tank I think she's doing better. She's shifted from swimming away from the others to tolerating them near her to now chasing them out of her current hiding place. She's moving around the tank more and when she comes to the surface to do that betta air gulp thing she's hanging out for a bit before swimming back down. Also her tail, while not all relaxed and fanned out, is starting to loosen up some and isn't totally clamped up like before

 

[tlindsey]

After a while folding laundry in front of the tank I think she's doing better. She's shifted from swimming away from the others to tolerating them near her to now chasing them out of her current hiding place. She's moving around the tank more and when she comes to the surface to do that betta air gulp thing she's hanging out for a bit before swimming back down. Also her tail, while not all relaxed and fanned out, is starting to loosen up some and isn't totally clamped up like before

Great to hear that the female Betta is doing better.

 

[Suzisuzisuzi]

Me too! She looked improved last night and behavior practically normal all day today. Minor exception for everyone in that tank still being a little timid as they get used to each other. But her tail is totally crowned out again and she's once again cruising all levels of the tank.