Do bettas like "caves" ?

[Prizm]

Just wondering if trying to burrow and hide under rocks is normal behavior. I think my new "sunbeam" betta is scared and trying to hide and I'm thinking of buying one of those ornamental caves for him. (would plants be better?)

 

[Kingsnorky]

Well my bettas love there caves and plants soo either way it'd be good.

 

[BettaMomma]

He might be scratching against the rocks -that can be a sign of parasites...
Does he do it all the time?

 

[Kiarra]

It can go either way.

I have a perfectly healthy (physically, anyway...he's painfully neurotic) male Crowntail who regularly burrows in his rocks and hides there. I'm about to take his gravel away because he's driving me insane.

 

[Haiku]

Well both of mine love their caves that I got for them but neither seemed to try to burrow under anything before I purchased the caves. I too wonder if it could be parasites?

 

[BettaMomma]

That's really weird.
I'd have to take the rocks away cuz I'd be sure they'd hurt their eyes or get scratched doing that...

 

[Prizm]

He could be infested, but I don't know because I bought him from an aquarium in Walmart. He'll swim actively for a few moments before resting on the bottom under his plant or squeeze between some rocks (which are large, smooth, and made of glass.) I haven't noticed any rubbing though, so I assumed he's just scared. Perhaps I should buy him some aquarium salt?

 

[BettaMomma]

You'd notice if he was trying to scratch.
Sometimes they swim around in a vertical circle and drag one of their sides or the other along the rocks - other times they'll just start to shake and twitch and frantically rush over to a rock and swipe against it.

It sounds like he might be skiddish, too.

If you did get him from WM, there's no telling just what he might have.

 

[Prizm]

Poor thing looks almost dead when he lays down, but he has a good appitite and goes up for air.

 

[Ember]

Bettas definitely love to have some cover. Especially if they're stressed.

Definitely put some silk plants in with him if you haven't already.

Each of my bettas has their own tube/cave/pot as well as several plants in each tank.
One has a small ceramic flowerpot (with a frog figurine straddling it), and the rest of my guys have those clear hamster tubes. I really like how those hamster tubes look. It's definitely not "natural" looking in a tank but the clear color ones add such a pretty splash of color peeking out from behind some plants. Plus the t-tube shape is great. I place it so one of the openings is pointing up - easier for the betta to find his way out. All my guys love their tubes. Most of them sit in it with their heads sticking out, just like a dog in his doghouse.

I'm a bit paranoid ever since I saved one guy when he swam up inside a decoration and got stuck. Thank god I was paying a lot of attention to him that day and panicked when I couldn't see him. I lifted up the tree stump decoration and he swam out from way up in it. There was only a tiny pocket in the gravel where he squeezed himself under. I doubt he would've found his way out.
Funny thing, this guy was a crowntail too. I wonder if they have a burrowing trait? I've never seen any do that either.

That's an important thing to remember when looking for decorations for bettas, make sure it's not one of those hollow things that the betta can get up inside and not find his way out for air. If so, you'd want to fill it up with something.
A lot of those castles wouldn't be good because there's a big pocket up inside that an air breathing fish could easily get stuck and suffocate.

 

[Prizm]

That's a great idea!

 

[Prizm]

Er, on second thought, he might be sick. He's been laying on the floor for about 5 minutes so I pulled out an air pump and started air stoning some oxygen into the tank. He came to curiously check out the tube but is now resting in the same place and hasn't moved.

 

[Ember]

Lower the water level a bit (unless he has something near water level that he can rest on) and just put him in a quiet place and let him rest until tomorrow. Let's hope he's just stressed and not sick (although stress can lead to sickness)

When I first bring home a new guy I usually give him a few days in Betta Max and I believe it's helped mine get over the stress of the new home thing. If you don't know there's something definitely wrong and you just want a general pick-me-up vitamin bath.
A little aquarium salt isn't a bad thing to use on a regular either. Did you say you have that or are getting that? Pick some up if you go to the store. That's supposed to help them reduce stress.
What I use for water conditioning is Amquel and Novaqua. Amquel for dechlorinating and Novaqua helps reduce stress and will help restore their slimecoat. It's a good thing to add a slimecoat protector. These two chemicals I mentioned are kind of made to go together. I wouldn't recommend to mix and match just any companies chems.

Definitely get him some silk plants to hide in. All bettas want and need plants, the more the better.

Hopefully he just has the "new move blues"; just keep a close eye on him for any definite signs of illness.
My red, white, and blue crowntail cowered for the first 3 days. Now he's loud and proud. I think the brine shrimp helped do that too.

Good luck

 

[Prizm]

I brought him home, put him in a cup and stirred in a few drops of melafix. --Does melafix achieve the same result as bettamax?

 

[Ember]

It's not the same thing but Melafix won't hurt.
Make sure you don't overdose since he's in a cup, that's a very little amount of water.
Why is he in a cup by the way? He really needs to be left alone a tiny bit somewhere where he feels safe. That has a lot to do with betta healing. The more stress he goes through the worse it is for him.
Try to get him in a bigger bowl, give him a nice lush silk plant. If he's having trouble getting to the surface then you can lower the water but still give him some room.
Again, give him a place to feel safe. The more you handle him and pick him up it'll cause more stress.