Is Samson Just Love Sick?

[jollysue]

Since I moved the girls, Samson has just been mooning around. He sporatically builds his nest and is always hanging under it. He isn't eating much. He doesn't come running, but really food never was his first interest. He just was a magnet for the gals and loved to dance and swish and build and hang. Since the girls left he just looks forelorn. I noticed yesterday that the blackworms are building a community center in his tank and he doesn't care. So I put one of the male ADFs in to clean up the population. But I am concerned for my very pretty heavy tailed and morose boy. I think he might be happier in a smaller 3 usg tank (he's in a hex 5) next to the sorority tank. Maybe the Orange plakat, who is never still would enjoy the 5 usg.

 

[Silverlady]

Sounds to me as though he is Lovesick for his ladies,it might be a good idea to move him where he can see them. Hope he is feeling happier soon.

 

[jollysue]

I'm hoping that's all it is.

 

[jollysue]

As soon as Samson got in the other tank he started flaring and flashing his huge gorgeous tail. All the girls flocked over to watch Samson swish and flare. He now is quite busy showing the Black Copper Super Delta HM that he is "all that!"

Samson is a Green/Red Metallic HM/DT Butterfly. He can hardly stay upright with any current.

I thought I'd show some of the little drama. Because of how the tanks are situated, the Black Copper is not visible except for a glimpse of his copper rays in one shot.

This is Samson's photo Gallery shot. He's not perfect, but he knows how to swish what he has

Here he is making the ladies re-aquaintance next door

Here the girls come full of admiration

And now he's down to business with the rival

If you glance over to the other tank next door, you can see the copper rays of the black

I'm sorry the shots aren't better, but the tanks weren't set up to take pictures. The water is tea colored from Almond leaf extract.

He seems to be more alive. I just hope he doesn't stay too busy to eat.

Samson, Jack, and the girls were my second Betta purchase. (You have to start with one or two lfs VT, which I did.)

 

[WILDER]

Fish can get depression and probably thinks life not worth living with out his girls bless him.

Not the writer of this article
Depression - Bettas are intelligent animals (especially for fish) and are therefore sometimes prone to bouts of depression. New fathers recently separated from their fry will usually appear listless, pale, and may not eat for a few days. Freshly-jarred fry, suddenly isolated from their siblings, may also look piquey. I had two females, sisters, who had been together their whole lives, die within days of each other. The first one jumped out of the tank, and her sister promptly stopped eating and died 2 days later, apparantly from a broken heart.

There is not much to do for depression except wait for the fish to snap out of it, which they usually do. For upset fathers, Bettamax will reduce stress and give them beneficial nutrients that their bodies need to see them through. Newly-jarred fry can be put next to the jar of their siblings so that they can still see each other and interact. Bettas suffering from loneliness will often perk up if provided with a mirror or a view of another betta.

 

[jollysue]

Thanks, Wilder. That's really helpful.

I don't think Samson thought the plakat (Rudy), who repaced the gals in the 10 usg, was worth competing with. He loves his tail, and the girls seem to agree. Sorry Synirr

 

[jollysue]

Samson seems to have recovered. After doing mock battled with the Black Copper, Samson attacked a black worm with gusto!

Who says you can't live for love?

 

[Silverlady]

I am glad he is strutting his stuff again. He looks realy happy now,bless him.

 

[Regina]

Off Topic question: Can goldfish get brokenheart?

Glad he's feeling better he really likes the attenion from the ladies.

 

[jollysue]

This is just an opinion, but I would say yes, goldies can be heartsick. Mine are family like and show concern for one another. I don't believe I have any males, but my goldies are very interactive with me and each other. I think they could easily miss each other. The responses would depend on the fish and the circumstances.

Of course, Wilder in emergency or black angel in goldfish would know.

Thanks ladies. I am very happy for a happy outcome for a change. I think we could count this phenom as a possible stress factor for new fish. Finding the right accommodations for the individual fish seems more crucial to me now. The lfs that starved herself and died seems to have a possible diagnoses--depression.