to bettas get loanly

[Alix]

i was wondering if bettas get loanly.

 

[Grim Reaper]

i just stick a mirror infront of him and done

 

[Andie]

I doubt very much that bettas get lonely for each other's company in the same way that humans do. The very aggression of males alone should be enough of a tip-off that they do not crave each other's companionship, but rather view it as a threat more than anything. While females can get along in a large enough community, there will be a definite pecking order that is more military than social in structure.

I doubt that you need to worry about a lone male craving companionship; in fact, he may feel more secure and less threatened without another male nearby. If you're worried about exercise, the mirror is an excellent suggestion, as flaring promotes blood flow to his gills and can perk his interest as well.

 

[Alix]

ok thx for the help i was just wondering cuz when school starts im not going to always be there to stare at him back. plus i was getting him a 10gal an didnt know if all the room would make him bored

 

[Andie]

Ahh, I get it. Well, I wouldn't worry too much, especially with a 10gal. If anything, the extra room for him will open up all sorts of new possibilities in terms of plants (real or silk), caves to hide in and space for him to move about. He'll probably revel in it!

 

[Alix]

yay! what kinda real plants,caves,gravel, an filter should i get for him i want it to be perfict!

 

[Andie]

I'm not really the one to ask about plants since I don't plant my tanks myself; I just used one small fake plant in my 2.5 and a teeny weeny fake one in my hospital tank because I didn't want to take up too much room. My cichlids are very bad with plants too, but now that I've got a larger betta tank I'll have to start thinking about it myself as well, I suppose.

As to caves/hidey holes you can either spend a lot on them in the lps/lfs/Wal-Mart/wherever, or you can improvise- get a little ceramic flower pot or two, or make a cave of your own. This site has a lot of cichlid-appropriate ideas, but a few of the DIY caves would suit a betta very well too.

 

[Naughtygirlrlw]

He is the King of his castle!!

 

[oneponygirl]

I had a betta on my filing cabnet at work for a while (a co-worker gave him to me when she moved). Everybody that walked by in the office would stop and look in on him. I thought he would like a bigger tank so I took him home and put him in a five gallon. He got so depressed, he quit eating and swimming I thought I was going to lose him. I think because no one was visiting him and I was gone all day. I got him three white clouds and he made a complete and instant recovery. He lived with them to be a very old fish. Now, I wouldn't recommend that same set up now that I know better. But, I do think he kind of got lonely after having visits all day from us and all night from the cleaning staff. At the same time, I'm sure your guy will do fine as he probably isn't accustomed to quite that volume of visiters.

 

[Alix]

thank you oneponygirl your responce made sence to me. "if they are use to company they will like it. if not they wont"

 

[fishmom]

When we got back from a trip, Apollo was sitting on the bottom of his tank and he even had stress stripes on his sides. When he saw I was home he went crazy!!!!! I mean really looked soooo happy to see another being in the room with him. So, yes, I think Bettas do get lonely!!!

 

[Booboo puppy]

I wonder if Barracuda was used to having people look at him at the store, and now he's kind of isolated at my house and lonely? George seems perfectly content to swim and do stuff and flares frequently at me or whoever walks by. Barracuda NEVER flares, not even if I hold up a mirror. He eats well, he looks fine, but he's not very active. I think I'll try moving him so he can see George and watch to see if Barracuda perks up any...