Hey folks. We keep our male Betta all alone in his 5 gallons. And we beautify the tank with plenty of plants and caves. But I was wondering, doesn’t the male Betta get bored staying all alone? After all, in the wild Bettas don't stay all alone. Many would say, Wild Bettas are different from Bred Bettas. But the issue is, why are they different? If in the wild they stay together, then how come they got manipulated to be so aggressive that they are forced to be kept all alone? Can the experts please throw some light on this? Can we in any way help in getting the Male Betta get less aggressive?
Why Is The Bred Betta Different In Nature From The Wild Betta?
- Thread starter betta_luv
- Start date
lisie
Fish Herder
They were bred to be aggressive for fighting purposes. Fighters are still bred today, and actually most fancy bettas are less aggressive than the fighters are.
But even breeders who raise bettas for show still want their fish to be aggressive, because they need to flare/display their finnage, otherwise they're disqualified.
Bettas are solitary fish. They don't get lonely, but they can get bored. There are other ways of keeping them occupied and entertained other than putting other fish in their tanks.
But even breeders who raise bettas for show still want their fish to be aggressive, because they need to flare/display their finnage, otherwise they're disqualified.
Bettas are solitary fish. They don't get lonely, but they can get bored. There are other ways of keeping them occupied and entertained other than putting other fish in their tanks.
jollysue
Fish Connoisseur
They get on with humans better than other fish. My Bettas sometimes remind me of my dog. As soon as I come home I get all his attention. My Bettas are the same way.
RandomWiktor
Rabid Betta Activist
It is also noteworthy that B. splendens still have individual territories in the wild, so its not like they live in a big happy shoal. There are many different kinds of betta as well, but of all the species, we pretty much chose the most territorial/agressive of the bunch to breed for fighting purposes. So while bettas may interact with one another in the wild, it is still probably more of a "get away from my territory" or "let's mate" sort of deal. They are just a bit more tolerant of one another than those we've bred to be hyper-agressive.
And, of course as others have said, bettas do not get lonely. They get bored and understimulated, but suggesting a non-social species gets lonely is contrary to the very nature of the beast. Think of non-social mammals; the only time we really ever see them crowded in with others of their kind is when they were raised in unnatural captive situations, and even then it is usually safer for a human to be their source of interaction since fights can and do break out. And that's without the massive tendancy for rabid territorial agression that bettas have been selected to have.
The best thing you can do for a "lonely" betta is acknowledge that it is in fact understimulated, and make its environment more enriching. Different arrangements of the tank, new objects in and outside of the aquarium, a varied diet, the ability to view other fish from the safety of the tank so that it can perform natural patrolling behaviors, etc. would all help.
And, of course as others have said, bettas do not get lonely. They get bored and understimulated, but suggesting a non-social species gets lonely is contrary to the very nature of the beast. Think of non-social mammals; the only time we really ever see them crowded in with others of their kind is when they were raised in unnatural captive situations, and even then it is usually safer for a human to be their source of interaction since fights can and do break out. And that's without the massive tendancy for rabid territorial agression that bettas have been selected to have.
The best thing you can do for a "lonely" betta is acknowledge that it is in fact understimulated, and make its environment more enriching. Different arrangements of the tank, new objects in and outside of the aquarium, a varied diet, the ability to view other fish from the safety of the tank so that it can perform natural patrolling behaviors, etc. would all help.
jollysue
Fish Connoisseur
Nice, RW. I am going home this morning and build my boys each a play room. 
No joke, really, I need to do more to give them some interests. I am often afraid if I move stuff it will upset them. We need the equivalent of Betta yoyos
No joke, really, I need to do more to give them some interests. I am often afraid if I move stuff it will upset them. We need the equivalent of Betta yoyos
willtang3000
Fish Herder
from the wild betta they were selective bred into plackats whih are known for their agressiveness and then plackats were slective bred into the cultivated betta splendens that we know today and also inherit the agressiveness from the plackats 
...but wild Betta splendens are also aggressive, territorial fish. The aggressive plakats used for fighting were not created from a completely peaceful fish (obviously) - the people who bred them built on something. Besides, many fish used to breed fighters are wild-caught.
This shouldn't actualy come as a surprise to anyone. Being territorial and being able to defend your territory brings huge benefits in the wild - you compete less for food, you have a permanent 'home' so don't need to compete for sheltered spots, you avoid conflict (I know this probably sounds strange - but think about it - other creatures soon 'learn' that you are territorial and avoid you) and, probably one of the most important things, it means you can spawn in peace and your aggression means you can protect your nest. If you are a big, strong male, you can ensure breeding success by picking out the best territory. Unlike in captivity, being territorial and aggressive in the wild rarely results in death as you have plenty of space to flee.
There are lots of other animals that are territorial too - even social animals like dogs/wolves and lions defend territories. So do many, many birds (like the European robin or blue-footed booby). The same goes for many male deer that take this further (as do horses) and also defend a harem of females.
I also think people have a tendency to anthropomorphize other animals. There is absolutely no reason why a betta needs to even be capeable of feeling 'lonely' (note that I don't mean that they cannot feel anything - just that our feelings don't necessarily have to be the same as theirs). There are plenty of other animals that live alone (like leopards, tigers and brown bears - to use familiar examples). Just because humans are social animals, doesn't mean everything else works by our standards.
This shouldn't actualy come as a surprise to anyone. Being territorial and being able to defend your territory brings huge benefits in the wild - you compete less for food, you have a permanent 'home' so don't need to compete for sheltered spots, you avoid conflict (I know this probably sounds strange - but think about it - other creatures soon 'learn' that you are territorial and avoid you) and, probably one of the most important things, it means you can spawn in peace and your aggression means you can protect your nest. If you are a big, strong male, you can ensure breeding success by picking out the best territory. Unlike in captivity, being territorial and aggressive in the wild rarely results in death as you have plenty of space to flee.
There are lots of other animals that are territorial too - even social animals like dogs/wolves and lions defend territories. So do many, many birds (like the European robin or blue-footed booby). The same goes for many male deer that take this further (as do horses) and also defend a harem of females.
I also think people have a tendency to anthropomorphize other animals. There is absolutely no reason why a betta needs to even be capeable of feeling 'lonely' (note that I don't mean that they cannot feel anything - just that our feelings don't necessarily have to be the same as theirs). There are plenty of other animals that live alone (like leopards, tigers and brown bears - to use familiar examples). Just because humans are social animals, doesn't mean everything else works by our standards.
jollysue
Fish Connoisseur
Good one, Sylvia, "anthropomorphize." I've been considering this "lonely fish" thing we are hearing a lot of, and you have hit on it directly. As a matter of fact humans project their individual wants and needs on other humans all too often.
And just because Tetras and Cories shoal in schools doesn't mean other fish are or were ever the same. I was thinking of the African Malawi Cichlids who often come to us wild as an example of agression in fish. We must with all our fish consider their community and needs including territorial needs or there will be trouble and deaths.
And just because Tetras and Cories shoal in schools doesn't mean other fish are or were ever the same. I was thinking of the African Malawi Cichlids who often come to us wild as an example of agression in fish. We must with all our fish consider their community and needs including territorial needs or there will be trouble and deaths.
OohFeeshy
It's only forever; not long at all...
Even if you kept, for instance, tetras alone, they wouldn't get 'lonely'- just pretty frightened of being eaten, since the safety in numbers aspect is gone. I've kept tetras alone before, once they've realised there are no predators they act just like any other non-schooling fish.
jollysue
Fish Connoisseur
Well, since emotions are in fact biochemical, the feeling of an emotion is only capable when those chemicals exist in the subject.
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