Betta behavior...is this normal????

[rubysoho]

So I got the Boyfriend a beautiful male betta becuase he had one freshman year and accidentally killed it (another story...) and had wanted another but was afraid he wouldn't take care of it properly. Anyway, we have this male betta in a 1 gallon tank (I clean it often, hehe) and WEDGE himself down under the rocks!! This morning I found him completely wedged under the rocks and inbetween the tank's wall. That freaks me out. None of my other male bettas in the past did this behavior, but then I also kept them in a 5 gallon minimum tank with much smaller rocks. I'm afraid this guy is going to get himself stuck and not get out during a time when I'm gone and can't come to the rescue.

Now, the Boyfriend didn't even act concerned by this behavior even though when he first saw the betta flaring he called me in a panic thinking his betta was dieing and that I should come right over to try and save him!!! You should have heard his voice, it was so cute.

 

[mr86mister]

do you have a tiny cave for him in there, if not he just uses that little area to rest and feel safe...as long as he is eating and your keeping up on water changes he should be fine, i know that both my males like to sit on the bottom in the corner at night when they "go to bed"

 

[rubysoho]

I knew they liked having some safe place to go, just didn't think he'd actually wedge himself under rocks. I once found him and he couldn't get out 8O I haven't found any decorations at walmart or my LFS that fit very well into the tank since it is only 1 gallon (hrmmm... a way to convince my boyfriend of the need for a bigger tank??? hehe). I do have a java fern in there that gives him some nice cover, I think he definatly likes it, but maybe it isn't enough. Spoiled thing

 

[Meredith]

You could do something like I have in my tank for Max. Get a couple of wide silk leaves and fix it so they hang into the water or lean against the glass. Max spends most of his time in the makeshift "cave"
http://www.photolocker.net/images/Feather/yeamax.jpg

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi rubysoho,
My bettas sometimes wegde themselves under their java moss. They often rest on top of it, though. From my observations, bettas sometimes like to find a place to squeeze into, and that can be a concern since they may tear their long fins. If you're concerned that your betta may get stuck when you're not around, the best thing to do is remove that rock and make another suitable hiding place. I have used silk plants before and cut them to the shape or height that I wanted. I used a piece of sandpaper that works when wet to smooth the cut edge of the plastic stem. Now my betta swims all around and in the silk plant. He gets way back in there sometimes and I can't see him right away!

I do think it's a valid concern about the betta getting stuck, but when I thought mine were stuck they actually were not, just hiding! So I would remove the rock or maybe try to arrange it so he can't wedge under it anymore, and try more hiding places, maybe with silk plants. And yes, a bigger tank would be better!

 

[Blucat]

My betta always does that. He deliberately tries to swim through the puniest of all places. He always does it, so i gather he enjoys getting into tight squeezes. Sometimes he gets somewhere and he gets stuck so he has to try and reverse. And the betta when it tries to go between the hole made by the gravel, decor and glass, it is so small that he literally goes upside down as he tries to swim through!

 

[rubysoho]

well I am glad to hear I don't have the only insane fish. I've already rearranged the rocks so he *hopefully* can't squeeze under/thru them. As I am typing this, he is actually trying to get under them

An t-iasg, that is a great idea. I might have to do my own version

thanks everyone!

 

[megladonsharky]

Sounds okay to me...lol.. My Trafalger is a contorsionist.. he loves to squeeze into weird areas