8 months ago I got a betta. I used this site to set up his perfect home and named him Sawyer. He had a 10 gallon all to himself. I wanted another, so I divided the tank. I wanted another, so I divided it again. I still wanted more, so I set up my spare 5 gallon and put 2 in there. Then I found a beautiful one that I couldn't leave at the store and put him in a 3 gallon. I was finally satisfied with the 6 males I had, and things were great! Then last night, Sawyer died. I don't know why as the other males in the tank are fine, but Sawyer was separated in a floating cup. I loved that fish and he was my absolute favorite. I don't even know what to do now. His section of the 10 gallon remains empty. If I take one of the other boys and eventually put him there, then one of the tanks will still have an empty space, or the 3 gallon that I just bought will be useless. Or I stick with 5 fish and just divide the 10 gallon back into 2 sections. Sawyer got me back into bettas, and I would trade all of the others just to have him. He was a classic red VT, but he was so much more. Without him, the spark for keeping bettas just isn't there. But I still have 5 beautiful fish that still need my attention... Yet I still feel that the money I have spent on my tanks and their habitats was wasted.
So sorry for your loss. I understand how you can feel like your money was wasted, but I'm going to go the super cliche route and say that the care that you're currently providing for your other boys certainly makes a difference for them.
Zakut for me, was an impulse buy, and I've never been super attached to him, but I still love on him and care for him, and over the past month or so, I've noticed more and more things about him and so forth. It may just take time to develop a connection to one of your other boys.
Aw I feel for you. I totally know what you mean. My current avatar was Lakitu (my first betta getting be back into the hobby) and I had impulse bought Bowser about a week before Lakitu died (Bowser was actually bought with the refund money from the ghost shrimp I bought which died, putting Laki into osmosis shock or something). I never really connected with Bowser and I've had him for almost a year.
Meanwhile, your other 4 boys are the same and require your attention. You don't have to fill Sawyer's spot, add an extra plant or little red memorial rock/decoration. We know you love Sawyer. It's okay to feel this way.
I think that I will just take the second divider out of the 10 gallon so that there are only 2 males in it. Hopefully there won't be any problems with the 2 males that shared the tank with him. I was planning on giving Sawyer a new red decoration, so it will still go in the part of the tank that was his to mark his spot. :)
losing that one betta makes it feel like you'll never want others ever again. i know how that is, totally. after i lost about four in a row, and lost my special blind boy, then my unique orange CT, then the betta i raised from a month old fry, i swore i'd never get another ever again.......
but i did. 8I now, i'm happy with the ones i have. i'm at 12, shockingly, and i'm sticking with these 'till they pass on. i don't want as many as i do, ever again, unless i'm breeding. which won't be for forever. i'm lucky to have not lost any in a long while, but i feel it's coming. Lulu's 3 years old, Sniper's not looking too hot... after they go, i'm upgrading, not buying more. x:
So sorry to hear of your loss! I was struck by tragedy on thursday when my Walmart rescued female jumped out of the 1 and half inch hole on her lid and died on my floor while i was at work. I was so bummed... She was my little girl, feisty and ever so appreciative of her big tank and leaf hammock and loved to eat blood worms from my fingers... She will be dearly missed. I hope it gets easier for you as the days go on...
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I don't know why as the other males in the tank are fine, but Sawyer was separated in a floating cup. I loved that fish and he was my absolute favorite. I don't even know what to do now. His section of the 10 gallon remains empty. If I take one of the other boys and eventually put him there, then one of the tanks will still have an empty space, or the 3 gallon that I just bought will be useless. Or I stick with 5 fish and just divide the 10 gallon back into 2 sections. Sawyer got me back into bettas, and I would trade all of the others just to have him. He was a classic red VT, but he was so much more. Without him, the spark for keeping bettas just isn't there. But I still have 5 beautiful fish that still need my attention... Yet I still feel that the money I have spent on my tanks and their habitats was wasted.
