Plants and caves.

[dramaqueen]

I hear so much talk about how bettas love plants and caves and how they need places to hide. Well, I've tried plants and glass votives for all my fish and only one likes his plants. Why is this?

[Chicklet]

Mine loves small castles, They don't so much like the larger objects tho,
Several like the butterflies, They wind round and round for hours sometimes,
I think they'd make great clock makers :) others like the small balls,.

I have alot that likes the plants for resting or sleeping on or in.
When you first get them some hide behind them, But once they know you, Mine rarely hide in them any more,

Too many objects thats too large I feel just takes up swimming space,

[dramaqueen]

I never put anything in my tanks before until now, after hearing that they like something to hide in or rest on.But they just won't use them. I put a little fake plant in my new female's tank, thinking she might feel more secure while she was adjusting to her new home. But nope, she isn't interested in her plant. lol

[Chicklet]

Your bettas are showing their personality, :)
I have some too that don't seem to ever use any of their decorations,

their your fish, you see them, work with them, know them on individual bases,

I think sometimes we've more convinced ourselves they need these things because it looks more pleasing to our eyes.

[dramaqueen]

I think you're absolutely right. I read (mostly on another forum) that bettas need a place to hide and that its important for their well being. I do know that a lot of bettas like to lay on the leaves of a plant. One of mine loves laying on his plant. Unfortunately, his plant fell apart and I had to put in a new one that he may not like. lol

[froglady]

I was thinking of the frabric plants. those imitation ones. their smooth. I wonder if my betta would like that?

[dramaqueen]

I have silk plants in my 4 gallon and my betta loves them. I guess he likes them because he came from a tank that was full of plants. At the petstore, he was in a large tank with other fish and lots of plants.

[whitedevil]

I have to seatch thru m plants and caves to find my betta at times, other times he is laying on the bottom or swimming around like a betta does.

I never had caves only a small plant or two with a single betta before in the 5g tank, put a few rock caves I made in and a tree stump root system and he loves it.

[MarieBettaMom]

George now has 2 fake plants, one large "bushy" one and one bamboo plant. I think he likes the bushy one more, he goes to rest in/on that one. He hid more frequently in the early days. Now, after one week, he has opened up quite a bit and is less shy. He's quite active swimming around during the daytime. And he swims up to the front of the tank towards us when he sees us, and he moves back and forth, against the tank surface, as if he wants to swim further forward to greet us, it is so cute.

[JingleAllTheWay]

One of my fish, Jingle (when he was younger), had a cave type thing and he was ALWAYS in it. Sometimes I couldn't find him and then it would be, oh, he's in his creepy cave. My newest betta Darcy loves his plant...he is always in the middle of it. I tried a votive holder and he kind of peeked his head in but he won't go in it. I have seen him "sitting" on the top of it, though.