Mrs. Lonely

[swishytail]

My Betta, Fresca Bubbles, has been looking at her reflection lately. I got her just last weekend, as I fell right in love with her! She is now in a five gallon tank, with a filter, a bubble rock, and two hiding places. Fresca seems to flounder around, searching for someone. She looks at her reflection in the walls(Kind of like Flo from Finding Nemo)and meanders around. She follows my finger only if I have a pellet in it, or else she just half heartedly floats after it for maybe even just a second or two.
Is she depressed? She was at the back of rack, and I don't think she'd had much attention.

[BettaxFishxCrazy]

New bettas need time to get familiar with their surroundings, he's probably just a little stressed out. Sometimes they won't even eat; some of mine went for a week without eating a thing. When he gets comfortable enough he'll probably give you a bubble nest in a corner of the tank and that's one of the signs that he's comfortable. I have 5 tanks with 2 males in each tank with a divider and they will flare at each other for a week or so and then they get used to it for the most part. If you wanted, you could divide it and put a female on the other side but I've heard that the females will jump over the divider. I have my female in her own tank and she loves being alone. :P The first two fish that I've had for over a year now get depressed if they aren't in the same tank together because I've had them together since I got them.

[RoseyD]

Give her a week or so... if she doesn't seem to perk up - you may need to set up a larger tank and get her some friends. Or put a tank beside her so that she can see she's not alone.

I have a similar problem with my boy Gawain - he's in a 5 gallon and seemed really lonely - but he wasn't happy when I tried putting two cardinal tetras in the tank with him (they were quickly removed - don't worry).

Last weekend, I moved the 2.5 gallon tank and put it in the bathroom - beside him (on the linen cabinet) - so he can now look over and see Tristan - and he doesn't seem as depressed anymore. :)

[dramaqueen]

Even though bettas don't get along, they do like to see others of their own kind.

[Jessiefish]

Originally Posted by RoseyD

Give her a week or so... if she doesn't seem to perk up - you may need to set up a larger tank and get her some friends. Or put a tank beside her so that she can see she's not alone.

I have a similar problem with my boy Gawain - he's in a 5 gallon and seemed really lonely - but he wasn't happy when I tried putting two cardinal tetras in the tank with him (they were quickly removed - don't worry).

Last weekend, I moved the 2.5 gallon tank and put it in the bathroom - beside him (on the linen cabinet) - so he can now look over and see Tristan - and he doesn't seem as depressed anymore. :)

Love your fish names. The knights, yes?