Something sad :[

[hilevij]

I recently heard about something very very sadly, and that was that the betta babies could get depressed when you separate them from their brothers and sisters and entirely isolate them in to those small cups. Is that anything that has happened to you or that you've heard of?

[doggyhog]

Yeah, they can.

Honestly, it's not THAT sad. :)

[hilevij]

I think it is, they're just babies. But I don't know if my opinion counts, hehe, I even feel bad for the baby artemia when i feed my bettas ;)

[dramaqueen]

Yeah, betta babies can get depressed when they are separated from their brothers and sisters but when they are jarred, they can be kept next to each other so they can see each other and not feel so isolated.

[DragonFish]

...I've never heard of this before actually, nor have I experienced this with any of my fry so far. Granted, they're not too pleased at being in a small container all of a sudden, but 'depressed' isn't at all how I'd describe it. Bettas are indeed a lot more intelligent them most give them credit for, as I'm sure we all know, but we need to remember that these are still simple creatures who don't feel the same level of emotions as we humans do. Its more likely their 'depression' is coming from a sudden loss of room to really swim and explore(though thats never stopped my guys....), cooler temps, or a combo of both as opposed to being separated from their brothers and sisters and 'missing' them....I'm sure theres the odd betta here and there that is social and likes the interaction, but for the most part, bettas are solitary and prefer being alone....

Heres something my dad noticed with my spawn at about week 3 or four....there wasn't any aggression, but they all kept to their own 'space' and didn't really 'interact'. Thats still true now with the ones still in the main tank......they nip and chase a bit, but its not true interaction like you'd see with a school of fish who need and enjoy company of its own species, they tolerate one another, not really enjoy each others presence. Like I said, I'm sure theres the odd betta here and there that actually enjoys company of some sort, but I don't think its all that common....

[MrWynO14]

well, they are JUST fish, I'm pretty sure they don't roll around together in nature....right?

[hilevij]

I don't think they live separated in jars in the nature either..

[MrVampire181]

Here's what I'm making. It's a box with seperate compartments (made of plastic canvas) and the males can float in the tank seperated but can still see eachother and their sisters.

[SweetnSpicy]

Originally Posted by MrVampire181

Here's what I'm making. It's a box with seperate compartments (made of plastic canvas) and the males can float in the tank seperated but can still see eachother and their sisters.

Not to get off topic, but I am making one of those, too! What are you making your box out of? Mine is the material that many people use to make the dividers out of...

[doggyhog]

Plastic canvas is the stuff you make dividers out of. :)

I'm kinda doing that too. Depends. I'm doing some of those and then drilling holes in my big cups and just floating them. :)