[cindy1122]

Recently I have watched some videos about water can be affected by constant emotion energy released by humans from Dr. Emoto's experiment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAvzsjcBtx8

This makes me think that my emotions can affect the water that my betta fish is staying, which will affect my fish's behavior. This makes me worried because I have been feeling stressed out recently, and I noticed that on my fish too. I don't know if that is just a coincident, but this theory might apply.

My fish tank is on a stand right next to my desk, so close to me that I can touch the tank if I just move my arm to the side. Since we are this close, I wonder if my negative emotion can affect him. I have been feeling stressed because I've been at my desk doing school work and studying and especially recently I've been having housing issue and looking for moving out. For the entire week, I've been tired with pressure and barely some sleep.

Under this situation, I wonder if my fish can feel the stress because I've noticed that he takes a lot more rests this week instead of swimming around like before. I have had him for over four months now, but the past 2-3 months, he has been staying with his daddy (my bf), and he seems to be fine. About two weeks ago, I finally got him back again because I was out of the state during winter, but I got back. He seems fine last week, but this week he seems tired very often at the same time when I start having chaos in my life too.

He still eats when I feed him; he swims once in a while but mostly taking breaks a lot recently; I change 50% of his 2.5 gallon tank almost everyday. I don't see any symptoms of illness on his body.

Do you think my betta can feel how I feel?
If he is stressed out because of me, what should I do?

Thanks~

 

[isntanything]

Honestly? No.

And if you think your depression is hurting your betta, that's only going to make you feel guilty and that won't help matters.

Your betta is likely stressed out from his recent move.

 

[TheTrojanBetta]

I do believe animals can tell how we're feeling and I do believe it's possible for your betta to be able to tell that you are more stressed than normal. However, I don't think this would negatively impact him and I don't believe whatever bad feelings or stress you may be having would cause him to be sick or stressed himself.

 

[Rana]

That "experiment" is a total crock. Your emotions can't do anything to water quality or somehow transfer to your fish. While it may be theoretically possible for bettas to empathize with humans (Many mammals will do so, I haven't seen any studies with fish), there isn't any metaphysical energies being exchanged.

What's more likely is that your emotions affect your actions- when I was home sick with depression this past year, I didn't always clean my tanks as well as I should have or monitored their health as closely. Because of my substandard care my fish suffered. When I felt just as terrible but kept up with their care, they were in better health. You say your life is chaotic right now- is it possible you're cutting some corners? Not checking the water temp during a water change, cleaning quickly, not giving him a lot of time to eat? Things like that seem like nothing but for an animal as sensitive as fish, they can have a big impact.

It's possible that your fish is stressed from moving, from different water quality, from the light or movement or vibrations of you working at your desk, or from your boyfriend & you having different styles of interaction- but not your emotions directly.

 

[cindy1122]

Thanks everyone for taking the time and replying to me. I enjoy hearing from everyone's opinions, but I still believe the water experiment to be true regardless its affects on my betta. Maybe I just think too much when I'm stressed out because my betta seems fine. And maybe it could be other factors like you said. Again, thanks for responding.