What does a sleeping betta look like?
Don't be surprised to find your betta sleeping curled up like a cat, lying on one side with his head pointed down toward your substrate or even sleeping vertically, with its head pointing toward the bottom of your aquarium – some bettas even sleep with their fins open!
While fish do not sleep in the same way that land mammals sleep, most fish do rest. Research shows that fish may reduce their activity and metabolism while remaining alert to danger. Some fish float in place, some wedge themselves into a secure spot in the mud or coral, and some even locate a suitable nest.
Wild betta fish are a dull greyish-green with short fins; nothing like the spectacularly colored, long-finned beauties of today! Through selective breeding, a wide range of colors and fin types have been developed, including: veil, delta, halfmoon, crowntail, double tail and many more.
Bettas should have relaxed fins when they are resting, and upright fins when they are swimming, but never clamped fins. Clamped fins are held tight against the body when the fish is resting and swimming. Clamped fins aren't a disease, but rather a symptom of disease or water quality issues.
If your betta is sick, his activity level will go down. He won't be his normal, active self. His movements will slow down some. Another sign of sickness is your fish hiding out at the bottom of the tank more often than normal.
There are several signs that may indicate that your fish is sleeping: They have not moved for a few minutes. They are floating in place, or have retreated to the top or bottom of their tank, or beneath coral. They take longer to respond to stimuli, such as light or food dropped in their tank.
Bettas really like to sleep in large flat leaves, such as stick-on betta leaf hammocks commonly available at most pet stores. Bettas without leafy décor may find a spot on top of a flat rock or even laying on the bottom of the aquarium substrate.
The simple answer is yes! They are sleeping, and they can sleep at any time during the day or night. Fish do sleep with their eyes open, because they don't have eyelids (except for some sharks) to close!
Generally, females are a bit shorter and more wide-bodied than male bettas. Males tend to have more elongated bodies that are slightly flatter, side-to-side.
Betta fish are known to recognize their owners and get excited to see them, swimming to the front of the tank and dancing around the water in your presence.
Can 2 female betta fish live together?
Unlike male betta fish, female betta fish can live together comfortably in the same tank. When they live together, the cohort is called a 'sorority'. Generally, a good number to keep together is 4-6 female betta fish.
“The biggest reason for betta fish to be unhappy is that they're not properly kept,” Hickey said. She told me bettas are tropical fish and need heaters. Their ideal water temperature is 78 F. A lethargic betta without a heater may be cold.
It is looking for more food, it relates your image or movement to food. That does not mean you must feed more, you may be over feeding already.
Signs your better is stressed one color fading. dull or pale colors. compared to their usual vibrant hues. They may also develop horizontal stripes.
They are unlikely to get lonely in their tank; however, if they are in a small tank, they may get bored. “There are a variety of other species of tank mates that can be safely added to a betta's tank, such as snails, ghost shrimp, certain species of fish, and African dwarf frogs,” Dr. Keller says.
Signs that your fish are sleeping include: They remain motionless for periods of time. They lay on the bottom or an object in the aquarium. They don't react to things going on around them.
Most fish are slightly denser than water, so sink immediately after death. However, like a drowned human, they become more buoyant over time as bacterial decomposition produces gases inside the body. Usually, enough gas builds up in body cavities to make the corpse float, like an inflated balloon.
Can your pet fish recognize your face? A new study says, Yes, it probably can. Researchers studying archerfish found the fish can tell a familiar human face from dozens of new faces with surprising accuracy. This is a big, big deal.
Yes, fish can hear you talk!
But barely, unless you are shouting. Sounds that are created above water typically do not carry enough force to penetrate the surface tension of the water, so talking on the boat or loud noise may not affect fish as much as your fellow anglers may want you to think.
But it's generally accepted that many animals have moods, including fish. The new study shows that fish can detect fear in other fish, and then become afraid too – and that this ability is regulated by oxytocin, the same brain chemical that underlies the capacity for empathy in humans.
Does my fish miss me?
What we do know through observation is that some fish seem to get down or sad when another fish they are accustomed to is taken away or passes away. This seems to indicate that fish can miss someone, but it's hard to know exactly what kind of bond they form with their humans.
It's advised to avoid touching or grabbing fish with bare hands in an aquarium unless in emergency situations. From sanitary concerns to fish safety, there are many reasons to avoid touching them altogether. Fish nets are best for proper handling, though nets can still lead to unnecessary stress on the fish.
If they live together, male betta fish will become aggressive and fight. This is how they earned their nickname, "fighting fish." The males will fight to the death if given the chance, so they should never be placed together in a tank.
First, the pros: Female bettas are typically less aggressive than their male counterparts, so they can coexist peacefully in a well-planted, spacious tank. Plus, having a group of females can create a dynamic, social environment that's interesting to watch.
In Experiment 1, female Betta given daily injections of testosterone (T) for 9 weeks acquired anatomical features characteristic of males as indicated by changes in fin length, body coloration, and gonadal morphology. These findings suggested that a potential for sex reversal exists in females of this species.
