potter

So after lots of reading and researching, I went out to buy a big tube of GE Silicon I for Windows and Door, a few craft plastic canvas, some river stones, a couple of glass pepper and salt shaker from the dollar store and borrowed a caulking gun and went to work making a few caves out of the pepper and salt shaker jars by gluing small river stones on it after removing the lids and tunnels from the plastic canvas and sticking stones on it. After patiently waiting for 3 days, they finally are safe to put in and I put it in this morning. Out of 5 of my bettas, only Ebi my VT went in to his cave to check it out and only Wasabi went in to his tunnel. The others pretty much prefers to cruise around but won't even check their caves and tunnel out. I also thought they'd sleep in it but they won't. I just checked on all of them and they are sleeping in between the plants but none in the cave. Do they not like the caves and tunnel I made them? I am a little dissapointed as I was hoping they would enjoy the extra hiding spots and play in it but they seem to prefer open space more. I thought bettas like to hide?

And when they see me, they would just forget about everything else and just wriggle for food and attention so I had to sometimes hide to see what they are doing or I just sit very still for a while if I am in front of them before they forget about me and resume their own activities.

Lucy

All bettas are different. Some like them, some don't. You might find they'll like them better in a few days after they're given enough time to explore.
Bettas usually hide when they're stressed for some reason. Most are pretty sociable to their people.

Just a note, make sure the silicone you used is aquarium safe. Some have toxins that could leach into your tank.

Cute idea about the salt and pepper shakers. Make sure the holes are big enough so a pudgy little betta won't get stuck.

potter

Thanks Lucy. The salt and pepper shaker jars are a nice size and they are $1 for a set of two. Its roomy and its smooth so the bettas won't hurt their fins. Ebi really likes his cave and Wasabi really likes his tunnel. Unagi, Sake and Sushi don't seem to care very much about their caves nor tunnel. I can see that Ebi was always a little timid even at the store and the more timid bettas love their caves more whereas Sushi is scared of nothing so he didn't really go in to his cave lol. I hope in a few more days they will check it out a little more like you said. Maybe they are just not used to it right now.

Lucy

They have a lot of nerve after all the work you did for them. lol
Finicky things. lol

serissime

Some are more curious than others. My smartest female betta explores everything all day long. She has some interesting driftwood and many plants to weave through and she likes it a lot. One of my timid male bettas loves the stone lantern we bought him. He sleeps in it and on it and goes there when he gets startled.

I'm pretty sure windows and door silicone is aquarium safe. The kitchen one is the unsafe one.

agabr123

there are two kinds of the window and door silicone that GE makes, one is I and the other is II, one of them has a fungicide or something like that and you DON'T want that one

serissime

hmm good point, Alex