The Einstein Of Bettas!

I've somehow ended up with the smartest betta I've ever seen.

I have a small 5 gallon with a two male bettas with a divider. I know it's not ideal, but we rescued a crowntail recently from Walmart. His bowl was full of yellow slime and we thought he was dead. Somehow, he was still kicking, and is now happy as a clam sharing a small tank with our other male spadetail until we can get another tank. Maybe a little two happy... and super curious, because he figured out how to sneak through a gap in the divider.

And he just. Keeps. Doing. It.

He doesn't pick a fight with the spadetail, just explores. So after moving him 5 times tonight we just left him and swapped sides. The spadetail doesn't seem to mind.

Silly bettas.

 

Bettas are soooo smart! I feel like fish get a bad wrap for being stupid. But my goldfish and my Betta, Phantom are super smart!
Phantom knows where the feeding cut out is the hood of his tank. When he's hungry, he'll hover under that little cutout and he'll look at me. Like, "Mom. I'm hungryyyy. Feed me."

 

That's fantastic!! They really are amazing little fish! These two act like a little aquatic dogs. They get a so excited when you walk in the room, swimming right up to the glass like "Hello!!".

 

I've always had one betta swimming around my place for over 40 years, but recently I've developed a better appreciation for these fish.

I own 4 females & 3 males now.

Anyhow it is amazing to me that these fish are just as personable as my oscar fish and just as intelligent as my oscar fish and even more friendly.

I have fed Betta Beta by hand since he was tiny, and I talked to him all the time.

So now I can call him and he will come out of hiding to see me.

I recently put the four females in his tank. I have never wanted to own females or breed bettas before but my mind is changing on this.

He has been alone in a 16 gal for most of his life and it was quite an event when I introduced the females.

He chases them around a little bit but he hasn't been really mean and I haven't noticed anybody being bit. I'm sure he enjoys the company.

But, unbelievably, when feeding time comes around these fish react just like my dogs. The big male guards the food and the others only eat if he allows them to.

He is tame enough that I can put my finger in the tank and pet his little dorsal fin while he's feeding.

But when I wanted those female fish to eat and he was starving them I put my finger in there and chased his little butt all across the top of the tank.

The funny thing is that he didn't just dart away into his hole when I touched him, but he turned around and looked at me as if to say "Are you kidding me, buddy???"

Imagine a fish with the same attitude as Danny DeVito....

 

I'm always thinking my guppies act like aquatic dogs around me as the "dance" (wiggle against the glass) in a display to grab my attention whatever side of the tank I'm at!

They also have strong binds with eachother. My eldest knew when her best friend was sick and stayed by her side encouraging her for days until I had to move the sick girl to quarentine, where despite being metres away they both spent the whole day on the tank side closest to one another

Fish are smart, and I can't wait to get a puffer because they are somehow even smarter!!

 

That's awesome!! Who knew these little fishies were so smart??

...And mine just keep playing musical chairs. I just caught them in the act.

 

Well clearly I am not an expert on bettas. I put four young females in with a male betta in a 16 gallon tank.

People tell me that the females will be dead bettas soon but so far they seem to be more playful than deadly mean. Also there are a lot of places to hide in this tank. With this much cover it is easy for the smaller female fish to hide. As soon as one disappears his attention is distracted by the next and the chase goes on.

Then after a while they all get tired of swimming and just lay on the plants and rocks to rest.

After just a few days it seems like I might have a mating pair choosing up. It's hard to say but Beta Betta seems to favor Sapphire, and Sapphire seems to favor Betta Beta.

Sapphire looks very pale in that picture but she is actually a much darker blue with a lot of black on her head.

 

This is hilarious! As a relatively new Betta owner, the first thing I noticed is that he is such a dog! He reminds me of the boyfriend’s dogs who are both boxers. The big eyes that look off to the side and back at you like a little guilty kid and the natural frowny lips give my little guy so much character. I had my hand in the tank trying to scoop up an injured fish and boy have I trained my fish a little too well.

The curious little booger kept nipping at me! He was like “hey, mom, feed me.” Cuz every time I hand feed him, letting him jump up to my finger.

They’ve got so much personality.

 

Hello, you could squeeze a piece of household sponge in between glass & divider. Make sure super clean soap will hurt fish. Hope this helps !

 

Hello, you could squeeze a piece of household sponge in between glass & divider. Make sure super clean soap will hurt fish. Hope this helps !

Hey, great idea! Thanks Michael! Pretty sure they got bored, they haven't swapped sides in a day or two. If it happens again, I'll definitely heed your advice.

 

Bettas are adorable! My little boy will come swimming when I hold up a finger and call his name and will flare when I say "Look fierce!" And when I turn his tank light on in the morning he comes up from the bottom of the tank to the top and looks expectantly at me like, "Hey, are you going to feed me or what??"