"hiding Places" For Bettas

[Kowalski]

I've read at various websites that Bettas like to have places to "hide" in, be it caves, between thick plants, etc etc. So, today I went in the garage and found a tiny little glass jar. No broken edges, clean, everything. So I soaked it in steaming hot water for about 15 minutes and wiped it off with towels extremely well and buried it under some gravel so it just looks like a hole in the ground. My Betta has inspected it, he hangs out in it on occasions, so I'm assuming it's a success.

My questions:

Do you have hiding places for your Bettas? If so, where/how? If not, why not?

Do you have advice on DIY ways of making small hiding places like I did?

Do you think they are needed, or not need? And why?

 

[thelastbetta]

I use clay pots.

 

[liz2]

clay pots with plastic buttons glued on the hole as someone said they might try to swim through and I panicked in case they hurt themselves

 

[jarmado]

mine always hide on floating plants.

 

[greyko]

I've got a broad leafed plant that Eddie likes to hide in. I've seen him both resting on top of leaves, or floated up underneath them. Sometimes he'll sit on the bottom of the tank behind a little bridge, peeking over the top of it. I guess it's partly a natural defence thing, partly lying in wait for prey.
And when sitting on a leaf, laziness?

 

[Joby]

Mine have little decorative pots which most like to hang out in

 

[Amerce]

Yup mine love those little clay pots, got a whole box full from a chap on ebay who was selling those little flowerpot men for the garden. So the holes in them are much too tiny for the fish to get stuck in and they love sitting in them.

 

[RandomWiktor]

Do you have hiding places for your Bettas? If so, where/how? If not, why not?
I have a cave, and a minimum of four silk plants in each of my 5g tanks. The caves are located centrally since the plants are everywhere else. They seem to hide and sleep in the caves, and rest and swim amongst the plants.

Do you have advice on DIY ways of making small hiding places like I did?
Yes. There is a small glass candle holder in the craft section at WalMart for 97 cents. If you coat two sides and the back with aquarium sealant, you can coat it in the same color/type of gravel or sand used in your tank. Glue a silk plant to the back and ta-da! A nice looking betta safe hidey-hole that matches your decour. There is more info on how to do it at Ultimate Bettas, but I'm not allowed to post a link.
There is also, of course, the option of just using a flower pot with the hole in the bottom sealed with aquarium sealant. Not as pretty, but the fish don't mind.

Do you think they are needed, or not need? And why?
Absolutely. All animals living in captivity should have someplace where they can feel safe, secure, and hidden. If you were exposed on all sides because you are living in a glass cube, wouldn't you want a place where you could rest or hide from prying eyes? I think every betta tank should have plants and some type of cave; most fish I've rescued as "tail biters" stop the behavior with some heavy planting and a cave to make them feel more secure.

As for other caves: Walmart has some hideous but smooth ceramic caves that are great for bettas. I use them in most of my tanks, and they are dirt cheap. If you can tollerate a really ugly neon multi-color hunk of ceramic in your tank, go for it.

 

[RANDYS]

I have some decor that was in my 10 gallon last year for them to explore and hide in. Also I picked up a bunch of aquarium decorations including a few fake rock formations and a large fake hollow log that makes a good hideout. I've even taken some of the rocks that I've found and soaked from MISSOURI and siliconed them together to immitate caves and such--seems to do the job.

 

[starrynightxxi]

i made a leaf litter by tearing the leaves off some cheap weighted silk plants. my new boy's having a blast with them

 

[aquagirl]

Mine all have grotto thingies with many hidey holes that I buy from my LFS. I also give them plenty of plants... they really like it when you take plastic plants and take them apart so they float on the top of the water.

 

[Somethin_fishy]

My gals love hiding in floating plants (which were actually just an accident when i broke a few fake plants) and i also have one tacky fake brack my girls love!

 

[Loko17]

I dont really have hiding places for my CT's they just hang out on the few plants in there but mostly they explore every inch of their tanks to make sure noones snoopin . With my HM, I went with a different approach where he has many silk plants to hide in and I just happend to get a plant with sort of the same shade of red on it so he's kind of camoflauged and he hides behind the biggest plant in the back when I walk in the room cause he's a little skittish.

 

[demonmagus]

My one betta loves sitting in his plant

I may buy him a small cave or something though

 

[babybell911]

Mine has a cave it's a treasure chest in lightblue bit tacky looking but it's really smooth so it wont damage the fins.