Betta Identity Crisis

[BooFish]

Hi first time poster here!

So I have an interesting situation. After my last Betta died I went out and bought a beautiful dark blue CT. His fins are gorgeous but you would never know it because he just does not flare. This is my first Betta that has never flared. I was actually worried at first that he was sick but he appears to be healthy as a horse. There just doesn't seem to be an aggressive bone in his body.

Because he seemed so laid back I decided to get him a couple of tank mates settling on three adorable peppered cories. I love catfish but hadn't had any since my upside down catfish had died over a year ago. So with some trepidation I started acclimating them. Spike was just so interested in them that I started to get nervous that he was going to become aggressive but he never once flared at them. After the acclimation I took the plunge and put them in the tank. The first day Spike followed them around a bit but just left them alone for the most part.

A few days later I noticed that Spike had started to follow them around again but not just that he was mimicking them. He would poke around in the gravel and I thought this was funny and still do really. Fast forward to just within the last couple of days and he mainly swims on the bottom with them in their little pack picking at the gravel like he is scavaging for food. While he still eats his pellets at the top he prefers to eat his food now on the bottom with the cories. When the cories are sitting at the bottom just resting he will hover right above them. Nobody appears to be stressed.

Has anyone else seen this kind of behavior? I have had plenty of Betta's in my life along with catfish but I have never had a Betta that seemed to be schooling with the catfish. Normally the Betta's would just do their own thing and the cats would do their own thing with the occasional skirmish if someone got annoyed. It's like he has become an honorary corie Should I be worried about his behavior?

 

[Kekmet]

My betta boy enjoys schooling with our peppered cories now and again. He seems to mainly be looking for whatever food they're getting so he can get it first, the little piggy! He once spent twenty minutes guarding an algae pellet.

I dunno if it's 'normal', but it hasn't hurt anybody.

 

[JasonU]

My betta did the same.

For a while he worked with the corries, knocking down food that stuck on plants in the middle of the tank, they would dislodge stuff that would float up for him.

This lasted for about two months, then he became very aggresive towards them.

I dont know if this change was down to him becoming older (betta puberty) or if it was down to removing a plastic plant from the tank.

I was orginally a psychologist, when it comes to betta I do not even attempt to understand what is behind their behaviour, just enjoy it.

 

[loraxchick]

my betta is the same way...he is old now- probably around 2 and is soooo docile. he follows the cories around a bit while the lights are on. sometimes he will flare at them (wont flare at a morror anymore- i think he's on to the game) but just follows them around checking out what they are doing. i did have a cory a few months back that was not doing so well when i brought him home...he subsquently died a week or so later, but my betta pretty much took guard over him...wouldnt let the others near him at all! it was quite amazing to see. like he knew the cory was unwell.
funny creatures these bettas are!
cheers

 

[BooFish]

Oh good at least this isn't completely odd behavior.

I have to say it is entertaining to watch him school around with the cats. He will just meander around the bottom and swim up for air and then meander back down to where the cats are. He certainly is a cool fish.

 

[Loony Fish]

Mine does the same only with bandit cories.