Do Bettas Fall In Love?

[FBTgirl]

Well this morning I woke up at 6:00 and my male betta Carmel was gazing into my females eyes who was gazing at him. I had no idea what was happening because they didn't move while gazing at each other. I had to tap the glass and ruin it to make sure everyone was ok! They were fine though. Can bettas fall in love?

 

[RandomWiktor]

Considering that bettas are solitary, non-monogamous, and probably don't have much in the way of the anatomical and chemical brain structures needed to create complex emotions like love? Nah, I'd say not. That'd be anthropomorphism; a cute way to think of our fish, but in no way a true reflection of their behavior and abilities.

 

[Bowling_Fleury]

I think they do. I had a pair, Sailor and Pearl, who watched each other just like you described since I first got them. They had babies together and before and after that, they were almost always in the same tank together. I never had to seperate them and you always hear about people saying to keep males and females seperate or else they'll fight. But they never fought, they just hovered side by side and watched me.
Also, when Pearl died, Sailor laid on the bottom of his bowl for weeks, even after I got him another female, and he didn't eat much after that. Since then he hasn't even built a bubble nest and doesn't seem to want anyone else but Pearl. Sailor's heartbroken, so yeah I'd say Bettas fall in love. People just probably don't think so because males and females are only introduced long enough to breed and imagine what that would be like! I'd never fall in love if that was my life!

 

[mommyof2bettas]

they were almost always in the same tank together. I never had to seperate them and you always hear about people saying to keep males and females seperate or else they'll fight. But they never fought, they just hovered side by side and watched me.

That may not have been such a good idea. They might have been okay but it doesn't mean that one day they couldn't turn their feelings around and kill each other. It has happened to many people that I know because they wouldn't believe that females and males would fight. Do you know why the female died? It might have been because of that
I'm not trying to be harsh so if I do sound like it, I'm sorry but I don't believe you should take that risk.

People just probably don't think so because males and females are only introduced long enough to breed and imagine what that would be like! I'd never fall in love if that was my life!

Actually females and males are only introduced that long so that they won't kill each other. Although I do believe that they fall in love. Some males will only breed with certain females and vice-versa. Infact, that also happens with fish and people. I know that my baby Kenni, loves me, and not my other family members because I have been his owner and fed him and cared for him. Bettas have different personalities, and yes, that means they do feel they like some people or fish better than others.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

i dont think so because they are solitary animals

 

[leighann]

thats sad how did pearl die?

 

[laurasbetta]

i think bettas will associate good things with a certain person/fish. for instance, what you may take for your betta "loving" you may actually just be the "oh, it's this person which means i'm going to get food! YES!" maybe when they see their little girlie betta they associate that with reproduction? (not saying the fish is like "YES! time for MATING!" well... maybe it is). but these are the things they need to survive/pass on their genes, so maybe that's why they display love-like behaviors. this is just my guess. but i do agree that i like to think walnut loves me.

 

[Captain Retardo]

Considering that bettas are solitary, non-monogamous, and probably don't have much in the way of the anatomical and chemical brain structures needed to create complex emotions like love? Nah, I'd say not. That'd be anthropomorphism; a cute way to think of our fish, but in no way a true reflection of their behavior and abilities.

For some reason that made me laugh... It was a good statement and well worded and all, but it made me laugh, especially as a response to a question of "do bettas love each other".

 

[OohFeeshy]

Bettas don't always flare the gills when they're flaring (if that makes any sense). Aggression can be shown in many ways- often I find two males in tanks next to each other staring- doesn't mean they bat for the other side, as it were...

 

[FBTgirl]

We assume all bettas are solitary animals but we don't know that for sure! Its not like we know what all bettas think! Its just most bettas don't meat the right betta partner. My male got so happy when I put my female back next to him he started another bubble nest for her. And even when I take Penny away from Carmel she gets so stressed. so I think the can love.

 

[Bowling_Fleury]

Pearl died when I had Pearl and Sailor in seperate bowls (incase by some fluke they started fighting) and I went to buy a prom dress and my sister's evil cat got into my room and knocked Pearl out of her bowl and batted her across the floor until she died. I keep thinking if only I kept them in the same bowl she might've been safer...

 

[RandomWiktor]

FTB girl, we actually do know for a fact that they are solitary animals... ask any cognitive ethologist or animal behaviorist who has studied the species. Just as some animals are social group animals, others are solitary. It isn't a matter of them "meeting the right betta," it is a matter of the way they are instinctively hard-wired to behave. Why do you think bettas are aggressive and territorial?
Also, bubblenesting is just a mating behavior; it doesn't mean the fish is happy or in love. I really think there is some massive anthropomorphism going on here. I mean, I tend to be the type to credit animals with having more emotion and intelligence than we give them credit for, but transforming natural behavior into human emotion is really stretching it...

 

[puppyduck]

I love my bettas. They seem to like me most of the time. Does that count?

 

[Jaded12]

Its a nice thought though. Besides even with all of the technology and research and such out there, we still don't know everything (though some like to think they do, lol ) in fact the things we don't know dwarf the things we do. So who's to say that bettas can't love, humans are animals aren't they? So saying that animals can't express human emotion is like saying animals can't express the emotions of another type of animal. Humans have free thought, but research is proving more and more that animals have free thought as well, they just can't express it the way we do. So unless you can read a bettas thoughts and ask them if they can fall in love there's really no way of knowing now is there?

 

[davidnso]

i dunno, but i know my male and female hate each other.