# The curious case of Benten and the Sorority



## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

So for a couple months i have been keeping Benten, a blind CT, in a breeder box attached inside the sorority, because he had been having some issues eating (not able to find the food before it sank).

Well two days ago, i went to feed him, and he was nowhwhere to be seen... o.o I found him a minute later, schooling with the girls under their feeding ring! He had jumped out of the breeder box, and into the main tank! D: I freaked out for a minute before i realized they were actually HELPING him find the ring, and when i put food there, they all ate happily...

I dont understand why this is working, or hope that it will CONTINUE to work, but for now it is all good. :3 he has been doing very well with the girls, and they dont show any sign of aggression with him at all. In fact i believe they think he is a girl with long fins. lol!


Now, to make this perfectly clear, I DO NOT SUGGEST THAT EVERYONE GO OUT AND DO THIS!!! It can, and often does, end in death! I am only allowing this to continue until i see the very slightest hint of aggression, and then they are being separated again. 


What do you all think about this? 

(also, he has only built one bubble nest in his life, and even if there was a spawn (never gunna happen as he wouldnt be able to see the eggs, or the girl for that matter), all of the fry/eggs would be eaten by the other girls. there are no places for the fry to hide in the sorority. )


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

16 views and not a single comment? o.o;; I thought i would at least get a panicked plea to separate them... lmao! j/k 

Just poking at you guys. X3


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## xXbrokencrownXx (Jun 18, 2011)

wow!
thats amazing! I hope it works out! It sounds so cute, I love when there are stories of animals helping other helpless animals out


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

It has been working quite well so far!  I am very pleased, the sweet girls are so gentle with him! Not a single nipped fin anywhere.


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

That sounds amazing! I hope no one comes in here and bashes you for it. Hey, the fellow is blind, and I see no harm in it as long as there is no aggression.  Can we have pictures


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## Badjer (Oct 25, 2011)

That's just awesome! I'd love to see some pictures of him schooling with the girls. It constantly amazes me how these fish have such unique behaviors.


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## LittleBettas (Jul 23, 2011)

I'd love to see pictures! 
It always amazes me of how AWARE animals, even fish, are of each other, I know in most cases, it is survival of the fitest, but I have seen a few cases, in petstores and such, where rather than pick on "odd man" (either blind, missing and eye or a fin) the other fish would school with him/her and during feeding, would give the odd guy room (rather than cramming to feed)


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

I wasnt able to get super clear shots... But i did get these three. X3 He freaks out when the flash goes off. (i think he can see lights and shadows a bit)


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

The third shot is actually the first one i took, and then realized that the glass was streaked and cleaned it for the other two. XD


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## BlakbirdxGyarados (Feb 10, 2011)

Hey, hope that works out well. If he's having problems eating and the girls had helped him... and hey, he's blind... what's the real harm?

Seriously a pretty cool story to hear, tho'.


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

That is amazing hope it continues to work out!


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

I am really hoping it continues to work as well, he seems happy in the 30 gallon.  Even if he cant see how big his new home is. lmao!


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

It would be nice though. I have a question though, how do you introduce girls to the sorority? The girls would come in cups.


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

kfryman said:


> It would be nice though. I have a question though, how do you introduce girls to the sorority? The girls would come in cups.


I introduced my girls two and three at a time, except for Winter, who was a single purchase. I think that helped. 

What i did was float them for several hours, not even acclimating them to the tank water at first, and skipped a meal for the sorority (i feed them three small meals a day to cut way back on aggression, and to keep them fat and happy), then at the next meal, i would acclimate the new girls and then feed everyone to distract them while i release the new girls, to give them some time to explore while the piggies feasted.


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Alright thanks! I think I am getting a 10g tank for Christmas. I just didn't know the technique to release them. Do you think 5 or 6 is good or is 6 too much? Sorry for not focusing on the cuteness of you girls! (Ha just did!)


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

The point of this post was actually to showcase Ben, but i dont mind veering off a little. XD

When i had the sorority in a ten gallon i got up to seven girls before upgrading to a thirty gallon. Most of my girls were very small then though, with only Kisses and Speckle being big, as they lived on their own for quite a while before being given a sorority to rule over. Kisses is my queen, and i believe Winter is the lowest on the totem... But that may be shifting to either Pinkie or Mae, im not sure...

EDIT: I forgot to mention that i had the ten gallon double filtered... >.> So that helped when it was overstocked. I would say five girls is good for a beginning sorority.


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## Greenfish (May 23, 2011)

Ive seen this once before between a male and a female that lived happily together, no aggression whats so ever. I guess it has come down to the personalities of each Betta


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

Exactly.  Dont try this at home, but if you have a happy accident like me, no worries. XD


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Thank you giz! I agree with you never try it. Maybe the girls know that he is weak, as in disability, so they help him rather then beating him up? I don't just maybe a possibility.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Very cute- I'd say as long as they aren't tearing up his fins and chasing, then go for it! I know you will keep a close eye on him, so not worried there 

Is he flaring for them? If not, that may be why he is able to stay there peacefully- he isn't trying to "get" them and act dominant, he's just.. there. He doesn't pose a threat to them in any way so they may just ignore him. Hope this continues to go good for you and him, and that the girls keep helping him at feeding time


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

Everything is going well as far as aggression. I have never seen him flare at anything in the whole time i have had him.

Unfortunately the tank is battling with columnaris, and despite treatment, i have lost several girls, one of which was today... :/


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## bastage (Oct 16, 2011)

it makes sense to me that it would work.. He isn't going to flare back at them since he cant see them so they wont see him as a threat.


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

It was going very well until he came down with the columnaris... He passed away late this afternoon, and took Mae with him... He has girls at the rainbow bridge to help him though i suppose... The medication came too little too late for him...


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## Greenfish (May 23, 2011)

aw  sorry about the loss


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

Thank you... i appreciate it.


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

bastage said:


> it makes sense to me that it would work.. He isn't going to flare back at them since he cant see them so they wont see him as a threat.


Actually, it wouldn't matter if he could see them or not. How bettas tell each other apart is by pheromones in the water given off by each sex. 
I've heard and seen a couple of these "haram" set-ups like this one, and they all seemed to do alright. Just be _very_ cautious and keep your eyes out 

I'm sorry for your loss Gizmo! I hope you can get rid of the columnaris soon! ;__; <3


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

While he was alive there didnt seem to be any inclination on either end, male or females, to show aggression, even during feeding time all was well. My girls are all super mellow, i never even rearranged things when i added new girls, and never once had so much as a single girl flare or tail slap. I was lucky... Slowly though they are leaving me one by one...

I am going out of town for three days soon, and i am terrified of what i will find when i return...


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

What if you were to quarantine them now, add meds and all, and then purge the tank before break?


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

I added meds to the whole tank, it doesnt look like anyone is getting sick, but i said that before. Ill cup all of the girls before i leave, but other than that i am not sure there is much i can do...


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

I am sorry to hear about you loses. Hopefully the remaining ones will make it!


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

Oh my gosh, I didn't read the entire thread! D: I feel so stupid now...
I'm so sorry Gizmo! 
I hope everything works out!!


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

Black Swan seems to have come down with it as well... And one of my remaining girls, Ariel, is not acting well... She also has some fin issues that i cannot quite place. This is ridiculous...


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## bastage (Oct 16, 2011)

youlovegnats said:


> Actually, it wouldn't matter if he could see them or not. How bettas tell each other apart is by pheromones in the water given off by each sex.


 
Actually it would totally matter. The pheromones will always be secreeted to a point, but would be strongest when they are either defending there territory or trying to mate. The male in this case wouldnt be trying to do either. And as he was kept inside the tank before he was actually loose in the tank the fish would have all been used to there normal scents. 

Ultimately this is a sad story as he passed on, but very intrigueing as well. I came across a blind hmpk that was all white a couple weeks ago.. makes me want to go back & see if he is still there.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

At least he wasn't a breeder male who decides females are nothing :|

and I'm sorry to hear what happened in the end  poor thing.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Oh, no! I'm so sorry for your losses.


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## Lost in a Jungle (Nov 4, 2011)

Aw, I'm really sorry to hear about your losses. 
Such a cool story in the beginning.

Quick question, though (sorry to derail your thread again)... how can you tell when they're blind?


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

Thank you all for your sympathy. Really. 



Lost in a Jungle said:


> Aw, I'm really sorry to hear about your losses.
> Such a cool story in the beginning.
> 
> Quick question, though (sorry to derail your thread again)... how can you tell when they're blind?


And thank you. 

To answer your question, i knew Ben was blind because he had cataracts. Here is a picture from when i very first rescued him. They are pretty obvious.


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