# Are some bettas just completely uninterested in caves?



## Lettuce (Jul 12, 2014)

So I got my betta two weeks ago, and for about a week and 3 days he had a cup in his tank that I figured he would love as a cave, but he never once entered it. I thought maybe because it was kind of see-through that he didn't like it as a hiding place, so I decided to try something else.


Today I went and bought some coconuts, and made a nice coconut cave for him after hearing about other people's fish enjoying them.


I replaced the cup with the coconut and he swam over to the entrance, looked into it, turned around and looked at me, then kept doing his own thing lol.



I've been watching him since and he hasn't given it a second look. Is it possible he just doesn't like the idea of a cave?


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## BambooTikiBettaGirl84 (Jun 29, 2014)

If he is the only one in the tank, he might not see it as something he needs. Normally caves are used for those that need protection to hide from other fish. Since he's alone, he prolly has other places he prefers over that.

Some of my community sorority girls didn't use the cave I had for them, while others did all the time. I removed the cave though and the ones that did like it, looked around for it then looked at me like, "Hey where is my cave?!?"

I think of my fish of being like people, some like some stuff over other stuff. It all depends on the fish.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Betta's tend to not like things with only one entrance but if it's more like a tunnel, they are more likely to use it. Granted all fish are different but that's the general consensus.


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## aselvarial (Feb 21, 2014)

I have several bettas, and some like caves, some only like certain caves, and one that showed no interest in any caves at all until I put a coconut cave in there. Bettas don't like being generalized and will drive you insane if you try to do it.


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## SkyDye (Jun 29, 2014)

My boy and my baby betta have not shown any interest in their caves as well. I think to bettas it's just a hiding place for them if they feel they need to be protected.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

The majority of my wild bettas are not very interested in caves or tunnels, and I stopped buying them. 

I did have a pair that used to spawn in a hollowed out log, and they do spawn in film canisters which sort of resemble a small cave, but other than that, they prefer plants and leaf litter to hide in/amongst. 

Even my one fancy splendens likes diving into his leaf litter and hiding in his plants.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Archy only went into his cave when sleeping and only went into his floating cave when it was the closest thing to hide from the camera, Mesmer would sometimes go into his floating cave but I got them both hollow floating cholla logs from the boardwalk and they like those better


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

lilnaugrim said:


> Betta's tend to not like things with only one entrance but if it's more like a tunnel, they are more likely to use it. Granted all fish are different but that's the general consensus.


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## StrangeDejavu (May 1, 2014)

How's the aeration in his tank? One of my bettas is a hardcore cave sleeper, and has been since day 1. However, i've noticed he only sleeps in it for long periods of time if the water is rich in oxygen (so that he doesn't have to surface frequently). Back when I treated his tank and had to remove his filter, he slept right at the surface where he could gulp air. But as soon as the sponge filter was re-added, he was right back in the cave every night like clockwork.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

logisticsguy said:


>


I just died!!!!!!!!!!!!
:rofl:


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

It also might take him a bit to get used to it and to not be afraid of it. 

My newest betta was always so hesitant about the rock thing in his tank and just stayed in his plants but now I find him sleeping in it.


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## Zuzu (Jun 24, 2014)

Love the Admiral Ackbar! XD

Great point about caves vs. tunnels, which I hadn't thought about but makes sense. I put a terra cotta pot in Nosey's tank last night, and he did the same thing your guy did, Lettuce. He swam in, looked at me like, "Um, okay?", then swam back out and didn't bother again. Instead, he slept under the leaves of the little silk plant I had stuffed through the drainage hole of the pot! XD

He seems to enjoy swimming under and through stuff a lot - those silk plant leaves, the roots and stems of his live plants, under the heater, between the glass and the HOB filter (so odd to me). So the "tunnel" thing makes sense to me.


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## GreenEnvy (Apr 27, 2014)

Oliver is alone in his tank but loves his log. If I leave his lights on too late at night, he goes in there for a nap. I definitely think they prefer more than one entrance.


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## BettaStarter24 (Mar 24, 2014)

I caught Castiel curled up in his flower cave from petco this morning it was the cutest thing ever. He woke up before I could get a pic though.


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## jasmine8 (Jul 29, 2014)

I put a little ceramic hut/cave in my boys tank a few days after I got him & he completely ignored it for weeks until he started going inside. Now he's in there every day! I guess he was just unsure about it for awhile.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

Only one of my bettas ever goes into his cave other than to just swim in and swim back out. Some of them have tunnels, some have coffee mugs, one has a ceramic oil burner. The only one that gets any use is a $1 coffee mug from Walmart. Go figure. I do, however, have my tanks planted with lots of cover as well as driftwood so they probably feel like they have enough cover.


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## Lettuce (Jul 12, 2014)

Good news, he finally went in his coconut yesterday. I haven't seen him go in since, but at least he knows it's an option


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## NorthernLights (Mar 2, 2012)

None of my bettas were ever interested in caves. I finally got my hands on an Underwater Labs cichlid stone and while Prince Alexander went into it once or twice, he's never been interested since. He also does not explore tubes or towers.

Each fish has a unique personality. I think it is a good idea to offer the fish access to a cave or tube, in case they ever decide they want it; many do like them.


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## 1RainbowBetta (Feb 4, 2014)

At least he checked it out! 

I have a ceramic "jug" thing I bought at Petco that has 3 openings in it, and it's been in the tank with 2 different bettas. I saw one of them swim through it once, but that's it.

I have a terra cotta pot in another tank. My betta went in about halfway to check it out when I first put it in there, but I don't recall seeing him use it since.

I was thinking of taking a glass jar and gluing some rocks to it with aquarium sealant for my new boy, but after reading this thread maybe I'll try PVC pipe or something else to make more of a tunnel. Just have this sneaking suspicion that I'll go through a lot of effort to make something nice for him, and he'll ignore it. :roll:


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

I love reading these experiences!

Beauregard was the only fish I've had that used a cave. Everyone else seems to be too busy.

I think Mele might use a cave if I give her one, she likes being tucked away.


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## myexplodingcat (Apr 9, 2014)

Felix was given both a terracotta "cave" and a knitted tunnel. He used neither. Simon inherited Felix's old tank and uses the terracotta pot all the time now.


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Mine loves caves. I have 2 terracotta pots with holes cut out of the bottom and he's in and out of them all day & night. I cut a hole in the side of one of the pots and he can swim out through the top. I had a Betta log but the paint started coming off so I had to get rid of it, He loved that too. He loves to swim under the driftwood too. He's all over the tank constantly exploring.


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