Well, I finally got Darth to flare. I placed a rather large mirror up against one side of his tank and he started flaring right away, and up until I took it away.

Good exercise, and I got to tell him how gorgeous he was with his fins out.

Thing is... It's been hours--about 5 hours--since I took the mirror away. He has not left that side once. He's always swimming around the exact spot where the mirror was, looking into the wall as if that other betta's going to show up suddenly. It's frantic swimming, almost as if he's panicing, or looking for something.

For curiosity I put the mirror back up and although he flared again, he also calmed considerably. Just flaring, staring at his reflection, occasionally moving to show off his side or stare directly at it.

Then I took the mirror away again and he continued his search.


So I'm left wondering.... Did the appearance of another betta freak him out so much that now he's on the prowl for another (But only thinking they'll come in that same spot), or is he perhaps lonely, since he doesn't seem to like the guppies at all?

What if he is?
Darth lives in a 5 gallon tank with 8 juvenile guppies.
I've heard, and personally witnessed, that some male and female bettas will get along in the same tank. The pair I witnessed were in a 20gal tank, however. I read after some time, they will get used to the hormones the other releases, and they become livable tank-mates.
Could maybe introducing a female betta (placed in a breeder's net for precautions in case it doesn't work out) help him? Or maybe if this does prove too dangerous, but he does want company of like kin, would putting a female in a 1gal tank directly beside him help? I might have enough room on the table to put that small of a tank next to him.

I'm pretty sure that he's just waiting for "that guy" to appear again and show off to "him" how powerful & magnificent he is again

I would advice strongly against adding any females in the tank. More likely than not Darth will rip her apart.

That's what I was thinking, possibly even after releasing her from the breeder net, since the tank is small for a pair.

He's still looking at that wall. I wonder if he was there all night.
Oh well. I'll just try and figure out a way to get him to swim in a wider area.
Maybe if I put the mirror on the opposite side, he'll at least swim back and forth in his tank.

Thanks!

i think he was just freaked out and thought he might come back if you keep the mirror away for a few days i think he will realize it is not a threat when that happens and he wont get as upset next time you do that.

Lol. I have 3 2 gallon betta tanks together and keep cardboard between them. When I want them to flare I take the cardboard away and even when i put them back the bettas sometimes stay at the side of the tank where they saw the other betta. I think its normal. But I would DEFINATELY NOT put another betta in there.

I think its good that he is acting like that, it means he is stimulated to be alert. Its healthy as its how he would act in the wild (not that betta spendens come from the wild.. their wild cousins would act that way).

Yup he was probably looking for that fish he saw in the mirror. Or he could be seeing his own reflection in the tank glass and think it is another fish.Do not put a female in there with him. I agree with the others , he will tear her up. you could put a female in a seperate tank ( not next to him- might stress him out flaring all the time showing off for her) and just put the tanks next to other every once in awhile for an hour or so so they can see each other and then put the female's tank back where it was out of his site.That way they get to see each other without overstressing each other out.