The underrated Betta fish
Let’s call this a journal of casual discoveries about Betta fish, made by an uninitiated Betta owner. Having had only bad experiences with aquarium fish in the past, I have only good things to say about owning Bettas. I’ve written about a few of them below.
November, 2004
I have three Bettas at the moment. I’ve only recently acquired them. Until now, I gave into the notion that Bettas are the most commonplace fish one can get as pets. I thought that when it came to entertainment, they were no better than goldfish, which was a short way of saying they were at the bottom of the aquatic intelligence scale. But I was wrong, and I’m glad to admit it! I’ve since discovered that Bettas are quite intelligent and very entertaining.
Unlike most aquarium creatures, they actually express gratitude for the love they receive. One can actually form a relationship with them that is quite rewarding. I like to think of them as the Italian greyhounds of the aquarium: small, delicate, clean, yet loving and wonderful. In this article, I will attempt to describe to you what I have discovered in the short time I have owned Bettas.
My wife and I bought our first Betta in October of 2004. A week later, we bought another, and a day later, we bought the third. We couldn’t resist! They each have their little personality quirks that make them endearing. Yes, each Betta has a personality! The first thing we noticed is that they recognized our faces after just a few days of owning them. Since this happened with all three of our Bettas, I believe it can also happen with others. I suggest you try it out.
You will need to spend a little time with them, though. You need to let them get to know you. The usual mistake that people make is not spending enough time with their Bettas. Most of the time, they are thought of as ornaments or decor. That’s not how a smart fish can be treated. If they are ignored by their owners, the Bettas will withdraw into themselves and will become loners. They will shy away from the owner when they are fed, and they won’t look at him or her. It will become a stress for the fish to see the them. On the other hand, if you take the time to know your Betta, and spend a little time every day looking at the fish, smiling and talking to it, you will find that a relationship will develop between you and it.
For example, our Bettas move to the edge of the aquarium to greet us when we approach. Not only that, but as soon as they can see us enter the room, they will quickly move toward us, and will become active, even playful. They do this not because they expect food. They will do it because they are happy to see us. Having owned fish before, I was quite surprised to discover this. My other fish simply shied away whenever they saw me. The only time they gave me any notice of recognition was when they saw me feed them, and even that reaction wasn’t consistent. Most of the time, they were simply frightened of me. That’s actually what deterred me from continuing to keep fish. I found it discouraging that these creatures, to whose every need I catered, didn’t show the slightest amount of appreciation, even after months of being around me. Bettas certainly don’t do this. They do express appreciation, and it is very gratifying to see it.
If they don’t like the food you give them, they will let you know. One of my Bettas didn’t like the Betta Bits I bought for him, and he would spit them out or not even touch them. He would then look intently at me, as if to say, “C’mon, can’t you do better than this?” If I looked at him as if to say, “Please try again,” he would make another go at it, though most of the time he’d spit it out again. To have this sort of interaction, where there is a halfway-intelligent question and response, amazes me. How is this possible with such a small fish? One usually only finds this in larger animals with more developed brains.
Bettas happen to like certain plants in their aquariums. I’ve found that the frilly plants, the ones with thin, long leaves, bother them. They act annoyed whenever they try to swim by them and their fins get caught in the leaves. I believe they like simple plants with well-defined leaves. Mine in particular seem to like these small plants with short stems and large, 1-2 leaves. They sleep under the leaves at night, nestled in next to the stem. Sometimes they take naps during the day right in-between the leaves.
At other times, they hover right next to the bottom, almost out of sight. This leads me to believe that they enjoy a little hiding place of their own. I don’t think they like being out in the open all the time. If you have a Betta, it might be a good idea to get them a hollow shell or a little fish house they can hide in.
I have also found that aquarium placement matters quite a bit. My Bettas were all fairly restless when their vases (I use large vases, 1-2 gallon capacity, as my Betta aquariums) were placed on tables, or somewhere in the open. As soon as I placed them next to walls or other pieces of furniture where one side was enclosed, they quieted down. I believe this gives them a sense of security. I think fishes in general don’t like to stay out in the open all day. Being next to the wall can afford them a little rest, because they don’t have to constantly look around for danger.
Each of our Bettas has their little quirks and their behavior can’t be predicted. They don’t necessarily do the same things every day. For example, one of my Bettas would actively move back and forth, and perform intricate turns and flips a few weeks ago. As soon as I’d look at him, he’d quiet down and look at me. I’m not quite sure why he did that. I’ve found that my other Bettas have engaged in this sort of behavior at times, too. I don’t think they do it just to attract my attention. I haven’t discovered anything wrong with them so far, and I’ve had them for some time.
One of my Bettas displays a penchant for burrowing under the pebbles that are at the bottom of his vase. One of my other Bettas seems to like to nuzzle next to the glass and nibble on it. My last Betta enjoys staying under his plant most of the day, unless I’m near his vase. I think this is part of their personalities, and Betta owners shouldn’t worry if their Bettas are quirky like this. I don’t think they’re sick. I can’t judge the mental health of a fish, but physically speaking, if they were sick, their fins or scales would show discoloration or would start to peel off. They would also lose their appetite, which is definitely not the case with my Bettas.
Sometimes Bettas like to nap out in the open water, either right below the water surface or halfway between the bottom and the top. They won’t move their fins and it may look to you like they’re dead. They aren’t. I’m not sure why they do that sometimes, but it does happen.
At other times when they sleep, they’ll move their fins, and it may not be apparent to you that they’re sleeping. If you approach the aquarium and they happen to wake up with your face next to it, they’ll be too surprised to recognize you and will dash away. They may even turn around and puff up their little beard to show you they’re not scared. Don’t be offended. You’ve just frightened them, and they are reasserting themselves. Remember, they are mighty fighting fish, even if they are small in size.
If you get along well enough, they may even “strut” for you sometimes. They will puff up their beard, and they will fan out their tail and fins, and will show you how beautiful they are. Don’t think they are threatening you. They are simply letting you know they feel safe and happy in their territory, patrolling their borders and being taken care of by you. Enjoy the show!
When your Bettas are content, they will build a bubble next at the surface of the water. You can’t miss it. There will be stacks of bubbles (2-5 levels on top of each other) on the water surface one morning, and you’ll wonder how in the world they got there. What the fish are telling you is that they’re very happy with their conditions and are ready to mate. Since I doubt you’ll want to provide them with a female Betta every time this happens, just enjoy it and know that you’re taking good care of them.
I hope you find your Bettas as rewarding as I have. Please remember, your Betta is more likely to get sick if you don’t treat it right. Spend a little time with your fish every day, and you will have a very rewarding relationship. Just think of the benefits! You don’t have to house-train them, they don’t pee all over the carpet if they’re mad at you, and they don’t bark at the neighbors!
February, 2005
I don’t think Bettas have a sense of hearing. However, they have can immediately sense any tremor or vibration in the water. For example, one of our Bettas has his bowl on the corner of my desk, which is quite wide. If I tap my fingers on the opposite corner (not a loud tapping, mind you) he will immediately stop what he’s doing and turn around to face me.
Bettas can be jealous. If they see me or my wife giving attention to one of the other fish, they won’t like it and they’ll start swimming wildly in their bowls to get our attention. Sometimes they’ll even get upset, and when we do go and see them, they’ll stay at the bottom of their bowls and won’t come up to greet us as they usually do.
Bettas can get upset if they don’t get their food. Our Bettas expect to get fed every morning and night. My wife and I agreed not to feed them one day of the week, to help clear out their digestive systems - we read about this somewhere. That whole day of the week, they’ll swim wildly in their bowls every time we get near them, to remind us that they’re hungry. They’ll look at us and open their mouth wide - other fish seem to do this as well - as if to tell us we need to give them something to put in there. Toward the end of the day, they’ll start showing they’re upset by pretending not to notice us when we get near them. The next morning, we’ll literally have to coax them up from the bottom of the bowl to give them food. Sometimes they don’t even want to look at us and avoid the food altogether, to show us how upset they are.
Two of the Bettas have started to jump up out of the water to get their food. All I have to do is hold it above the water’s surface, and they’ll jump. Their aim isn’t very good though, so they end up nibbling at my fingers instead of the food. But it’s cute nonetheless! I think this means they can be trained to do tricks.
I read that their bowls should be covered so they don’t jump out and end up dying on the floor. I think that’s a bunch of baloney. We fill their bowls almost to the brim, and it hasn’t happened yet. If the Bettas are happy with their surroundings, they won’t jump out, period. You have to watch them and see whether they’re happy or not. We haven’t covered our bowls, and we don’t intend to do so, because there isn’t a need.
Here is a quick guide to help you figure out if your Bettas are happy:
- Do they notice you as soon as you get close to the bowl?
- Do they start to swim left and right and wiggle their tails?
- Do they eat the food you give them right away?
- Do they build bubble nests once in a while?
- Is their coloration bright and vivid?
If the answer to these questions is yes, then they’re happy and healthy.
August, 2005
Over these last few months, I’ve been forced to admit that Bettas actually communicate with each other using sounds. I have no other way of putting it. We had put little glass containers in their bowls for them to hide in when they wanted, and I thought at first they were pushing them around, because I kept hearing sounds that sounded like glass being rapped on glass within water, or as if a pebble fell on a glass surface inside the water. But we kept on hearing the sounds even after we removed the glass containers. Recently, I even got to watch them as they were making the sounds. They’re swimming along, and all of a sudden, there are the sounds! They’re not touching the bowl walls, they’re not near the top of the bowl. They’re making these sounds while they’re fully submerged. I find it amazing. I don’t know to what purpose they’re doing it, perhaps to attract female bettas, to mark their territory - I’m not sure, but I have yet to hear of another small fish that can make sounds audible to the human ear!
I’ve also discovered that it’s better to keep about two feet away from the bowl when looking at them or greeting them. Otherwise they may get startled, especially if they’re sleeping. The two foot rule seems to work most of the time.
Thanks for reading, and I hope this has been helpful to you!
Updated 8/23/07: I’m truly appreciative of all of the traffic that this article has sparked, and for all of the wonderful comments that people have left, but please realize that my little Bettas have passed away some time ago. I decided not to get new ones after that happened. I am also not a Betta expert, just an owner who decided to record what happened. So please, no more questions. Your local pet store or Betta sites like Betta Talk are much more knowledgeable about these smart little fish than I am. I still welcome your thoughts, but I’m not equipped to answer expert questions on Bettas. Thanks!
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Hi, my name is Cindy Flores and i am doing a Science Fair Project on Betta fish based on how different music affects their aggressiveness. Can they listen to music? And do you think that rock music will get them angrier or just stress them out and do less? I would appreciate it if you can email me back. Thanks for your time.
Comment — November 16, 2006 @ 9:13 am
Hi Cindy. I don’t think Betta fish can hear, at least not in the way we understand it. But I did notice they were very responsive to water movements. So anything that will cause the water to move or vibrate, they will notice. I’m sure they’ll notice the rock music because of the aggressive beats. I’m not sure what effect it’ll have on them, but I think it’d be an interesting experiment to perform.
Comment — November 16, 2006 @ 12:56 pm
I have 3 bettas as well, and have spent a lot of time studying bettas. I am convinced that they do hear sounds and recognize them. I sing to my bettas and there are certain songs that they respond to and others that they do not. I put my hand on the glass and they come to the glass and respond when it is a song they like and ignore it completely when it isn’t.
I am also a moderator on a Betta forum and this article has been mentioned there so you are likely to have a lot of visitors soon.
Good luck to you and your bettas from another Betta lover. Aren’t they simply the finest companions?
Comment — December 3, 2006 @ 11:31 pm
Thank you Rose! Bettas are indeed some pretty cool pets to have, and on many levels better than most aquarium fish. Glad you found my post useful!
Comment — December 4, 2006 @ 6:21 am
[...] I have written this article with the hope of discouraging Betta owners from engaging in potentially hurtful practices when it comes to their fish. Bettas are treated quite casually and often abused. I believe they are much smarter than generally known (see article entitled The Underrated Betta Fish) and deserve better treatment. [...]
Pingback — December 13, 2006 @ 6:24 pm
We have had a Betta named Rosie for a few months now, and she lives very happily in a small tank with one salamander, one ghost shrimp, two guppies, and one pond snail. She usually hangs around the one corner of the tank where she can watch us perform our daily activities, and will quickly go after any food we give her.
A few days ago, I was cleaning and had my broom propped up against the kitchen doorway, and I accidentally bumped the broom, which fell sharply against the fishtank. I looked quickly down and saw Rosie sort of curl up and then drop, on her side, to the bottom of the tank. She didn’t look like she was moving at all. I thought I had somehow killed her. Then we noticed that she was still breathing, just lying on her side on the bottom of the tank. We went to move her into another tank so that the salamander would not eat her in case she was injured. As we moved her, she then started wiggling around in the net, but as we put her into another tank, it seemed that she was just wiggling in funny circles. Then she was just lying around some more.
We had to leave for an appointment for an hour. When we came back, she was in the corner of the tank, but at the top as if breathing close to the surface of the water. She hardly moved at all that night, except for once when the table on which the tank sat wiggled the water a little, and then she wiggled around oddly and frantically for a few seconds. I had no idea if she had bumped her head or what. Everyone else in the tank seemed fine.
The next day we watched her and she seemed to start to move around the tank more, though she often seemed to be cowering behind an object we had put in the tank to allow her to do so. I suspect it was also unsettling to be in a different tank.
The following day we returned her to her own tank. Since that time she seems to be moving around well, though she never goes back to her old favorite corner (where she was when the Big Bang occurred), and she often stays hidden far away from the action of the room. I suspect that she was really traumatized by the event, and I wonder if she will ever get over it and return to being the happy fish that she was, and if there is anything we can do to help her do so.
Thank you!
Kathy
Comment — January 11, 2007 @ 10:17 pm
Hi Kathy! I have a hunch it’ll take a while for Rosie to get over that traumatic event, and she may never forget it. It’s amazing, you wouldn’t think a fish that tiny would remember things for more than a few seconds, but somehow, they do. It affects them, sometimes permanently. Sorry that it happened, just keep watching Rosie and hope that she improves.
Comment — January 12, 2007 @ 7:18 am
We have a Beta and since yesterday, we noticed he is acting sick. He seems to struggle when swimming upward as if he has no strength to make it to the top. He swims in a funny manner, sometimes turning upside down. Most of the time he’s in a funny position and doesn’t move at the bottom of the tank. Other times he seems to move in spurts but awkwardly.Does this mean he’s dying? Is there anything we can do to revive him? He isn’t eating, either, although he occasionally struggles to the top as if to get air(maybe looking for his food?)
Comment — January 18, 2007 @ 10:58 am
Hello Tovya. It’s too early to tell for sure, but it looks as if his air sack (the little bubble inside him that helps him float) has burst or is damaged. Have you done anything, such as drop him? Did you inadvertently squeeze him against the side of the tank with a net as you changed the water? Has he jumped out of his aquarium and fallen onto the floor? At any rate, even with a burst air sack, he’ll still be able to live. You’ll just have to realize he’ll sit at the bottom most of the time. It’ll help if you get him a plant, so he can rest on the branches. He’ll be closer to the top, and won’t have to struggle so much when he needs air.
Comment — January 18, 2007 @ 11:07 am
Thanks. Good input. Fortunately, we have not dropped him nor has he been hit/squeezed by anything/one. He has never jumped from his bowl, either. There is a plant on top of the bowl with it’s roots hanging down into the bowl. I wonder if he got cold(I moved his bowl yesterday with intentions of changing his water, and we live in MA so the temp was cold. He was left on the counter for many hours before I moved him back to his normal place.
Right now he’s mostly lying upside down on the rocks in his bowl, although his fins are moving. His breathing seems regular but heavy. I keep thinking we must say o9ur goodbyes to him, and then he livens up a bit…Any other suggestions?
Comment — January 18, 2007 @ 11:48 am
Watch and wait. See what happens. I’m kinda curious myself, so let me know what’s happened in a few days.
Comment — January 18, 2007 @ 11:56 am
No need to wait…we said goodbye to Rainbow last night. He died in his sleep. He was a very good friend to us. Thanks for your help. I had a feeling he was ill, just don’t know why he got sick.
Comment — January 19, 2007 @ 5:56 pm
Sorry to hear about that, Tovya!
Comment — January 19, 2007 @ 5:58 pm
So sorry to hear about Rainbow. It sounds as if you took very good care of her, Tovya, and tried your best.
We are excited that our own Betta, Rosie, seems to be recovering from her scare a few weeks ago when I dropped a broomhandle against her tank. She now is getting brave enough to sometimes hang out in her old corner, wiggle her tail around more happily, and today was blowing bubbles. She seems much more relaxed, and doesn’t freak out when the table under her tank gets wiggled slightly. We also moved her newt friend to another tank as he seemed to be picking on her more while she was going through recovery, and I didn’t want her to have the extra stress. So hopefully we are getting back to normal. Thank you!
Comment — January 21, 2007 @ 7:35 pm
I have a beta named jimmy and over the last few months ive noticed him lying on the bottom of the tank and just not moving much.. my family oftem comments that he is dead and as soon as they do he swims a little and sinks right back down. When he swims he seems unable to pull his little tush up and often times i find him unable to eat the food i put in. im extremely worried hes over a year old and i was wondering if there was anything i could do to possibly make him better. I talk to him all the time and he is more than a loved member of my family. Over the past yr I have switched his food from the beta bites to mosquito larva (recomendation of a local fish store) which seemd to help but now im running out of ideas..
Thank you in advance for any help
lisa
Comment — January 28, 2007 @ 6:35 pm
Hi Lisa. If your little Betta’s been doing this for a while and hasn’t died yet, I’d like to point you to this earlier comment of mine (#9 on the list). It’s probable that his air sack got damaged somehow.
Comment — January 28, 2007 @ 6:39 pm
Hi. I recently got a beautiful male betta fish a couple of days ago. He was unhappy in the little container he was bought in, but now that he’s in a bigger tank, he seems happy and swims around a lot. The only concern I have is that he hasn’t eaten since I got him. I try talking to him and showing my face to him etc to make him more comfortable, but it seems that every time I put food in his tank, he hides behind his plant. After I close the lid, he never touches his food so I have to take it out before it gets nasty. Do you have any advice? I would really like him to eat, and it’s starting to worry me. Thanks.
Comment — January 30, 2007 @ 9:52 pm
Hi Carolee. He’ll eat when he’s hungry enough. Try giving him different food as well, or breaking the pellets into smaller bits (if they’re too big). And try sitting by his aquarium for an extended period of time. Pull up a chair and read a book (to yourself, not to him
), so he gets accustomed to your presence.
Comment — January 30, 2007 @ 11:03 pm
I’ve been betta-sitting for my boss for the last 2 weeks and have fallen madly in love. I change his water once a week, bought him bloodworms, make sure I spend quality time with him etc. It looks like the fish will be living in the office while my boss is away, which is months at a time. Is it ok to let him go over a weekend without eating? Friday night to Monday morning? I know that one day is ok, but 2? What’s the alternative? Taking him home every weekend- and wouldn’t that stress him out? Also, the last day or so he’s been hiding behind the thermometer sticker I put on the bowl. Is that normal? Should I get him a hiding place even if he’s only in a gallon bowl with a plant?
Comment — February 8, 2007 @ 8:37 pm
Hi Samantha, it’s okay not to feed him over the weekend. They can go for a week or more without food. Frequent transport would definitely stress him out. Get him a little hiding place. If you have a little opaque votive candle holder, that’ll work great. If you feel like springing for one of those aquarium castles they sell at pet shops, you can do it, but it’s not necessary. Anything he can hide in (non-toxic, like glass, stone or hard plastic) will work. A small conch shell would also work.
Comment — February 8, 2007 @ 10:44 pm
My name is Drake and I am currently working on my second Betta. I got my first during my senior year, they had Betta’s as decorations and my friends an I weren’t happy about it due to mean high school students were killing them, but I managed to snag mine and after a week of him being in a small bowl I bought a 2 gallon tank and he was happily living there for about 4 months and I decided he needed a tank mate and got a Aspredinidae because the guy at my local fish store said they got along and they did. Sadly the gill disease that the bottom feeder had killed the Betta and him, so I was at a loss for a while and recently bought a new one about two weeks ago.
My new Betta, Jetsam is a happy fish or at least that’s how he was at first. I bought him a long with a Indian Glassy Fish who was a pretty purple color, sadly I had lost my air pump after almost a year of not using my tank so I had them living in my big tank for about 3 days and the pump and cleaner I bought couldn’t clean all the mess up so I put them in glasses and cleaned the tank, put the pump in and let the water sit for the night due to my towns water is chemical heavy and deadly to most fish unless it sits. During the night the Indian died but Jetsam lived on and it’s been about 5 days now. The tank is crystal clean and of late Flotsam is acting strange, he stops moving and just lies at the bottom of the tank between the glass and next to a fake plant he likes to brush up on and hide in. He just stops moving, sometimes for a min, sometimes longer. He’s still active and swims around, he responds to mirrors and me, he has a good appetite. He seems more interested in the pump/filter now and goes up to it a lot but other than that it’s those naps I’m worried about.
Comment — March 8, 2007 @ 10:57 pm
My guess is that there’s some stuff in that water still. I used filtered water when I cleaned my Betta tanks. You might want to look into this. Get a few gallons of filtered water from the store, or use your sink filter if you have one. There are also solutions you can put in the water to neutralize most of the harmful chemicals. Your pet store should be able to tell you more about this. Good luck!
Comment — March 9, 2007 @ 8:49 am
Hi, yesterday i bought my three boys a betta fish along with the food and water treatment things. i put him in spring water (because i needed to get rid of the stuff) in a 9lt vase. it has a plant and large rocks on the bottom. he seemed to love it all, but didn’t notice him eating. today when i came home the boys said that ‘Esteban’ was gone! and he had burrowed right under the rocks and gotten stuck. when i got him out he was struggling to get to the surface. i put him in alother container for a while fed him (he didn’t eat) and he seemed fine. now he is back in his tank and is happy. I hope he doesn’t try this stunt again. what do you thuink?
Comment — April 13, 2007 @ 3:23 am
I hope so too. Sometimes they’ll try to burrow like that, not knowing it might hurt them. One of my own fish tried that, and in the process, moved a shell that fell over him. Thankfully I was right there and could free him, otherwise he could have suffocated.
Comment — April 13, 2007 @ 7:11 am
today i noticed him floating on his side in the plant on top of the water. i looked closer and didn’t think he was breathing then i looked over the top of the tank and he quickly swam away. how weird. if this was a normal goldfish i would think it was sick but maybe he was sleeping or maybe playing dead. pretty strange though.
Comment — April 13, 2007 @ 10:03 pm
unfortunatly he died during the night:(
he had burrowed again in between a rock and the side of the fish tank. he didn’t seem stuck, just didn’t try to get out it. when i moved the rocks he didn’t float to the top he just stayed there. this time he wasn’t playing dead, he had white stuff on his mouth. poor guy. i guess i’ll try another one and just have two rocks to hold in the plant. my three year old was very upset.
from Joh
Comment — April 15, 2007 @ 7:26 pm
Sorry about that, Joh! Sometimes these things will happen. I hope the next one lives longer! Be sure to clean the tank thoroughly before you use it again.
Comment — April 15, 2007 @ 7:53 pm
Hi Raoul,
I just received my first Betta as a gift from a fellow employee, and already I am quite attached. I found your website to be very informative. I want to avoid the whole “they will withdraw into themselves and become loners” thing (very nice description by the way…quite effective). My main question is about tank or vase size. Everyone seems to have their own opinion, which they are certain is correct, but most are contradictory. “They love tiny bowls”, “they need 10 gallons at least”, “they’ll die if you put them in anything bigger than 5 gallons”….Argh! I want to give Diego a nice, big home, but I dont want to trip him out with too much space. So Raoul, if you were a Betta, what would be your ideal dream fish bachelor pad? Thanks for your time…Todd
Comment — April 17, 2007 @ 5:47 am
Hey Todd — I have yet to see a good tank for Bettas. They prefer shallower water, but as most tanks get bigger in size, they get taller as well, not wider. But still, I think a conventional 3-5 gallon tank will do just fine. The point is to have enough water in the tank so it doesn’t get contaminated too quickly from leftover food and waste products, otherwise you have to change it often. And if a Betta gets anything over a gallon, I think he’s going to be happy.
Comment — April 17, 2007 @ 7:57 am
My betta, Samuel, hasn’t been eating. When he does, he throws it back up. Is he sick? I feed him BettaMin- flakes. So, what do I do?
Comment — April 17, 2007 @ 9:26 pm
Not sure. You could try changing the food type, maybe try pellets, maybe some live food. Your local pet store would be able to help with this. You may also want to have a good look at your Betta and notice anything unusual: color changes, fuzz on the tail or flippers, etc. He may be sick. But take a good look, then go down to the pet store and talk with someone there. They should be able to point you in the right direction.
Comment — April 17, 2007 @ 10:03 pm
Alright, thanks. Also, mine doesn’t seem to be very active a playful. I spend a LOT of time with him, and he still doesn’t reconizing me. Is there anyway I can change that?
Comment — April 18, 2007 @ 10:15 pm
Each fish has its own character, and some are more playful than others. Unfortunately it’s a bit hard to tell how they’re going to act before you buy them. You could try to get another and see if things change.
Comment — April 18, 2007 @ 10:56 pm
my boy’s new betta is called wilbert and he seems to like his new home. after two days he is making a bubble nest on the surface of the water. i was wondering when i change the water should i take these bubbles or try to avoid them? also he doesn’t like his flakes just spits them out and only will eat the little brown things (i think they are dried bloodworms) which are mixed through the flakes. they are fussy little things. this one isn’t acting weird like the last one but i dont know if likes us as he flares his gills when we come too close, maybe he is protecting his nest?
from Joh
Comment — April 19, 2007 @ 5:31 am
They’ll build another nest, don’t worry, clean it. As for the food, yes, they’re fussy. The gill-flaring is normal. I mentioned all these in the article already though.
Comment — April 19, 2007 @ 7:21 am
I came back to my house today and my betta had two yelowinsh/ orange strikes on his face. (on both sides) What does it mean?
Comment — April 20, 2007 @ 6:17 pm
Wow, and now, all of a sudden, they disapeared! What happend?
Comment — April 20, 2007 @ 6:43 pm
Not sure, but could be the flares from the gills, Jessica. Those would be normal if that’s what they are. This is why it’s good to pick up a book on betta fish from your pet store. I picked one up and it helped me a lot. Ask the folks there to recommend a book for you, or just look through what they’ve got and pick out one with lots of descriptive photographs or drawings. It’s worth the $10 or $15.
Comment — April 20, 2007 @ 8:43 pm
Okay well i just got my betta yesterday and it had a little bit of black on its head and i thought it was normal but now it seems to be spreading to its scales or something. I’m not really sure whats going on maybe it was always there and i just didn’t notice but if you think it’s something else could you please tell me?
Comment — April 21, 2007 @ 2:39 pm
Hey Lara — like I told Jessica just above, it’s a good idea to pick up a book on Betta fish, one that has lots of good photos to describe the various illnesses or conditions they might have. I’ve also found this page helpful. It does a good job of describing various illnesses. Go through the photos and see if your Betta matches anything.
Comment — April 21, 2007 @ 3:16 pm
thank youu
yeah jessica is my friend and shes the one who recommended a betta and this site
thanks soo much
Comment — April 21, 2007 @ 3:44 pm
My fish just made a bubble nest but it’s sort of small. Is that bad?
Comment — April 22, 2007 @ 10:26 am
It’s probably just fine, don’t worry about it. The bubble nests will differ in size.
Comment — April 22, 2007 @ 10:30 am
Uhm, my fish keeps opening his mouth on the sides of the bowl. I KNOW he’s not hungry because I just fed him. Why is he acting all jumpy and crazy?
Comment — April 22, 2007 @ 5:21 pm
Sometimes they do that, Jessica. If you haven’t picked up a book yet, this site is a great place to start beefing up on Bettas. They’ve got a LOT of info on Betta behavior right here. Hope it helps!
Comment — April 22, 2007 @ 10:54 pm
Well, I also have him by a computer. Does that affect him at all? Should I move him away?
Comment — April 26, 2007 @ 7:52 am
That would be a great idea. Remember, they “hear” vibrations very well, and the constant hum of the hard drive and fans inside the computer must affect him. I also don’t know what effect the electromagnetic radiation from the computer might have on him, but it also can’t be good considering that Betta fishes are small organisms.
Comment — April 26, 2007 @ 7:56 am
my fish is sorta weird like he has seperate teeny tiny bubble nests the size of a penny or something but like alot of them seperated. is that abnormal?
Comment — April 26, 2007 @ 6:10 pm
im getting scared now because i just got my betta some pellets since he was spitting out the flakes and hes not even touching them! he attempted to eat them at first but then they seemed to not go into his mouth or something! im really scared because what if he starves this way?
Comment — April 29, 2007 @ 5:01 pm
Lara, I suggest you talk to someone at your local pet store about that.
Comment — April 29, 2007 @ 7:53 pm
My Beta makes the pebble-dropping sound also! Usually when I hear it I feed him and he settles down.
Comment — April 30, 2007 @ 11:56 am
I just got my first betta fish yesterday! He seems to be doing well. But he gave me quite a scare this morning. When I woke up and went downstairs, he was floating on his side at the top of the tank!! I looked at him and thought he was dead. While I was going about my morning business, I was thinking how upsetting this was and that I would have to make another trip to the pet store today. But a couple of minutes later, he was swimming around happy as can be. He ate well and has been fine ever since. Do you think he was sleeping??? Or is there something to worry about here?
Comment — April 30, 2007 @ 2:32 pm
Update…I found him doing the exact same thing this afternoon. But when I fed him, he ate like 15 pellets of food and he’s supposed to only eat four or five. Do you think he could be starved?
Comment — April 30, 2007 @ 9:48 pm
I am so glad to know I am not the only one…who knew one could have such an intimate relationship with a fish. As the final touch to my salon before opening I got “Red Tiger”. He became emperor of his domain instantly. I thought I was imagining it but every morning, upon opening, I would be greeted with the most animated dance of joy. It was as if Red Tiger knew my voice…I noticed he would only dance like that for me.
Then it struck me! Water is greatly affected by vibrations…my voice vibrations are filled with love and adoration for him and he feels it for sure.
What a unexpected joy Red Tiger had become in my life and in business!
Comment — May 7, 2007 @ 10:13 pm
my fish used to be really happy, now he’s not making bubble nests any more. what am i doing wrong? is there something i can do to make him happy?
—Jess
Comment — May 15, 2007 @ 10:39 am
Hi Jess. Other than the things I outlined in this post and in my other posts about Betta fish on this blog, I can’t really suggest anything else. I say watch and wait. You could also try changing the location of his bowl to some place where he gets decent light (not too much though), and there isn’t a lot of movement all day long — movement puts them on alert and tires them out. If you’ve got an aquarium light, don’t leave it on at night. Let him rest. Hope this helps.
Comment — May 17, 2007 @ 8:08 am
Okay lately my betta has been “puffing” his gills whenever i come near him or look at him. I think he is upset with me or something because he’s not as happy with me anymore. I couldnt really spend time with him as much though because lately ive been really busy…. What does it mean if they puff up their gills or like stick them out at you?
Comment — June 3, 2007 @ 12:51 pm
I didnt know fishes did all that…I have a friend who recently got an aquarium and I arguing with her how her worrying the fish was stressing them out…Looks like it doesnt stress them out
Comment — July 5, 2007 @ 4:33 am
I really enjoyed reading your story about all the wonderful things betta’s can do. I noticed that my betta would always wag all over everytime I come into the room. I tap on the glass to let him know it’s feeding time and he comes right away if his back is turned. I got on here b/c I couldn’t figure out why all the bubbles on top of the water every other day and now I know it’s because he’s HAPPY!! I am after reading this going to get him a plant. My question to you is this.. I have a very small (size of a half dollar) mirror I put in his bowl. I noticed right away he would flare up. I put it in there thinking he might be lonely, but didn’t want him to fight with another one. Do you think this is a good idea? Thanks.
Comment — July 8, 2007 @ 10:43 pm
DeAnna, it’s probably not a good idea to have a mirror in there. Read this post of mine for more details.
Comment — July 8, 2007 @ 10:47 pm
My Betta, Julio, got very sick and weak about a week ago. He started spending more and more time sleeping at the bottom of his bowl in various odd positions. His vibrant red color also dulled and he started to get gray areas near his gills. He began to scrape his eye/gill area against his plant and then dart away. Finally he got so weak he could barely make it up for air and lost interest in eating. A guy at PetCo recommended “Hikari Betta Revive” and LITERALLY within minutes of the fist treatment, he was better! I just completed the third treatment and he is back to his nosey, excited little self! THIS STUFF WORKED GREAT FOR MY FISH…JUST WANTED TO PUT IT OUT THERE!!!
Comment — July 11, 2007 @ 3:37 am
I just got a Betta earlier today. I was just wondering how long it normally takes them to adjust. His fins really worn out and his colors are dull. he was like that at the store though. we think it was because in Petsmart they keep them all right next to each other and they are all stressed. Will that go away when he becomes used to this or does he need medicine. Someone should make anti-depressants for fish.
Comment — July 11, 2007 @ 4:50 pm
haha. nevermind. It stills looks bad but It’s pretty hyper. I put him near me and started watching a movie and he started watching it too. and now he’s moving his mouth like he’s trying to talk or he’s hungry but he still has 2 bloodworms in there. he loves Jay and bob! it’s a miracle fish!
Comment — July 11, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
[...] The underrated Betta fish: not on the first page for any general search terms, but all of the traffic is from search engines, especially Google, so people manage to find this post somehow. The keywords they use are widely varying, so I can’t point out a few specific ones. What’s puzzling is that this is an old post. Plus, I’m no Betta fish expert. I don’t even have Betta fish anymore. Yet people find my post and ask me questions about their own Betta fish. I get about 1-2 questions per week. All I can do is to point them to more knowledgeable resources. There are tons of sites about Betta fish — I honestly don’t know how they manage to find me. [...]
Pingback — July 26, 2007 @ 8:34 pm
Hey there, I loved your article and I completely feel the same way. I always ‘liked’ bettas, but when I actually purchased one myself and realized how much attention HE pays to ME, I was hooked, fascinated. Now I’m just dying to know everything there is to know about them! I love your display in your pictures. Personally I agree with accentuating the bettas beauty, but I really really disagree with those who buy bettas strictly as decoration-without any knowledge of the species or its needs. (For example, the ‘Peace Lily Vase’ just disgusts me). I was wondering, what kind of live plants are you using in your vases? I like the idea of the benefits of real plants for my betta, such as the plants natural filtration system, but I want to make sure the plant is naturally a water plant and is 110% safe for my betta. I know many people are mis leaded about which live plants are okay to use with the fish (such as bamboo). The sand looks great too. Is that hard to clean? Currently I have glass pebbles and a silk plant, but I cant help but be curious about other safe alternatives =D -Paige
Comment — August 23, 2007 @ 1:12 am
Hi Paige! Glad to hear from you and the others. The thing is, it’s been a while since I’ve written this article, and I no longer have Betta fish. I’m continually surprised that people keep finding this page and asking me questions. I’m not a Betta fish expert. I’m just someone who decided to record what happened when he got Betta fish.
When mine passed away, I decided not to get new ones. With regards to your question about plants, just get something that can survive in water, and has smooth, large leaves so they can rest on them. I wouldn’t bother with artificial plants. As for sand, yeah, it’s hard to clean up, so pebbles work better. Good luck!
Comment — August 23, 2007 @ 1:38 am
Ah, when I looked at the date this article was written and all the people asking you questions a professional would know about I was a little surprised lol. And, even more suprised that I got your reply right away! I wasnt really expecting one for a while, if at all lol. Thank you!
Comment — August 23, 2007 @ 1:09 pm
Hi !
My brother has two betta fish.
He is quite upset because, Ice, one of his beautiful fish, seems to be ill.
It looks as though his left gill is stretched or something, so its not moving.
He’s still breathing through is right one, but he’s lopsided.
I was wondering if you had an idea on what is wrong with him.
Comment — September 6, 2007 @ 10:46 pm
hi,
my beta fish, fred, has started, yesterday, just floating on the top, i thought it might be the water, because tap water here is very copper rich, but i changed the water today, but he started floating on his side, his breathing seems heavy and i just got him about 2 weeks ago. i have two in the same tank and the other one seems to be doing fine, and yes the tank has a divider in it, so i don’t know what is wrong with him. and now he is just on the bottom of the tank doing sort of a headstand. i don’t know how to solve it and if i could get any help that would be great.
Thanks
Comment — September 7, 2007 @ 11:23 pm
he has also lost all his color in his body, do you think he is dying?
Comment — September 7, 2007 @ 11:24 pm
Hello, I was wondering what plant is the best? what is the plant in the second picture? and what kind of hiding place are you talking about? Thanks.
Comment — October 9, 2007 @ 8:55 pm
your site is wonderful!How do you keep them warm in bowls??
Comment — October 12, 2007 @ 4:39 pm
Meg, just go pick any plant that looks good to you, following the directions I gave in my post. Don’t obsess over specific plants.
Ann, Betta fish can do just fine in colder water as well. If you’ve got air conditioning at your place, and you keep it around 70 degrees year round, give or take 10 degrees or so, they’ll be fine. If not, get a water heater made for smaller bowls, but make sure you monitor the water level to keep the bowl full. The water will evaporate faster when you’ve got a heater in the bowl/tank.
Comment — October 12, 2007 @ 5:10 pm
I would just like to say thank you for being SO informative and patient with everyone on this site. It’s wonderful that you’re willing to share your time and knowledge with others who have a similar interest. I’m sorry to hear that you no longer have betta fish- might I be so bold as to ask why you decided against buying more?
I had a betta several years ago, in what I would consider now to be pretty horrid conditions, and yet it lived for over a year until I gave it away and it continued to live on for at least another year. This time, I’m more interested in REALLY caring for my betta correctly.
I purchased a new better yesterday and his actions have been consistent with a normal, happy fish. My only concern is that he has very small pin-head sized holes in his fins. Not very many, but enough to notice. I bought him this way. I realize you’re not an expert, but I was wondering if you thought I should immediately treat him for fin-rot or wait and observe? There’s no blackness or shredding effect; just holes.
Thanks again for everything you’ve posted here!
Comment — October 13, 2007 @ 9:41 pm
Oh and one thing that people might be interested to know..
I believe it is IMPERATIVE that owner’s supply their betta with some sort of plant or refuge in the tank. After observing my new betta, I’ve found that he often tries to get himself stuck between the plant stem and the wall in order to take a little “cat-nap”. Fish DO need their rest, and in order for them to rest their fins without floating to the surface, they need to be able to use an object for leverage to hold it under water for short periods of time.
I mean, how would you like to sleep without a bed?? Be sure to give your betta a resting place!
Comment — October 13, 2007 @ 9:52 pm
Thanks for your nice comments, Amanda. I wouldn’t worry about those tiny holes. Perhaps that’s how his fins are. If he’s healthy, happy and eating well, then he should be fine.
You’re right about the resting places. It’s really important to have one or two somewhere in the bowl/aquarium.
As for why I didn’t get Betta fish — I didn’t want to go through the stress of losing them again.
Comment — October 13, 2007 @ 10:03 pm
I just got my betta, Rocky (attacks the rocks at the bottom of his bowl to retrieve lost peices of food sometimes), a couple of weeks ago. I’m not sure but it looks like his tail has a little more red in the middle of the tip of it… I didn’t know if that is a bad sign or just regular color change. He is a very active betta and swims around, makes the clicking noise mentioned on here, and doesn’t scare too easily from me unless I approach his bowl closely.
I chose a betta fish because he is my first fish and I had heard that bettas can adapt well and I didn’t want a fish that would die after a few days, like I have heard that goldfish do, and being at college, fish are the only pets allowed.
He has a rock larger than him at the bottom of his 3/4 gallon bowl and many little rocks below that and to the side (the large rock doesn’t take up the entire bottom of the bowl) and an imitation plant. He seems happy and energetic, but I just wanted to make sure he wasn’t getting a sort of fin rot already. Any ideas? You can never be too careful! I just thought I’d see what you thought. Thanks!
Comment — October 26, 2007 @ 12:40 am
Oh and another thing, the redish area is also thinner looking than the rest of his pretty blue fins.
Comment — October 26, 2007 @ 12:41 am
Dani, I’m not sure. My advice would be to look up photos of betta fish diseases on the Internet and compare to see if you get any matches. Or get a book from the local pet store, one that has good color photos of their various conditions.
Comment — October 26, 2007 @ 9:54 am
Raoul,
I noticed your comment about the dammaged air sack…I am afraid that our office fish sparty may have damaged his. We have changed out the water and added the salt and he is still having the same symptoms…lying upside down or randomly on a leaf or two, he does rest on the one closest to the top and it is difficult for him to get up to the top to get food. I feel terrible for the little guy. You mentioned that he can still live, but will it be a terrible life for a fish? He is in a small maybe 1-gallon triangle tank with a air bubble thing in the middle, it also has a light…should we switch him to a larger tank with a heater..or will it be too difficult for him to get to the top….I just hate to see him like this…he used to be so happy……please give any suggestions?
Comment — October 27, 2007 @ 1:10 pm
Stephanie, he’ll cope. It’s not a terrible life. Just do what you can to make it easier: buy some plants with big leaves so he can rest on them, if you can, find a bowl that’s more wide than deep, so he doesn’t have to struggle to get to the top. The extra water pressure from a deep bowl would make it harder for him to swim upwards.
I would advise against keeping the light on all the time. Fish need to sleep too. If the area where the bowl is located is air conditioned and kept at a decent temperature (comfortable for humans) then he should be just fine, he won’t need a heater.
Comment — October 27, 2007 @ 3:39 pm
Raoul,
Thanks for the advice, maybe I should look for one of those long rectangular tanks, not the deep ones, these almost look like a decoration very long but not deep. Does he need the bubbly thing in the middle? I did squish some peas inside the tank but he doesn’t seem to enjoy the peas….he eventually makes it to the top to get a blood worm…. Thank you for your help.
Comment — October 29, 2007 @ 1:19 pm
I have three Beta fish and they stay in my bedroom. I was beginning to think that I had become a little crazy because my fish seemed so intelligent and receptive to everything that I did, and even began to know my routine.
I have read a lot just recently about Beta and I mostly come across articles about them dieing and diseases and how they are not happy in a fish bowl that they need an aquarium and how people have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars only to find them dead.
I have not spent even nearly that amount on my fish, only the jar of food that lasts an eternity and spring water for there occasional water changing, that I admit I don’t do as often as I should. Not to mention my 3 year old loves to throw little random things in their bowls that I have to fish out. All this and they still thrive and get excited and competitive with one another daily for my attention. They will swim to the top of the bowl and my 3 year old, with my assistance, will put the tip of her finger in and they will let her pet them and will even rub themselves on her. They are extremely compassionate and seem to sense what I am feeling. They can tell the difference between my husband, my daughters and me.
I have been reading a lot and know a lot more about how to care for them. And it seems that what they thrive off of and need the most is love and affection so much if fact that although I did not provide them with perfect living conditions, last night Moon, my petite female looked swollen and Shadow, one of two males, had built a bubble nest so I put her in and they were so beautiful together. He would wrap himself around her and then she would drop eggs and lay paralyzed for awhile while he collected the eggs in his mouth and carried them to the nest and placed them one by one in specific spots and then would make more bubbles to wrap them in. Moon would go to the bottom and look for any eggs he might have missed, he would join her and when they thought they had retrieved them all they would start again.
I removed her after he started to get protective and no let her near the nest that she so desperately tried to over and over again to get close to and she would also try to rub against him, but he was no longer affectionate towards her after she stopped releasing eggs. He started puffing up to her and he would even lay side ways under the nest so that she could not go near the eggs and then he would chase her and nip at her so we removed her. He is caring for his young that were born last night, is a little protective now but has still come to the front of the bowl to say hi. The female is back in her bowl, missing her babies but recuperating from the beautiful yet a little violent mating that occurred last night. She is eating again like normal but seems to be needy for attention, she was always the least interactive but today she seems the most. The father has not eaten much but still seems to be doing well, I have been trying to find out more information because I am not sure about what to do with the babies, specifically when do I separate them from their father, and what do I do with all of them.
If anyone knows of someone who has a warm pond and would like some baby Beta let me know because I could not bear to give them to a pet store and have them sit in a cup until someone buys them.
Comment — November 6, 2007 @ 3:37 pm
I gave my boyfriend a blue beta fish a year ago and we moved him in a bigger tank cause he looked unhappy just sitting there not excersising. After we moved him he grew very bigger and became very aggressive. he even jumped out of the water and tried to nibble my fingers(probably wanted food) but i noticed his fins became very stiff. I wonder if he’s getting old is this true cause i like him.
Comment — November 7, 2007 @ 9:02 am
Amelia, I’m not sure what to tell you about the little Betta babies. You can try keeping them together as long as possible, and only separate them when they start to fight. There’s a fair chance that some of them will get along, especially if they’ve grown together since birth. Other than this, I don’t know. Let’s hope someone else chimes in with more advice or an offer to adopt a few of them.
Gina, Bettas only live a few years. Not knowing when your Betta was born, I don’t know how much longer he’ll live. Besides, one can’t predict how long even young, healthy Bettas will live. Just enjoy him while you’ve got him, and don’t worry about the aggressiveness. They’re territorial, it’s normal.
Comment — November 7, 2007 @ 1:06 pm
The head of my betta fish is starting to turn black.
I don’t know what is wrong with him, help me?
Comment — December 2, 2007 @ 6:19 pm
Gaby, I’m not sure. Check with a local pet store or buy a Betta book. Sorry, but like I said in my post, I’m NOT a Betta expert.
Comment — December 3, 2007 @ 7:08 pm
Okay well, I understand if you delete this since its not really a question. But I just want to thank you. I was doing a science project on the affects of music on Betta fish, and your page helped a lot! That and the very first comment tha’s up on here. The response you gave to that girl really helped me out too. So, thanks!
Comment — January 28, 2008 @ 7:46 pm
a couple days ago i got a beta from a friend who didn’t want it any more. His tank was filthy, and he didn’t seem happy, so i cleaned his tank and put him in a bigger one. i’m not sure if he’s sick, or just not used to me yet. He spends a lot of time leaning up against the wall and he doesnt swim that much. My friend give me tropical fish flake food for him, and he doesn’t eat them, so i bought him beta food, and he doesnt eat that ethier. Im not sure how to make him happy, can u plz give me some suggestions.
thank-you.
Tiffany
Comment — February 10, 2008 @ 9:37 pm
Tiffany, I’m not sure what else I can say beyond what I’ve already said in the article, and beyond all of my replies to the many comments. Have you taken the time to read through them? Seems to me the thing to do is to take a wait and see approach. Perhaps the change from the dirty water to the clean water was too sudden, and he’s still accommodating. Wait and see, treat him nicely, and if he lives, great. If not, then move on and get another, but make sure to wash the bowl and equipment thoroughly before putting in the new Beta.
Comment — February 11, 2008 @ 11:51 am
thanks for the help, but he died this morning, so im going to get a new one.
Comment — February 11, 2008 @ 4:50 pm
i bought a crowned tail fish today!!
Do u know if they can live without a filtered tank?
Comment — February 11, 2008 @ 8:49 pm
Tiffany, Betta fish surface and gulp air (swallow it), so they can live just fine without a filtered tank. As long as you do regular water changes, they’ll be fine. Please be sure to read this article from BettySplendens.com entirely to get more tips on how to care for them.
Comment — February 11, 2008 @ 8:56 pm
thanks. sorry about all the questions, i haven’t owned a beta before, im just worried because my room does tend to get cold at night, and my beta is in a 1.17 gallon bowl.
Comment — February 11, 2008 @ 10:29 pm
hi,
i have a beta and i was just wondering if after two betas fight, will the winner eat the dead one? does it hurt the beta if i turn off the light and the filter at night? and is it ok if the water is cold for a couple hours? because im in school and cant keep the light on, which heats up the water.
Comment — February 12, 2008 @ 6:58 pm
I have a betta male fish and one of his eyes has gotten large like the pop eye. What can i do about it?
Comment — February 14, 2008 @ 6:40 pm
Ashley, Veve, it looks like you need to buy a Beta book and to read up on these things. Or you need to visit your local pet stores and ask them. I don’t know what goes on when they fight. Never tried it myself. Never used lights or filters with my Betas. They’re pretty temperature-tolerant, so the water can get a little cold, but they might get sick if you leave it cold for too long. Veve, go ask your local pet shop about the pop eye.
Seriously, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Please stop asking me questions like these. I’m not a Beta expert, just a Beta owner. I don’t have all the answers. Read through my posts and the comments on my two Beta posts, and if you can’t find the answer there, it’s useless to ask me.
Not sure how many more times I need to say that, but if I keep getting asked these questions that are best suited for knowledgeable Beta experts, I’ll have to turn off the comments on this article. Sorry…
Comment — February 14, 2008 @ 8:34 pm
Have you any idea why a Beta might just stay at the bottom and will not even get excited when shown a mirror. My Beta did dance for me and loved when I fed him but today he is sluggish and I just changed the water for him like I do and usually he loves that and shows it with a dance, and he has two little white cloud minows that keep him company and he likes to chase themn now and then, he did like them but mostly he leaves them alone and he has had them for some time. I got them when he was going thru a depression of sorts and that seemed to help him our a lot. today is different. Mobey is 3 yrs old and I was hoping to keep him for longer I hope he is not dying. If you have an idea that would be great and if you don’t, just wanting to talk to another beta owner. Maybe he is just tired and wants to rest although he did not respond to the mirror today at all. He just laid there.
thanks for listening.
Comment — February 19, 2008 @ 2:10 pm
Barbara, I hate to say it, but Mobey may be too old. The average lifespan for Beta fish is 2-3 years. Consider yourself very lucky for being able to have him so long. Enjoy his company while you still can. There’s no telling how much longer he’ll stick around. I’m not saying that’s exactly what’s going on today. This may just be a passing thing. But start getting used to the idea that he won’t be around a lot longer.
Comment — February 19, 2008 @ 2:15 pm
Thanks Raoul. I appreciate the answer. Mobey did pick up a bit later on today but I did wonder if he was just getting too old. He has been a source of joy and he does dance for me. I never knew a fish to be so delightful Last year when he got depressed my kids laughed at me when I told them but a new plant and a bigger bowl and then I added the while cloud minows one at a time and he picked up so fast. I also got him some blood worms for a treat now and then and he loves them so much you can hear him snapping them from the surface of the water. he will come up and nip my finger too.
Thanks for the reply.
Barbara
ps. not certain of his age but he is over two and possibly 3 so he is doing well and one never knows how old they are when you first buy them.
Comment — February 19, 2008 @ 11:02 pm
Hi,
I think my Beta can hear. I’ll talk to him in the kitchen, and then go around into the living room and look at him through the bar, and say,”Mommy’s on this side.” He’ll turn around before he even sees me and swim to the other side of his bowl, then we’ll talk to each other from the living room. I’ve only had him for a couple days, and he always looks so excited when he sees me. I never knew having a fish could be so much fun.
I really liked your stories about your fish. I’m sorry you lost them.
Comment — February 20, 2008 @ 7:13 pm
i know ur not a Betta expert, but i was wondering if u knew if it was ok to keep the light on all night, and turn it off for about 8 hours in the morning. if u dont know the answer, thats ok, i will try to find someone else. thanks
Comment — February 20, 2008 @ 8:44 pm
Natasha, when I had my Beta fish, I didn’t use a light at all — just natural daylight. I’m not a proponent of using aquarium lights unless they’re needed to augment natural daylight. In the wild, fish have a natural cycle of daylight and nighttime. I believe they should have the same cycle when they’re in an aquarium. It’s the humane thing to do. Try to put yourself in their position. Would you want someone to keep the light on all the time in your room, even when you’re trying to sleep?
Comment — February 20, 2008 @ 10:54 pm
thanks. i dont really agree with aquarium lights ethier, but i dont get much light in my room.
Comment — February 20, 2008 @ 10:58 pm
and it keeps the water warm
Comment — February 20, 2008 @ 10:59 pm
have u ever traveled with ur fish in a long car drive?
Comment — March 1, 2008 @ 5:03 pm
@Tiffanie: No, I haven’t.
Comment — March 1, 2008 @ 10:58 pm
Hey Tiffanie,
I’ve taken my fish on a long car drive. I took my fish from Ontario to Florida and it spent three weeks down there with me and then we drove it back up. Not sure how legal taking it through customs was, I hid him under a blanket on my lap as we went through. What you should do is get a large tupperware container that is cylindrical and poke holes in the lid. Fill it 3/4 of the way and keep it in your lap, upright and under constant surveillance. My fish loves me and is really used to me and I just couldn’t leave him behind. Feed him whatever you normally feed him and tell your driver to drive not choppily or you