Constant Flaring

[triliaeris]

Well, about 3 weeks ago or 2 my betta creamcicle died. It was pretty upsetting and I was waiting to get another one. Well, my fiance surprised me last night with a new betta. He's very very pretty, but he's really weird.

He won't stop chasing his reflection and flaring at himself. He *races* across the tank at himself and then spends the next hour flaring. He did this all night and he's been doing it all day today.

Isn't constant flaring bad for a betta? Will he ever stop this or is this normal? Creamcicle never did a full flare like this guy is doing.

 

[Durbkat]

Is there a light on the tank? If so maybe the glass is so clean that when the light hits it, it gives a reflection that he can see and he is flaring at it. To fix this turn the light off and see if he stops if not wrap a towel around the tank with the light off that way there will be no reflection and he can rest. Also yes constant flaring can be bad because it stresses them out and that can lead to him getting sick. Also any chance of a pic?

 

[triliaeris]

I'll take pics tonight. Jace got him at walmart. He's this amazing red color but turns bright blue when the light hits him a certain way.

Would moving him to a 2.5 gallon plastic tank be okay? Do you think he'd see his reflection there?

I'll try turning the light off and seeing if it helps. I'm very concerned about it. He doesn't stop.

 

[Durbkat]

What size tank is he in now? Is it made of glass? I've noticed with glass tank it causes a refelection that bettas can see and they flare one of my bettas is in a glass bowl and he would flare for no reason then I'd look at him and I saw his reflection on the glass and knew thats why he was flaring and my other 2 bettas are in acrlic tanks (plastic) and they can't see there reflection. Do you mean one of those minibows 2.5g tanks?

 

[triliaeris]

he's in a 28 gal. glass tank now. i just don't want to lose another fish.

the 2.5 is one of those minibows. it's set up at the moment, but hsa no fish in it.

 

[SRC]

Looking out of a fishtank is somewhat like looking out of the window of a house.

If you are in a house with the lights on during the daytime you can see outside fine and dandy, but when the sun goes down and it gets dark, what happens when you are in that same room with the lights on?
You can see yourself like a mirror in the window.

Turn the light off in the room and look at the window again, and you can see outside.

Works the same with fishtanks. Most houses aren't kept really *bright* but instead are rather dim (not saying we live in the dark, but it's not bright like outside..unless you have a bright overhead light fixture..which most people don't have on all the time)...and when you have your fishtank lights on they have a tendency to be able to see themselves.

Most fish just think it's other fish and it doesn't bother them (I feel that is the reasoning behind it..so they can't see us ). However, Bettas are going to respond to this more then other fish, because of their hostile nature.

Plastic doesn't do this *quite* as bad as galss but it still does it.

So D is correct in his deduction..that it probably the reason. You might try putting a lamp close to the tank to give the outside area more light, so it doesn't get the "mirror effect"...if you want to have his tank light on, that is.

 

[Mr.September15]

Well, about 3 weeks ago or 2 my betta creamcicle died. It was pretty upsetting and I was waiting to get another one. Well, my fiance surprised me last night with a new betta. He's very very pretty, but he's really weird.

He won't stop chasing his reflection and flaring at himself. He *races* across the tank at himself and then spends the next hour flaring. He did this all night and he's been doing it all day today.

Isn't constant flaring bad for a betta? Will he ever stop this or is this normal? Creamcicle never did a full flare like this guy is doing.

For a second I thought you were talking about your fiance. LOL

"hes very very very prety, but he's really weird

 

[Durbkat]

A 28g is to big for a betta put him in the 2.5g because he will like it alot better.

 

[triliaeris]

A 28g is to big for a betta put him in the 2.5g because he will like it alot better.

Funny, our last betta loved the larger tank.

 

[SRC]

Matter of personal opinion..the personal opinion of the betta that is. Some like big tanks, some don't. You just have to try it out and see what works.

 

[Durbkat]

Yeah what SRC said