Flaring

[jaywings19]

Well, I've have 2 bettas now. Dexter (betta #1) has been with me for almost 2 months now. He's one laid back dude... very calm... very curious... very attentive... loves admiring himself in the glass reflection. He recently got 3 cory tankmates to keep him company. Needless to say that Dex has never flared in my presence.

Mojo (betta #2) has been with me for only 2 weeks now. He's one tough cookie... charges head-first into his reflection ... always zipping around his tank. The other day, I come home from work and go check my answering machine... I glance over at Mojo and he's all flared out huffing and puffing at my direction . I figured "hey cool" it's my first time seeing that at home. However, this seems to be a daily ritual now... come home from work and he starts flaring as soon as I get near his tank. He's fine afterwards (later in the evening and early morning).

Just wondering if this is "normal" for bettas or am I doing something to warrant the flare from Mojo? Dex sure doesn't seem to mind me, so I guess it varies somewhat. Thoughts?

 

[wuvmybetta]

that's cute, nothing to be alarmed about, he's probably just use to no one being home and when your suddenly there it startles him, see what he's like on your day off....but that may not be the case at all....none of my betta flare at me except this one guy in my bedroom, everytime I walk in the room he flares & I'm usually home all day

 

[Whisper Odinsky]

every single night, when its dark, but the tank light is on, the betta in my community 30 gallon tank just freaks out on his reflection thankfully he has not resulted into dive-bombing the tank... yet
Now, Holy, my white betta, is an entirely different story.
He was moved from an awful cup (LFS horror storys...) to a nice bigger bowl, to a jolly 5 gallon tank, with my two petrifyed bronze corys (loooong story) and boy- he flares up and chases those poor things around until they go back under their hiding spots how meeeean that is.
a thought i had, was that the betta in the comunity tank, was purchased from a LFS already in a community tank, whereas the white betta, was all alone, and suddenly, he's with other fish so he's probably wondering what the heck is goin on...
My point, i think, (?) is that betta's will flare up over the silliest things... i betcha its so they still feel so "manly" and (like Alien Anna said in a past post about my wunderings over my betta) i think its just gonna take some time for him to get used to his new surroundings.. best of luck.. i hope!

 

[freshmike]

My bettas always wanna kick my butt too!!!!!! Not like my cichlids that all just wanna cuddle and get pets!

 

[Whisper Odinsky]

My bettas always wanna kick my butt too!!!!!!

perhaps they don't like your clothes? ..or maybe they find you look like a fellow betta? or maybe... they have been eyeing up that 180gallon tank you got there and want a piece of that beauty...

(i just couldn't resist mike... i want that tank!)

 

[freshmike]

LOL! That's pretty cute!

 

[Kossy]

Well my betta loves me for some reason. All my males females treat me like im god or something Whenever I go put a uprooted plant back in the gravel all my bettas start swimming in between my fingers touch me etc... (Not in that way ) its great. And when I stare at them all they do is stare back not flare.

 

[MattL]

Mine is the same, eats out my hand. If i cup my hand in the tank he swims over the top of it, and looks at me. And when my hand is in the tank he likes to swim between my fingers. Lets me stroke him. Lol.

Thats why im now taking him out of his community tank and putting him in his own tank (away from the riff raff. lol) Just need to wait for it it to finish cycling, nearly there. So excited cant wait.

 

[Kossy]

I have found bettas that are afffectionate in this way are quite peaceful when coompared to wat bettas can be.

 

[infant340]

wem i come to my betta he will go crazy, one time he alomost jumped out of his bowl.

 

[Kossy]

LoL, yes bettas can be quite affectionate and can get attached. My betta is breeding again now. Bubblenest full of eggs...im xfering them to a diff tank now.

 

[MattL]

Kossy. When your male betta breeds is he real aggressive? Yours sounds like one of the affectionate ones and i was just curious caus im thinking of breeding mine! I know he goes mad if u show him his reflection but the rest of the time he wouldnt flare at all not even at the other fish in the tank.

 

[Kossy]

Well luckly my betta is one affectionate betta and is unusually not aggressive in mating infact i have females (3) keeping him company. YOu could try add some females to your tank if he isn't so aggressive. Note you should ask your lfs if you could take them back if your male is aggressive. Try one or two first and add the females in gradually.