Interactive Betta's?

[xamy_valox]

Hi there,
I am new to keeping tropical fish, and decided to give a new home to my friends betta that she didnt have room for anymore.
I love him to bits and out of all the fish in my tank he is the most interactive! If I get close to the glass he appears from whever he has been resting or hiding to say hello and follows me up and down the tank!
I don't think he is being aggressive because he has never flared at me or anything, I think he is just interested!
I think this is really cute, but is it normal betta behaviour? Does anyone else find this with their betta's?
I know my friends betta doesnt do this, but he is in a cold water fish bowl rather than a heated aquarium, so I'm guessing this makes him more sluggish and less likely to interact?
Amy xx

 

[tom130691]

most betta do this as when they see you they get food
same as when i open the top of my tank all the fish hide but him he come to the surface

 

[Honeythorn]

Bronson is very interactive despite being some variety of maniac. He attacks my fingers when I have my hand in the tank, murders bloodworms with immense glee and is VERY intolerant of every type of tankmate imaginable, except snails (who he is unable to kill or maim due to the shell and thus has no choice but to tolerate)

But despite all that he is a sweet little chap really, and if I approach the tank he always shoots out to the front and wiggles madly up and down begging for food

You should advise your friend to get the betta ( if she still has another one left in a bowl) a filtered and heated tank of a bigger size. An unheated bowl of any sort will do his health no good at all due to it's small size, poor surface area and it's awkward shape making attaching a filter and heater pretty much impossible . As you know, Bettas are active tropical fish and deserve better than a cold bowl of water.

 

[Night61]

there personalities is why they are considered a gate way fish in my opinion. the interaction and the personalities is what draw ppl into fish keeping. their pleasant nature and easy of care is what draws people further into the fish keeping bubble, eventually you will be like the rest of us four bettas in your bed room a community tank and maybe if your lucky you get a bed.

 

[woodstock]

The interactiveness of a betta definitely contributes to why they're so addicting. It's seriously one of THE main things I love about 'em, hands down! Since they don't just swim back and forth.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

The interactiveness of a betta definitely contributes to why they're so addicting. It's seriously one of THE main things I love about 'em, hands down! Since they don't just swim back and forth.

All five of my bettas are interactive and one of them especially is. When I sit in a chair by his tank, he swims up and "hangs out" with me. They all recognize me. The true test is that I can stick my finger in the tank and none of them hesitate about swimming up to it and almost always nip me knowing that is the safe finger of mom's. The other day, my husband put his finger in one of the tanks and rather than do the usual behavior, the betta flared at my husbands finger and then quickly swam around his finger in a spiral fashion as if showing that the tank is his territory!

 

[woodstock]

Guppygoddess, mine do the same to my dad! He'll only go up and they start flaring, poor him haha~ And that's how I feed them daily. Straight off the finger! Loveable

 

[BettaBoysGirl]

there personalities is why they are considered a gate way fish in my opinion. the interaction and the personalities is what draw ppl into fish keeping. their pleasant nature and easy of care is what draws people further into the fish keeping bubble, eventually you will be like the rest of us four bettas in your bed room a community tank and maybe if your lucky you get a bed.

I totally agree with this lol. I'm currently have two betta boys. Bought one and two weeks later got another! Now I'm putting a betta condo together and a soroity tank later down the road. Sad to say, but all available flat, sturdy surfaces in my room are taken up by fish tanks (4 of them. Two occupied, two others cycling.) Though my room stays much cleaner as I have no place to put junk at, except where it belongs. But my boys are interactive but very different. Rainbow is my sweet calm one. Does his wiggle dance when he sees me. Mr grumpy gills... On the other hand lives up to his name. He doesn't wiggle. He stares me down, might spread his fins... And on occasion will flare. Seems only when I have food out will he play sweet. Reminds of a cat lol. However he ignores my finger in his tank. Haven't tried it with rainbow though.

 

[englishbettas]

my betta does this aswell. he feeds of my fingers, and sometimes he wraps himself around my fingers. it is ace. i love my bettas.
englishbettas

 

[xamy_valox]

Haha!
Awww, I didnt realise it was in their nature to be interactive until I actually got one so I was quite surprised!
My betta has taken to swimming up and down the tank alot the past few days, like pacing?
He seems healthy still, he's eating fine and does swim around the tank still, but tends to spend most of his time near the front of the tank swimming back and forth. I don't know if he is just doing this because I am watching the tank, and he is trying to get my attention, but is there anything else that may cause him to do this?
Amy xx

 

[Lacuna]

Haha!
Awww, I didnt realise it was in their nature to be interactive until I actually got one so I was quite surprised!
My betta has taken to swimming up and down the tank alot the past few days, like pacing?
He seems healthy still, he's eating fine and does swim around the tank still, but tends to spend most of his time near the front of the tank swimming back and forth. I don't know if he is just doing this because I am watching the tank, and he is trying to get my attention, but is there anything else that may cause him to do this?
Amy xx

I have two bettas and they both do this a lot. My betta I have had five months used to spend all his time pacing, now he swims around the interior of the tank more. My betta that I have had only a week spent a couple of days pacing at the back of the tank, and now spends most of the time at the front. If it bothers you, you could try adding more decor and plants to give him more stuff to explore in his tank. I don't think it's anything to worry about though. I think my betta would like to join us in the living room if he could.

 

[xamy_valox]

Haha!
Awww, I didnt realise it was in their nature to be interactive until I actually got one so I was quite surprised!
My betta has taken to swimming up and down the tank alot the past few days, like pacing?
He seems healthy still, he's eating fine and does swim around the tank still, but tends to spend most of his time near the front of the tank swimming back and forth. I don't know if he is just doing this because I am watching the tank, and he is trying to get my attention, but is there anything else that may cause him to do this?
Amy xx

I have two bettas and they both do this a lot. My betta I have had five months used to spend all his time pacing, now he swims around the interior of the tank more. My betta that I have had only a week spent a couple of days pacing at the back of the tank, and now spends most of the time at the front. If it bothers you, you could try adding more decor and plants to give him more stuff to explore in his tank. I don't think it's anything to worry about though. I think my betta would like to join us in the living room if he could.

Ahh ok, thanks Lacuna, as long as he isnt going crazy or anything!!
By the way, the betta in your picture looks amazing! Ive never seen a yellow one before. Is it one of yours?
Mine is mainly dark blue with pink running through his fins, I would like to get a bright red one next.
Amy

 

[Lacuna]

Haha!
Awww, I didnt realise it was in their nature to be interactive until I actually got one so I was quite surprised!
My betta has taken to swimming up and down the tank alot the past few days, like pacing?
He seems healthy still, he's eating fine and does swim around the tank still, but tends to spend most of his time near the front of the tank swimming back and forth. I don't know if he is just doing this because I am watching the tank, and he is trying to get my attention, but is there anything else that may cause him to do this?
Amy xx

I have two bettas and they both do this a lot. My betta I have had five months used to spend all his time pacing, now he swims around the interior of the tank more. My betta that I have had only a week spent a couple of days pacing at the back of the tank, and now spends most of the time at the front. If it bothers you, you could try adding more decor and plants to give him more stuff to explore in his tank. I don't think it's anything to worry about though. I think my betta would like to join us in the living room if he could.

Ahh ok, thanks Lacuna, as long as he isnt going crazy or anything!!
By the way, the betta in your picture looks amazing! Ive never seen a yellow one before. Is it one of yours?
Mine is mainly dark blue with pink running through his fins, I would like to get a bright red one next.
Amy

Yes, he's my yellow veiltail that I've had since October. He's very grumpy and flares at me a lot, but I agree it's nice to have a fish that interacts with you. My kuhli loaches and corys runs away when they see me, but the bettas just coming charging to the front. I have a new boy as well, he's kind of white with a greenish tint and transparent fins.

Your betta sounds very pretty, have you posted a picture of him?

 

[BettaCrazy7]

Sometimes I hand feed my bettas so I wouldn't say they're shy. They always swim to the front of their tanks waiting for attention.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

All five of my bettas are interactive and one of them especially is. When I sit in a chair by his tank, he swims up and "hangs out" with me. They all recognize me. The true test is that I can stick my finger in the tank and none of them hesitate about swimming up to it and almost always nip me knowing that is the safe finger of mom's. The other day, my husband put his finger in one of the tanks and rather than do the usual behavior, the betta flared at my husbands finger and then quickly swam around his finger in a spiral fashion as if showing that the tank is his territory!

Lol!

It is quite irrelevant but it's funny - I had a budgie and I was holding him down whilst my dad cut his toe nails; I had him he was sitting behaving very well; I was stroking him, I was next to his beak and everything and then afterwards my dad went to stroke his head and say "good boy" - well my lovely budgie bit my dad .