Ok now I'm getting worried

[Loboto-Me]

As I mentioned in a previous post "more strange betta behaviour" my boy is chasing his tail.

Why am I getting worried? Well the first few times it was kinda cute... but now I've been watching him do it again and again. About 2 or 3 times this morning. He flares then he goes round and round in a little circles trying to attack himself.

Is this normal behaviour? Boredom? Improper housing?

This is no longer CUTE (unless someone assures me that it's part of betta quirkiness)

 

[CackD]

I remember having a male betta many years ago that did something similar. Although - he never actually nipped off his own fins ( I think that is what you said in that earlier post ). He would shift his eyes to look at the flowing tail, then do a few circles towards it, then give up.

Normally, I'd say take that mo-fo to a circus and get yourself some cash for the fish who thinks it is a dog! But, I can understand the worry cause you don't want your buddy to eat himself apart.

How many times do you feed him, and what do you feed him?

 

[Loboto-Me]

He only eats once a day... i sometimes skip a day. He refuses betta pellets therefore I've been giving him freeze dried bloodworms and flakes (flakes most of the time). I do once or twice a week water changes 100%. I have decided that I'm going to do a 25-50% water change every 2 or 3 days instead. Oh... and he has a plant (live one) and gravel in there to keep him occupied.

I dunno what other info I could give to help with finding a solution.

 

[CackD]

Yeah, sounds good. Maybe he's just nuts??

I only have two other possible suggestions to help you out.

1) Get another male betta and place it next to current guy's tank, so he'll actually have another fish to flare at instead of chasing himself.

or

2) Put a mirror up to his tank a couple times a day, so that he THINKS there is another betta around for him to flare at.

Maybe that will get him to stop chasing his own tail and ripping it to shreads. I dunno what else to suggest.

One thing I do know - if he's not hurting himself too bad, you might just have a fish with one of the quarkiest and cool personalities that I've ever heard of.

Let me know how it goes!

 

[sandyd]

I was just wondering if you closely examined his fins? Could it be there is a parasite of some type that he is trying to get off of him? It never hurts to closely examine just to be sure.

Sandy'

 

[CackD]

Sandy' - good point...didn't think of that. Might be a good idea to see if he is also rubbing up against that plant or the gravel at all.

 

[Loboto-Me]

I'm so glad you guys encouraged me to take a closer look. I noticed something that wasn't there yesterday.... the very tips of some of his tail and anal fins do have a bit of discoloration pointing to fin rot?

Ok time to start a new thread

Thanks a lot both of you

 

[Where the river goes]

Homer was chasing his tail earlier this week...I guess he got bored flaring at Duff lol, unfortunantly the next day he had a nice chunk taken out of his tail