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Betta, or Siamese fighting fish, are remarkably beautiful, curious, and sociable fish that are native to SE Asia. Because Betta can live in extremely small spaces, living in rice paddies and drainage ditches in the wild, they have been bred to live alone in comparatively small tanks or bowls as pets. Although they can live in small spaces, and males need to live separately to avoid conflict, Betta can get bored and lonely if left without stimulation. If you have a Betta fish you can give it some much needed attention by learning how to play with it and teach it tricks.
Steps
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Add objects to the bottom of your Betta's tank. Betta are very curious fish and they are entertained by new things they can explore. They also like to have places to hide and places to relax in their tanks, so adding objects to their tanks is key to their happiness.
- Either find items to put in the tank that are made to go in fish tanks or items that can be thoroughly cleaned, will not fall apart in water, and are non-toxic. It is best to buy items specifically made for fish, to avoid killing or injuring your finned friend. [1]
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Expert Source
Craig Morton
Aquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc. Expert Interview. 21 July 2020. However, some other items that would be safe to use (if cleaned properly) include glass marbles, plastic straws, rocks, plastic cross-stitching material, and other items made of things like glass or plastic. Just make sure there are no sharp edges or broken bits for your betta's long, flowing fins to get caught on! - There are a wide variety of products made for Betta tanks specifically. At the very least, consider adding a fake plant or two for your Betta to hide or relax in. [2] X Research source Betta leaf hammocks are also fun.
- While you do want to give you Betta places to hide and explore, you also need to give it enough open space to swim around freely. Don't overcrowd the tank with too much stuff! [3] X Research source
- Either find items to put in the tank that are made to go in fish tanks or items that can be thoroughly cleaned, will not fall apart in water, and are non-toxic. It is best to buy items specifically made for fish, to avoid killing or injuring your finned friend. [1]
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Expert Source
Craig Morton
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Try adding bobbing objects to the top of the tank. Get a small floating toy or a fishing bobber. You don't want to cover the entire surface of the tank, as Betta come up to the surface to get air, but you can float a few fun toys for the Betta to play with.
- Make sure the toy is clean before you place it in the water.
- Put a small plastic ping-pong ball in the top of the tank. [4] X Research source See what the betta does! Some Betta will push it around their tank. If the Betta doesn't play with the ball immediately, give your fish some time to get used to it.
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Feed your Betta live food occasionally. This is a great way to entertain your fish. Fish or Aquarium specific stores often offer live worms that most Betta will chase with zeal.
Warning: Always feed your Betta a balanced, varied diet. Too many treats or meals will not be good for your fish but they can be given once in a while with no problem. You just don't want to feed them too much and get them sick!
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Run your finger back and forth across your Betta's tank. See if your fish will follow your finger as you move it across the tank. In many cases, the Betta will follow along if it knows its caretaker (you).
- Try to get your Betta to follow different patterns you make with your fingers. Can you get it to do a flip?
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Train the Betta to eat out of your fingers. When you feed your Betta, make sure that it comes up and sees that it's you feeding it. Once your Betta is used to you being near when it feeds, try keeping your hand above the water while it eats. Gradually you can transition to holding the food slightly under water between your thumb and forefinger.
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Train your Betta to swim, and maybe even jump, through a hoop. Make a hoop out of a pipe cleaner or a piece of plastic. Figure out what your Betta likes to eat most, and use that as bait. Hang the hoop in the tank so that the Betta can swim through it. Move the bait to encourage the betta to swim through the hoop.
- As your Betta becomes more and more comfortable swimming through the hoop, raise it up little by little, until the bottom of the hoop is just touching the water's surface. With enough practice, your Betta may jump out of the water and through the hoop to get a food reward.
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Get your Betta to "flare" its fins by showing its reflection in a mirror. Show the Betta its reflection for a few seconds. When it sees its reflection in the mirror the Betta will think there is another fish in the tank. Male Betta are very territorial, so when they see this imaginary other fish, they flare out their fins.
Warning: There is some debate about whether or not this is a good practice for Betta fish, so if you choose to use a mirror as enrichment, keep sessions to 15 seconds or less.
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Target training your betta is another easy, fun way to play with your betta, and opens the doors to all sorts of other ways to play with your betta.
- To begin, find a plastic stick, straw, or chopstick suitable for putting in the betta's tank. It is best to find something brightly colored, so the betta will recognize it.
- Put the stick in the tank, and when the betta touches it with its nose, give them a treat. Do this several times a day, being careful not to overfeed your betta.
- Eventually, you can use this stick to train your betta to go through hoops, follow your stick in patterns, and even jump! Just be cautious of over-exerting your betta, and always clean your stick with clean water before use.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat do bettas like in their tank?Craig Morton is the CEO of Aquarium Doctor Inc. based in Huntington Beach California and servicing Orange County, Los Angeles County, and the Inland Empire. With over 30 years of aquarium experience, Craig specializes in creating custom aquarium designs along with aquarium installation, service, and maintenance.You can put a variety of items in the tank, but check that they're made for fish. Choose items that are non-toxic and able to be cleaned. Don't put anything in the tank that will fall apart in water.
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QuestionIs tapping a fish tank bad?Craig Morton is the CEO of Aquarium Doctor Inc. based in Huntington Beach California and servicing Orange County, Los Angeles County, and the Inland Empire. With over 30 years of aquarium experience, Craig specializes in creating custom aquarium designs along with aquarium installation, service, and maintenance.Yes! Tapping on a fish tank can scare your fish and make it feel insecure. In some cases, the fish might experience shock and could even die.
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QuestionHow do I know if my betta fish is happy?Craig Morton is the CEO of Aquarium Doctor Inc. based in Huntington Beach California and servicing Orange County, Los Angeles County, and the Inland Empire. With over 30 years of aquarium experience, Craig specializes in creating custom aquarium designs along with aquarium installation, service, and maintenance.A happy and healthy betta fish will have clear eyes, untethered fins, and it will enjoy eating its food.
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Tips
- Only use a mirror to entertain your betta occasionally. Using a mirror more than once a week will stress them out.Thanks
- Try feeding your Betta a food they really like while training them. Betta may even jump if you hold blood worms or insects above the water level just a bit!Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Make sure that your betta is not close to loud noises—if it is, the betta may tense up, squeeze its fins together, and get a little pale! If this does happen, place your betta in a quiet place or calm your betta down.
- Betta fish like to lie around, so try putting a leaf of some sort on the side of the tank for them to rest on. I highly recommend the betta bed leaf hammock.
- Don't be afraid to bond with your betta and introduce them to your routine. You can put them into multiple bowls so they're constantly around you.
- Try not to ever pet your fish! It is dangerous and can be fatal to your little fishy.
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Warnings
- Never put items in your betta's tank that have surfaces that might chip off or that could seep into the water. Items like this, such as colored rocks, could have poison and/or toxic chemicals that could injure or kill your fish.Thanks
- Betta fish should rarely, if ever, be petted. It's not good to pet them, as it may remove their natural slime coating, making them prone to certain diseases. Also, never touch them with dirty hands, as bacteria can easily be transmitted through direct contact.Thanks
- If feeding your betta live food or bloodworms, handle them carefully. Some people are severely allergic to the dust from bloodworms.Thanks
- Remember not to overfeed your Betta fish. A few treats for training are just fine but don't overfeed the fish or it could cause illness or death.Thanks
- Do not leave uneaten bloodworms or live food in the tank, as they can carry harmful bacteria.Thanks
- Never tap your finger on the glass if it's a pot or a bowl; betta fishes are very territorial. With the feeling of insecurity, tapping your finger on the bowl will scare them and your pet may die of shock. [5] X Expert Source Craig Morton
Aquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc. Expert Interview. 21 July 2020.Thanks
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References
- ↑ Craig Morton. Aquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc.. Expert Interview. 21 July 2020.
- ↑ http://pets.thenest.com/recommended-aquarium-tank-size-betta-fish-3620.html
- ↑ http://pets.thenest.com/recommended-aquarium-tank-size-betta-fish-3620.html
- ↑ http://www.myaquariumclub.com/some-tricks-and-toys-to-entertain-your-betta-6148.html
- ↑ Craig Morton. Aquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc.. Expert Interview. 21 July 2020.
About This Article
Article Summary
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To play with your Betta fish, try adding water-safe items to the bottom of your fish's tank, like rocks and hiding places. For added stimulation, put a small bobber or other floating device on top of the water so the Betta can play with it when it comes up for air. To interact with your Betta, gently run your fingers back and forth along the tank to see if the fish will follow them. Find your Betta's favorite food and use it as bait to try to get the fish to swim through a hoop in the water. For tips from our veterinary reviewer on feeding your Betta live food from your hand, read on!
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Reader Success Stories
- "I have actually found that my betta will respond to cat toy apps on my phone. For awhile it will be interested, and after awhile I will have to get something new. I have gotten my betta to jump for food so well, if it sees my fingers over the tank it comes right up. It's amazing how interactive these kinds of fish can be, and each of them has a unique personality. " ..." more
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"I have actually found that my betta will respond to cat toy apps on my phone. For awhile it will be interested, and after awhile I will have to get something new. I have gotten my betta to jump for food so well, if it sees my fingers over the tank it comes right up. It's amazing how interactive these kinds of fish can be, and each of them has a unique personality. "
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"Though I was just reading how to sex my baby bettas, I learned many more things I didn't know, such as playing with them and adding exciting things to their tank. That was great, as I wondered how bored they must get just swimming around in tank. Many thanks."
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"Helpful tips were how to feed them with live food, what kind of plant to put in the tank, female fish just may be together or if it's large tank. Also some warnings were helpful. Didn't know that loud music may bother them. Learned more and about behavior."
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"I didn't know you could play with your betta or even train it! I found it pretty amusing when my betta, Blades, flared for the first time in front of me when he saw his own reflection. I love that he's happy and in better hands now that I know more."
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"My fish has never seemed to like the rock and plant item I bought for him, he just stuck to the side of his bowl away from it. So I wasn't sure what else I could add to help with boredom, until this article. What a great idea to add floating toys."
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