Betta fighting reflection on side of tank???

M

moboe

AC Members
Feb 17, 2004
99
0
0
Alexandria, VA
Visit site
We just got our first betta, Red, on Saturday. He is housed alone in an Eclipse System 6 (6 gallon) tank (acrylic). We plan to add a few cories or tetras at some point.

We are concerned that Red seems to be "fighting" his reflection on the side of the tank. This evening, from at least 7pm until 10pm, he was swimming very quickly up and down the short side of the tank, flaring his fins, getting so animated that I could hear him rustling the gravel. He would finally stop to rest for a minute, then start up the whole process again.

We have no mirrors near the tank, but it seems that the acrylic is showing his reflection. Has anyone else experienced this? Is there anything we can do? We're afraid he will exhaust himself and die.

Thanks, as always, for the help!

Margaret
 
I always thought that flaring is stressing the betta and I try to reduce the reflection from the tank.

My betta won't be bored. He has 8 tank mates. :p
 
Thanks, Luv and Peter for your replies. I'm so relieved to hear that this behavior isn't necessarily detrimental to his health.

Peter, do you know of a way to reduce the reflection from the tank?

Margaret
 
you can try putting up some of that background film to hide the reflection. Kyle
 
The background is a great idea. You could also add plants or other decorative distractions.

My Betta Alex did this when I moved him into the mirrored tank, though he was right next to a mirror for weeks when I got him without incident. On the second day I returned home to find him so stressed that he had lost all colour and had become lethargic. I promptly went to the store and bought him another tank without mirrors, and his colour returned immediately. He's his happy self again. :)
 
I think it is very healthy for betta's to flare. I get mine to do it at least once a day to a mirror and as soo as my fry are moved out I will be putting another male in the tank next to my current one. Healthy bettas should not get stressed or exhausted from flaring at each other. If you have more plants in the tank it will give your betta a place to hide from its reflection then in 20 minutes when it comes out again it will get some more healthy exercise.
Betta's housed in those small cups in petstores aften forget how to flare because they don't ahve much room and they are flaring at the same fish all the time. It is fine to put bettas in bowels or tanks right beside each other, let them flare and flare whenever they please, and then when tey get bored of each other, switch one betta for another. If my bettas don't flare I worry. A betta that won't flare is not a healthy betta.
 
Thanks for all the tips. Red seems to have tired of the reflection battles, or at least he isn't doing them all the time. He flares a lot, and swims all over the tank now, whereas initially he stayed only near the back, behind the plants. He loves the plants in there and rests on them all the time. I'd say he seems pretty happy and satisfied with his surroundings!

I did notice this evening that he seems to have scraped his head, and tore off some "skin"? It's a small white spot above his eye, and the "skin" that was torn is hanging off. It's a very small area (2mmx2mm) and he's acting completely normally, and it doesn't seem to bother him. Anything I should do for him?

Thanks for all the help!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom