Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens)

DGC

DGC

All in One
May 8, 2010
423
0
16
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London
Real Name
Darrell
hello all, just a quick question, i just got one of these fish and was wondering, 2 in a tank is bad news, one with a mirror stuck to the glass of the tank provides a good show,

can this mirror be left there or should it be taken off, i mean he cant realy hurt himself and all he realy does is flair his fins and gills as he swims past.

i dont want him going nuts
 
well, AFAIK, he should be fine, his reflection won't kill him. If it looks like he's gonna hurt himself take it off, it he looks like he's gonna be fine, leave it there.
 
Wouldn't think it'd be any worse then a divided tank or those multi-chamber setups that the pet stores sell for housing multiple bettas. Seems like the same principle, the fish is constantly seeing something it wants to chase away.
 
flaring for too long isn't recommended, because your betta fish can actually overstress himself and flare so much he blows his fins. The reason why they flare is because of territorial agression. In divided tanks (of the right size) the reasons eventually things calm down is because they both establish a halfway sort of pecking order and each have their own territory, and typically because one of the fish will swim away. With mirrors, the "other betta" won't swim away, so it's possible depending on your betta fish's personality neither will your betta. I had a betta fish who would flare and attack the mirror and wouldn't stop so long as a mirror was in his tank, and I had another who would flare a bit then go away and avoid the mirror.

If you want to see him flare, put the mirror in there for about 3 minutes a day, it'll exercise your betta without stressing him to much.
 
I agree with JK, personally I don't think it is a good idea to leave the mirror there all the time. Bettas flare up to show aggression, it's a form of stress reaction. It may be fine, but then, it might not if he keeps feeling like he has to go into "fight mode". he may start to show signs of a submissive personality, as a result of basically never being able to get the other (mirror)fish to back away when he flares.. Personally, I would aim to not cause the fish stress.

Just my 2 cents!

And yes, 2 male bettas in a tank is a total no go!!!

I hope you enjoy your new fishy!
 
Don't leave the mirror there, it's just stressful on the fish and he might actually attack the side of the glass. Not to mention he is flaring because he thinks he is about to fight. Imagine if every time you turned around someone was running up to you trying to fight you. You would be worried and freaked out the whole time. Not to mention my betta has rammed the glass before when a snail was on it, he hurt himself and got a good spot that eventually healed. I recommend you not leave the mirror there for a long period of time.
 
well I agree with you guys. the little guy is quite chilled, he passes by every now and then does his thing a couple times and then moves on. I am the kind of person that believes pets needs friends/companions of the same species, i.e., 2 dogs, 2 birds, 2 fish etc. anyway just wanted to clarify from others experience, so thanks for the posts.

He probably waits for us to go to work and then climbs over the rim and beats the c#@* out of the mirror. lol
 
lol, it's possible.

I'm just curious, does the tank he's in have a lid?
 
yip its got a lid
 
How big is the tank?
You could get him some snails or possibly some different types of fish if the tank is large enough. I have a betta in a 10 gallon with some emerald eyed rasboras. Everyone gets along fine. There are lots of plants, nooks and crannies so that everyone can get away from everyone if it's necessary.
 
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