# Are bettas usually this affectionate?



## imyblinky (Jul 14, 2013)

Hey guys, I'm new here. My new betta Foo (I've had him for three weeks so far) actually smooches my finger when it's in the tank and begs to be patted. I'm really not sure if it's a good idea to touch fish at all but this one is such a sook it's hard to believe. It begs the question if there's any underlying problem here - could there be something wrong? 

Also, Foo has had 3 tankmates thus far: 2 same-sized guppies and a catfish (catfish sadly died by ingesting a jagged pebble when I wasn't around :-() but with all he has been very gentle aside from the occasional game of chasies. He seems really mild mannered but again, I want to be certain there isn't something bad going on here.

One more question! :-D How does one go about introducing another betta into an undivided tank? Not that I'd do it any time soon, but the primary concern is not just how Foo would react, but how the newbie would react. And has it been done successfully by any of you?

Thanks :lol:


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## Seki (Jul 10, 2012)

Hey there, welcome to the forum! If that is your fish in your avatar, he's lovely.

To answer your question...
1) He's not kissing you, he's biting you.  Don't worry, it's normal and expected. It might seem like a kiss because bettas' teeth are so small! Try to keep your fingers out of the tank, though, it really isn't great for them.
2) How big is your tank to have all of those fish in there? Also, if it's only been 3 weeks, things can go south FAST. Be prepared to separate all the fish if this is the case.
3) Do NOT introduce another betta with your male. Let me say it again... DO NOT introduce another betta with your betta in an undivided tank!! Males don't need companions, nor will they tolerate other bettas. Females can be kept together in groups of four or more as long as there is adequate space and cover, but you can't put a male betta with any other betta and expect there not to be carnage.

Best of luck to you! If you want another fish, I'd suggest dividing your tank as long as it is large enough.


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

Ditto everything above. To add, domesticated bettas are very aggressive and will fight until one of them has died.

Do not pet your betta either. You're removing his protective slime coat when you do that. They need their slime coat. Their slime coat protects. Much like an immune system.


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## imyblinky (Jul 14, 2013)

Thanks guys! I suspected introducing another betta wasn't a good idea, but I guess I'm just betta-greedy/obsessed at the moment so I had to ask  

Also, I noticed that after the second water change since I got him that he's no longer so touchy, which is now a good thing now that I'm more knowledgeable about the lil guy. 

A bit of sad news though - his playmate guppy flipped out of the space near the filter and died... it must be bedlam when I'm not around at night :-? :-(


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## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

It's so cute when my female bettas bite me. One time I was cleaning the tank and my other hand was on the edge of the tank with my fingers in the water a little bit, and all 7 females came over and were biting my fingers. hehehe


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## sassyfriend (Jun 27, 2013)

My bettas come up to the tank and shake their little bodies in a dance to tell me they love me


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## xfrequentflyerx (Jul 17, 2013)

OrangeAugust said:


> It's so cute when my female bettas bite me. One time I was cleaning the tank and my other hand was on the edge of the tank with my fingers in the water a little bit, and all 7 females came over and were biting my fingers. hehehe


That's really hilarious OrangeAugust!!  It's considered "Betta love" when they bite you. LOL. :lol:


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## imyblinky (Jul 14, 2013)

"Betta love" haha I like that term


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## shannonpwns (Jul 15, 2013)

Does it hurt? I'm freakin terrified of my tiny, little mouthed, Bettas trying to bite me. It gets my heart racing...but I am kind of a wimp...I've been attacked by koi before! Lol.


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

shannonpwns said:


> Does it hurt? I'm freakin terrified of my tiny, little mouthed, Bettas trying to bite me. It gets my heart racing...but I am kind of a wimp...I've been attacked by koi before! Lol.


lol
no it doesn't hurt. It's more of a 'poke poke' kinda feeling. I'm someone that lets my fish nibble on me quite often. I hand feed all my fish so they actually associate my hands with something good. Keeps them from stressing out during tank maintenance. 

I'm also someone who hand feeds tarpon. And that doesn't even hurt. Just feels like sandpaper engulfing your hand.










Now, what hurts is when your fish somehow get a good grip on your arm hair and then proceed to yank on it >.<


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## Graceful (Apr 30, 2013)

Heh. Milo used to attack my finger, too. I always fed him bloodworms stuck to my finger, so I guess he just learned to nip my finger every time it poked in the water.


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