# Flaring: good exercise or just stressful?



## LMac54 (Jun 9, 2010)

I keep hearing conflicting opinions, particularly on this forum as well as other Betta care web pages. 

What do you think? 
*
Is flaring good exercise for your betta? 

Or is it just stressing them out in a negative way?

Does it depend on the situation? *(putting a mirror in their tank, reflective tank, seeing other males through divider, etc)

Vote in the poll and say your opinion here.


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## Maryrox247 (Aug 10, 2009)

I put it depends because if your having them flare 24/7 it becomes stressfull BUT if its for 5-10 mins at a time yes it is great excercise! People just need to make sure that the bettas cannot make any direct contact which can result in a fight which leads to the death of one or more of the bettas.


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## Adastra (Jun 18, 2010)

It's a natural behavior, but if you overdo it, it can be harmful to the fish. Having a mirror in the tank all the time, or using the "flare buddy" method (leaving two males next to each other all the time without proper cover) is too stressful--after all, wouldn't we be a bit stressed out and more likely to become ill if there was an aggressive, homicidal person perched outside our homes all the time? 

As long as it isn't done to excess, flaring is a healthy natural behavior. I wouldn't intentionally "flare" a betta for more than a few minutes a day.


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## BettiBetta (Jun 28, 2010)

I voted that it is good exercise because I think it's second nature for bettas to flare. Heck every time they see me they flare  I think they flare when they are excited...kinda like a dog wagging their tail? Anyway it seems that way to me. LOL!


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## BettiBetta (Jun 28, 2010)

And now I see we need a tie breaker!


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## Phether (Aug 22, 2009)

I agree completely with Maryrox :] I personally use the mirror method for about 2-3 minutes and let use this opportunity to take pictures sometimes


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## jmtriro01 (Jun 22, 2010)

i just tried this mirror method to see if my Jake will react, and yes, he saw himself and flared a lot. it was fun to watch him flare at himself. however, im worried that it might stress him out so i removed the mirror after a few minutes. but as i have read from the previous posts, i think it is a good exercise for them, but it should be done for only a few minutes...


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## newfiedragon (May 25, 2010)

I put it depends because if it's a controlled flaring, such as using a mirror for a few minutes, then it's good exercise, but if it's constant flaring, such as a fish seeing itself reflected in the walls of it's tank and constantly flaring at itself, then it's not. My fish flares at it's walls and it's been driving me nuts because it's been ripping it's fins, either from flaring too much or getting stressed and biting it's tail, I'm not sure which. I have no clue how to remedy the situation.


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## FloridaBettas239 (Jun 29, 2010)

Controlled flaring is a good thing especially when it comes to halfmoons i was talking to bettysplendens and she told me that flaring a halfmoon is a must she said that if you just put him in a gallon tank or whatever and never flare him he never gets to strech his fins or his ray's the branches in his caudal fin never get streched out like they should and he could loose a degree or two in his tail making him a super delta you can go to her site there is so much info or email her


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