# Toys for bettas?



## jag14 (Sep 23, 2012)

My male pk, likes to flare at my fingers and follow them at the front glass. He also will nibble on my finger in the water. Any suggestions what might work as a toy or game for a very active little betta? He seems to train fairly easily. I give him a pellet each time he flares at my fingers or nibbles on my finger. Didn't take Jack long to figure how to get his food. Or is he training me...

I thought about adding small floating objects from time to time, just to give him something different to explore in his 5 gallon world. At one time there used to be available fake plastic fish attached to a weight on the bottom of the tank.

Just wanted to make sure he is well taken care of and not bored when I am away from work.


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

Train him to jump on command and swim through a hoop :-D
Or you could cut out a life sized plastic shape of a flaring male, put that on a stick and have "fights" with him in the water


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## quietlythundering (Jan 29, 2013)

I'd like to find things for my bettas to do! I gave two of my boys moss balls, and Neil made his (by far) most impressive bubblenest around it. Too bad it was in his temporary home while I was cleaning his tank out! He was upset that I had to dismantle it when his tank became ready for him ><'


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## Taeanna (Apr 2, 2013)

I put things around Kaida's tank and he spends some time having a good look at them. I intend to spend some time going through the toy stores on the hunt for some smaller ornaments/toys he might like to play with. I recall seeing a tiny fish hanging from a floaty once, I hope to find it again.


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## LyraDove (Feb 22, 2013)

A new industry is waiting to be born -- pool toys for Bettas! I made one, a little plastic tube sealed at both ends with cork...but my fish paid it no attention until I cut a thin strip from a magnet pad and put it inside. The fish poked at it but lost interest because the toy kept sticking to the glass. Next time, I'll add a D-ring to the cork and tether it into place with monofilliment tied to a small anchor rock.


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## jag14 (Sep 23, 2012)

I got some small fishing floats, tied one to a weight and let the other one float. Jack wasn't interested in the one on the weight. But he did finally notice the free floating one and started to fight with it. The float isn't much bigger than he is and is bright orange. So he does notice new things in the tank. Fishing floats are cheap to play with. I used to use them with my big jag/dovii cichlid to keep him entertained.


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## jag14 (Sep 23, 2012)

Found out that the free floating bobber works to get his attention. He goes into attack mode as soon as I drop the bobber in. I only leave it in there for a few minutes to let him play. Don't want to stress him out.


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## RowdyBetta (Feb 1, 2013)

Don't know if it counts as a toy, but I made a mesh floating tube thingy that Cirrus like sleeping and playing in.


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## Shepaski (Jan 3, 2013)

I'm trying to train sully to swim through a hoop I made with string on command and rewarding him with food when he goes through it. At the moment I think he only swims through the hoop because he's just getting from point A to point B, hoping to put him through an agility course one day


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

I wonder if you could train a Betta to flare on command


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## RowdyBetta (Feb 1, 2013)

trilobite said:


> I wonder if you could train a Betta to flare on command


My first betta flared on command!


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

Thats so awesome! How did you teach him


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## RowdyBetta (Feb 1, 2013)

I used a mirror at first to get him to flare then slowly transitioned to using my index finger pointed at him. I swapped the mirror to my finger every few seconds and soon he started flaring if I pointed at him. :3


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

Cute! Im going to have to try and do that


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## jag14 (Sep 23, 2012)

I've about gotten mine trained to flare when I wave my fingers at him through the front glass. I think for him its more about getting a piece of food than actual training.


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## Shepaski (Jan 3, 2013)

swimming through the hoop trick for me is really really slow at the moment lol


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## SunshineSulie (Mar 16, 2013)

Do pingpong balls work? Looking to maybe get something for my fish too.


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## jag14 (Sep 23, 2012)

I found some cheap small pool toys, little fish, starfish, stuff like that at Walmart on clearance. The small plastic fish looked liked a possibility if I can figure out how to rig the fishing line on it.


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## weaver72 (Jul 9, 2012)

My best friend and I bought some curlers for your hair,took out the middle foam and and mY bettas love to swim thru or hide in,so we have float and my female loves to go thru it


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## jag14 (Sep 23, 2012)

Finally figured out how to get mine to flare anytime I want him to. All I have to do is dangle an orange fish float in front of him now and he goes nuts. Throw in a pellet and he's happy again. Don't see how anyone can say that the fish can't see out their tank. Mine watches me all the time. I like the curler idea, would be neat to have a small tunnel to swim and play in.


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## jag14 (Sep 23, 2012)

I bet bright color beads or crystals dangling in the water would get their attention too. I'm using ideas that worked with a large cichlid I had before. Bettas have as much attitude as some of my big fish have had, minus the piranha-like teeth. Much safer to play with a betta.


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## lovefordebbie (Jul 7, 2013)

i took the cap off of a water bottle, and set it in there. maybe set a piece of food in it or let it alone in there, they will sometimes push it around


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## TheGoldenBetta (Jul 8, 2013)

It is possible, you can search it on youtube. To teach a betta to go through a hoop, you must first teach it to follow your finger. Then, insert the hoop and put your finger on the other side of the hoop. Eventually, when put in, your betta will go through right away.


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## Taeanna (Apr 2, 2013)

I found this online. Sure its a goldfish but there are videos of bettas using the same kit to achieve results.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hdTb3ZMsYA


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## TheGoldenBetta (Jul 8, 2013)

I'm trying to save money and make a homemade kit lol. I plan on using PVC pipes.


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## jag14 (Sep 23, 2012)

I have a new betta at home that I am going to try and train the same way my office betta is trained. All I have to do now is dangle the orange float outside the tank and my office fish flares. He's a pk, and much more active and outgoing than my previous 2 veiltails. My new boy is a white pearl vt and I hope he does as well as my other one has. I might try to train my office betta to go through a tube or hoop. He already follows every move I make near his tank.


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## Shepaski (Jan 3, 2013)

that training kit thing looks awesome.
least it makes rewarding the fish easier


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