# Betta Are Complex.



## Syriiven (Aug 15, 2012)

S'far as I've seen, betta most resemble cats. Sometimes hamsters, but mostly cats.

Anything you bring home, it's either edible, or something to sleep on, or something to shun with a fwip of that stylish tail and ignore - no matter how much you spent on it. 

I say hamsters because I find that all of my boys have specific spots in their tank they go poop. The girls in my sorority dont seem to care much, as I find it - oh wait, right below the line where I feed them xP. But the boys definitely have their favourite cave or corner - much like a hamster has that ONE corner that's tugh and smelly and gross. Granted they get random, but there's always that concentration...

But these really arent all that makes betta complex with their behaviours. 

Far from it. 

Let's start with things I've noticed in my last several crazy months of going form one betta to twenty-two (will be twenty-four by end of April, weather allowing). 

- Flaring is not just a threat display, or to show off to females. It's a form of subtle communication, and involves all the fins -- Dorsal spread, half, spread, twitched tot he side; ventrals straight out and down, or more spread, or tucked back; caudal twitched to the side, the wiggle-dance; the Eye...every fin and movement is a form of communication. 

For example, when a great white shark is approached by a person, you can literally see them stop. They look at you, hunch they're backs, pectorals straight out and their body goes rigid - a warning to leave their territory. 

Betta do this too. before they outright flare, they'll stop completely, hunch their backs and they're rigid, it's a warning. 

But say a betta isn't rigid, slightly curved, has their dorsal twitched a little to the side and you can see their little ye flicking over you? Have you ever wondered what exactly they're trying to say? What they think?

- Another thing I noticed is there must be more than fins for communication; 

I had two males in a split 10g. On and off they'd flare through the divider, but there were some times one would cruise by the divider while the other was in a cave. As soon as fin touched that divider, that other one from the cave was out and came to greet/challenge the one who had approached the divider first. 

Was it a very subtle sound? Was it possible he recognized the other betta through a reflection of him through the plastic mesh I use for dividers? 

Just how good are their hearing and eyesight? How sensitive are they to vibration? Has anyone else noticed that when you're home, your betta is awake and very happy to see you before you enter that specific room?

- Mood Swings; those who own chronic tail-biters may be most familiar with this, but I've read many cases where any betta just suddenly gets sulky. 

Now, I won't pretty it up and say they have 'feelings' like we do. But I won't deny that a lot of animals we don't see as 'warm and cuddly' are easily affected by certain moods - stress for one thing is quite similar to ours. But there are bettas who only perk up when you change their scenery, or when they have another betta to be near. For such a solitary fish, they revel in being social - even if it's only to prove they're the biggest and baddest fish there. 

Thus I've decided that thought they don't have a sense of self (they see themselves in mirrors, but don't react to it like it's a reflection, but as another fish - they don't recognize themselves; unlike dolphins in an experiment who showed signs of recognizing themselves in the mirror) BUT they do have a sense of individuality, and a sense of their world being bigger than them. 

They arent completely enthralled by bubbles, or shiny stones, they don't swim lazilly in a current and filter feed on microscopic noms...they're very active, inquisisitve (often silly) fish. They constantly look out of their tanks into our world, and are often fascinated. They learn to recognize you, and know when you're going to feed them, when you're just going to sit by and do something else. Doesnt matter to them, you being nearby is the bare minimum of social interaction and they react to it well. 

I've read stories where owners have talked to their betta, sang to them, even taught them tricks. They're smart little creatures, and they know when we want their attention - or well, they know when they want us to give them attention (note, cat-like...).

They may not 'feel' as we do, but they enjoy our companionship as much as we them. Yes, the basics of the relationship is set around food and good care - but I know you all have had your betta wiggle around and do zoomies and yawn as you take a photo or outright get upset with you. There's far more to them than a simple 'goldfish' relationship (no offense to goldfish lovers). You resemble more to a betta than simply a source of food. What exactly you mean to them may never actually be known, but I imagine if they could get out of their tanks and move around and not dry out...they'd be much like a cat. 

Exploring. Being in your way in the very middle of what you're doing. Getting themselves into trouble. Sleeping on anything they desire. Attempting to nom anything they think looks tasty. And always interested in what you're doing.

In this thread I welcome members of the forum to post stories and examples proving the complex behaviors of your betta. I'm not really collecting data and information to prove anything, but think it would simply be nice to start a large reference source that will tell others more about these wonderful little guys and girls we love so much.
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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Great threat syriiven! As soon as I walk into my room, all of my fish get excited and start surfing the glass and showing off. I have one male who jumps as soon as I go near his tank cause he knows I have food lol.


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## Syriiven (Aug 15, 2012)

D'aaww~ 

Eranikus (the green dragon you're interested in) 'ignores' me until I outright harrass him, but as soon as I approach his tank from the one side...he's super friendly ;]

Btw, by 'threat' did you mean 'treat'? xD I don't normally nitpick but the first few words kinda put me on edge! ROFL


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## Tabbie82 (Jan 24, 2013)

I'm kinda in love with this thread right now. Totally enjoy your description of bettas and how they would be like cats, Syriiven. My boys definitely react to the environment around them. Puddles will flare at my iPod touch and NOTHING else. I think the colorful case I have on it sets him off for some reason. Dagger always hangs out in the back of his tank, by the filter, unless he sees me. Then he is front and center. I can't wait to see the responses you get here!


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## Syriiven (Aug 15, 2012)

Same - I'm very excited to discover some new behaviors people notice in their betta =)

My aggressive boy - Kalec - flares at the back of my iphone too. I think it's because it's dramatically colored, black and red with blue, but my thoughts lean to the black part. I use my wacom tablet pen to put my boys through flare exercises. simulates the head of a another betta, I think the theory goes.


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

They have favorite people too, and different reactions to different ones.

Mushu is pretty ambivalent to Mike's existence, but spends a lot of the time I'm in the computer chair dancing for me, or with me.

Don Quixote likes to flare and war dance for Mike. Not an aggressive display, but more of a plea for attention. lol
Lillith gets too excited at any kind of attention, jumping out of the water even.


I used to have to have a CT male who would defend the computer desk against anyone except me sitting there.


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## Syriiven (Aug 15, 2012)

Your fish amuse me to no end, so much personality! 

I laughed so hard the other day when Curtis walked in and tiny Slyph flared the heck out of him until he left the room.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

It's so true - and bettas are so individual! Up until recently, Odysseus has been freaking out and swimming down the bottom of the tank and hiding his head under things every time I go near the tank. In the past few days, he's suddenly remembered that I'm the food lady, and swims in shark-circles on the surface wanting food whenever I'm in the room. 

My girls are all super-curious. Whenever I'm in the room they all come over to say hello, and if I put my hand in the tank for any reason it gets bitten, swum through and rubbed against by everyone. Crazy girls.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Oh my gosh. I meant thread. Wtf, autocorrect.


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## Syriiven (Aug 15, 2012)

Oh, thread! xD Thanks for clearing that up Matt!

@Bombalurina - I totally understand the girls! Not scared of me at all! Though it always concerns me when they're over-curious when I'm using the gravel vac to syphon out water on changes >.< One got sucked up the one day - so glad she wasn't injured! But then she was back to trying to swim back into it again


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

@Syr, I haz vishus gerd feesh!!! They protect the noms from Mike! It's hilarious to see Don Quixote go from neutral to FLARE, FLASH! as soon as he sees Mike coming. <3

@Bombalurina, we have that same problem in our 30 gal, Mike seems to be a hot commodity, one of our guppy girls was ferociously attacking the bubbles on his arm.


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## Syriiven (Aug 15, 2012)

xD I love that DQ is doing SO much better!!


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

You and me both! He had me scared for a while there! Thankfully, Lillith's crush on Mike has made it so much easier for him to deal with losing Jade. They have such amusing personalities. Every single one is an individual, and I can't wait to see what my future babies will grow into!


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## Syriiven (Aug 15, 2012)

Eee~ I know that feel =D 

I just can't wait to set ll my boys up on their betta shelf so they'll all have neighbours and won't be lonely. Maybe I should call it the betta condo.......


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Because I keep species that will fight but not usually do serious injury to each other, it is interesting to watch two bettas (particularly males) interact. 

Bettas can be very subtle in how they communicate, particularly with how they convey aggression/dominance. Sometimes all it takes is a look or a certain way of positioning the body and the weaker of the fish will yield without it coming to blows.

I love watching one of my tanks that houses 20 males and 5 females. The males are almost always sparring or displaying to each other and there doesn't seem to be any real pecking order as sometimes three or more fish will be involved in an incident. 

I think the more you sit and actually watch your fish, the more you learn about them. Bettas are one of my favourite fish to own simply because they do seem to have much more complex behaviours and personalities than a lot of other fish.


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## Syriiven (Aug 15, 2012)

Exactly!

I would really love to have a species that can be housed together (would certainly make my life easier) - but to see what their actual community is like. 

There aren't many species of wild betta that can co-exist like this though, is there?


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Like almost every wild betta species can live together in pairs and most can live together in groups. It's only really the domesticated splendens that can't.


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## Syriiven (Aug 15, 2012)

I wonder why that is...I mean if it's an instinctual trait, then why when bred into prettier fish would the ability to co-habitate seem to almost vanish? Is it because of the males becoming just so much more vibrant?


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I think it's because splendens were originally selected for aggression, and this has been compounded over the years until you end up with fish that are much more aggressive than those found in the wild. 

I believe that not showing appropriate aggression is considered a fault in show fish so I believe this is why the trait has been retained for so long.


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## Syriiven (Aug 15, 2012)

Ahh, okay. I thought splendens were bred for looks, not agression - but then again there's a lot more research I need to do on the history of breeding betta.


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Aggression is also sometimes required in courtship. It seems the more abuse dished out, the better the spawns tend to be.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

If bettas are cats then goldfish are definitely dogs; loving, affectionate, crawling out of the water to see you, squishing themselves into your hand and covering your arm with kisses.

Plakat were the original selective bred betta, and they never came in those colors, they were bred to fight.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Syriiven (Aug 15, 2012)

I knew the plakats were meant for fights. - what i'm missing here is how did we go from the wild betta to iur dainty water butterflies?


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Just selectively breeding for specific traits over a period of time. Similar to how new traits such as the bigger pectorals are bred for now.


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## Syriiven (Aug 15, 2012)

Someone needs to publish a comprehensive walkthrough of betta breeding history.

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On a curious note, anyone have any interesting tidbits on their betta reacting to music?

Eranikus, my green dragonscale, likes bass and feel pumped enough to antagonize his reflection for longer periods of time. Or he may just get a headache from the vibrations - not entirely sure. 

Phycondrias (S.I.P.) actually did zoomies and danced to Lady Gaga's & Beyonce's Telephone. Like hard core sass. Including flaring at me then going back to dancing.

I've heard some random stories over the interwebs of some owners claiming their little companion was totally a metalhead. 

So, anyone noticed anything?


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

People tend to see themselves in their animals.

I'm convinced that's the reason both my dogs can't/won't swim.. because I can't.


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## Syriiven (Aug 15, 2012)

It's a possibility.


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