# My guy doesn't flare...



## Sassington (Oct 29, 2011)

I've had our betta Thomas for a week now and I have only seen him flare (only his gills for that matter) once at an aquarium figurine who obviously sassed him, lol... the reason why I'm bringing it up here is because I keep seeing things here and there on this forum that some bettas flare (gills, fins, everything!) to say hi, when they're hungry, emotion they're demonstrating when they're happy (seems odd, but OK lol), what have you.. 

Do some bettas never/seldom flare? My guy doesn't seem the "flare" type. :lol:


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

My boys never flare at me, only each other. And when I only had one, he never flared. Have you tried showing him a mirror? That sometimes works. Otherwise, don't worry. Maybe your boy has a zen personality where nothing bothers him!

Flaring and bubbles nests don't mean happiness. They are just natural instincts that IMO mean the fish isn't sick. My roomies have a fish in a 1/2 gallon bowl that is never cleaned and not heated and he still flares and makes bubble nests.


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## Ksiezniczka (May 23, 2011)

You aren't alone. My boy has only flared (that I've seen) once. I tried showing him a mirror but he just ignored it. Maybe he would more if he saw another betta but since I only have him (for NOW anyway) I don't know that yet


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

my delta, Ichi. NEVER flares his gills. he'll spread his fins wide, but won't flare his gills. even his fin spreading seems half-hearted. lol i don't think there's anything wrong with that. Ichi's just a chill dude(he lived in constant sight of my blind HMPK, before Theo died. 24/7 view, unless he wanted to go behind a plant).


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## lovebug009 (Mar 24, 2011)

I have one that I have only seen flare once and his gill cover opened, but he had no beard. So I guess they are all different.


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## valleyankee (Oct 21, 2011)

Mine flares at everything. He doesn't like the thermometer placed in his tank, flares at the bottle of water I put down near his tank, pencils, pens, the lamp, his mirror, a pad, etc. He likes to defend his territory. 

Sometimes I will be working and turn my head and he rushes from the other side of the tank and blow up his gills at me. It's funny.


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## vaygirl (Sep 10, 2009)

My Logan flares at ALL and my Kilo never flares at anything. It's just one of those things. Some do, some don't, some never stop! :lol:


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

I got one guy that can't flare. He tries and his fins streach out but the puffy thing doesn't puff up. I tested his ammonia level when i got him and it was a 4, so Im thinking ammonia burn scars are preventing it?


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

I have one that took over a month to flare.. even seeing his male neighbor he didn't flare. Wasn't until I moved him next to Fallen's tank (A female) did he flare for the first time.


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## Ksiezniczka (May 23, 2011)

I finally got mine to flare. Apparently I needed to move the mirror around a bit. THEN he flared up a LOT.


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## Sassington (Oct 29, 2011)

Lol... this a cute thread... there was another thread similar to this one I found that I was giggling out loud about all the different personalities and how people will use mirrors to help their fish flare and defend their territories and how it can help their fish feel satisfied that they scared off the "intruder" once the mirror is taken away... so funny!

I have tried the mirror thing a few times and he doesn't seem interested... he'll stop and look at his reflection and slowly swim a little, and watch himself again, then swim, watch... nothing... 

He flared once when I tried to take a pic... my camera sassed him, and I couldn't snap the pic fast enough hahaha... oh well


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## Ksiezniczka (May 23, 2011)

Mine flared at my brother today. Maybe you need to borrow someone's little brother, hahaha.


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## Litlover11 (Aug 1, 2011)

It depends on the fish, I think. Touchstone won't flare at all. Ares flares at the tank walls to the point of tail biting. Freyja flares at many things(mirrors,nail polish, the camera, and people if they get too close to her bubble nest!) Touchstone doesn't flare or make bubble nests and I have had him for over 2 years. If the water conditions are fine and he is active, I wouldn't worry too much.


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

Sir Lefty Buttons (RIP) only flared a handful of times in his life, and it was usually when I put a finger in the water. He didn't flare at other fish and he didn't flare at mirrors. It's really nothing to worry about.


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## Sassington (Oct 29, 2011)

*I can eat my words now...*

Apparently all my Thomas needed was to make his first bubble nest (*YAAAY!!*) and for me to plant a mirror outside his tank for him to get all riled up :-D

I'm _so_ proud... 

I gave him a few bloodworms as a reward for putting up with my camera lololol


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

Just make sure you don't leave the mirror there for more than 5 minutes a day. He'll get stressed out.


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## Sassington (Oct 29, 2011)

Sweeda88 said:


> Just make sure you don't leave the mirror there for more than 5 minutes a day. He'll get stressed out.


Oh, I did  I took it away after snapping these pics and rewarded him with bloodworms as a treat...


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

Good. Just wanted to be sure. =)


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## Sassington (Oct 29, 2011)

Oh, and I wanted to make an avatar pic of the front view of him flaring and add "RAWR!!" to it but I saw you have that already!! Great minds think alike hahaha! :lol:


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

Do it anyway! Our fish are totally different colors. dragonflie, a member on here, made mine.


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## BlackberryBetta (Feb 6, 2011)

I know what you mean! I had a PK that would never flare! I had never seen him flare once, not even to a mirror. He had a really laid back personality though, it was quite cute, but it would have been nice to have seen him flare!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Only 5 of my 12 flare.


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