# betta nips at my hand... good? bad?



## cjschmelzer909 (Jul 14, 2012)

My little baby betta used to be very cautious with me and was very afraid of my hand. Anytime I'd place a finger in the water she'd swim away. So, at feeding time, I started placing my finger into the bowl and when she got close to my finger, I'd give her a pellet. Gradually, she started coming closer and closer. Now, when I place my finger in at feeding time, she takes a playful nip at it and it's the most adorable thing ever lol But... Although I want her to be comfortable with my hand in the water, I don't want her to be taking nips at it thinking that my hand is a piece of food when she's bigger. Should I correct this behavior somehow or just stop putting my finger in the water or what? Or do you think she'll stop nipping eventually? I just remember seeing a video on youtube of a betta swimming right up to it's owner's hand and sitting inside the palm of it. I would like my betta to be that comfortable with me but I don't want her taking nips at me all the time 

On an unrelated note, I can't believe how much bigger she already is. Just got her 5 days ago and she couldn't even fit a single pellet in her mouth and now I'm feeding her 2 of them in the morning. and I swear she grows more and more and gets more and more blue every night... Most of the time I can't even see her stripes anymore! Can't wait until she's full-grown. She seems soo happy too, greets me enthusiastically at the front of the glass every time I walk into my room 

This morning when I woke up, I even noticed her swimming back and forth along the side of the bowl that faces my bed, like she was waiting for me to wake up lol


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## MSG (May 8, 2012)

Your fish is more comfortable around you now. Nipping is no big deal. I highly doubt they can actually cut you. 

A King betta might be able to leave a mark though. I haven't kept a king before, but those things are massive. 

Bettas and most fish in general get very excited during feeding time. 

I would too if I only given food once a day.


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## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

Thats sounds sweet I would call them love nips...lol Perseus has never nipped me but sometimes I wish he would just to see what if feels like..lol ! Do they have teeth ? Someone on FB said they did.


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## noellezim (Jul 2, 2012)

my fish do that. i get the flake to stick on the edge of my fingernail and I can get him to jump all the way out of the water now. thank goodness I have a covered tank.


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## cjschmelzer909 (Jul 14, 2012)

Perseusmom said:


> Thats sounds sweet I would call them love nips...lol Perseus has never nipped me but sometimes I wish he would just to see what if feels like..lol ! Do they have teeth ? Someone on FB said they did.


Yeah, I call them kisses haha But I honestly don't have a clue if they have teeth or not... Really it just feels like a kiss by a tiny tiny mouth


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## cjschmelzer909 (Jul 14, 2012)

noellezim said:


> my fish do that. i get the flake to stick on the edge of my fingernail and I can get him to jump all the way out of the water now. thank goodness I have a covered tank.


I want to try to teach her to jump to get food, that would be pretty cool... Not until I get a bigger tank for her though, the top of my 2 gallon bowl isn't the biggest opening and I wouldn't want to risk her jumping out of the bowl


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## LizzyP (Jun 21, 2012)

Dumbledore doesn't nibble my fingers, he flares at them and then swims away. But I doubt their mouths are big enough to do any damage. If you don't like her nipping, don't place your finger in her tank.


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## cjschmelzer909 (Jul 14, 2012)

LizzyP said:


> Dumbledore doesn't nibble my fingers, he flares at them and then swims away. But I doubt their mouths are big enough to do any damage. If you don't like her nipping, don't place your finger in her tank.


It's not that I don't like it, it's just that I want her to be comfortable with my hand in the water rather than aggressive towards it


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

.. they're really not _that_ smart. It'll be a case of big hand= food, and likely less aggression than sheer greediness. 

My big plakat attacks hands like a tiny shark, flaring like mad. But he's a thug.


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## cjschmelzer909 (Jul 14, 2012)

Aus said:


> .. they're really not _that_ smart. It'll be a case of big hand= food, and likely less aggression than sheer greediness.
> 
> My big plakat attacks hands like a tiny shark, flaring like mad. But he's a thug.


Oh, I know, fish really aren't too smart at all lol. She's obviously associating my hand with food... But I'd rather it be a "Oh hi there, please let me have some food pretty please?" as opposed to "Hey, gimme some food or I'm gonna keep attacking the crap out of your hand" lol lame example, but you know what I mean.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

bettas have teeth! lol


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Well, not really teeth like you and me and the other mammals.

They do have raised ridges in their jaws that look something like in this great picture by inareverie


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Jaws. Lol


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## kjwarren103 (Jul 24, 2012)

Lol I don't know if you'll be able to stop her from nipping at your hand. Bettas are hungry little fish, and if she associates your hand with food, she'll nip at it.

Spidey nipped at my finger today, and it was so cute! Kind of scared me, cuz he took me a little off guard lol. But it doesn't hurt. It feels like they are just bumping into your finger


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