# *Toy Land*



## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

The purpose of this thread is to suggest and review various potential toys to keep our curious betta friends mentally exercised!

Bettas are naturally curious... as many of the betta owners on the forum know very well. We've had bettas swim up filter outflows (waterfall style) and into the filters. We have bettas who hang on filter intakes for fun (they seem to like the suction). We've had many unfortunate bettas who have stuck their heads into the drainage holes of terra cotta pot!

We want our bettas to have fun, but we want it to be safe as possible. So what toys do you suggest? 

First toy of the list... ping pong ball! Small, light, non-toxic, no sharp edges and easy to clean.

Next?


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## Nexangelus (Apr 29, 2011)

I once saw a video of a guy who bent a pipe cleaner into a circle and had his betta "swim through the hoops" like some kind of circus performer. Of course, pipe cleaners have that fuzz, so they're not realistic for long-term use, but I'm sure it could be replicated with something else. 

The only other thing that comes to mind is snails, but they're not exactly a toy. Pretty much all my bettas have found endless enjoyment knocking baby snails off of the glass. 

Curious to see what other people say....


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## xMandy (May 21, 2011)

This one?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ViVXMM0zsQ


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## pinksnowme (May 31, 2011)

Oh I like this thread! 
I got my Blizzard addicted to marbles! 
Hubby and I roll them on the dining table back and forth for him to swim to
It happened by accident. Blizzard had a bowl full of decorative sea glass when I brought him home. I knew he could get stuck or gouged on one of the shards, but I hadn't gotten any safe stones yet. So hubby offered his marble collection and set it on the table. Blizzard got so excited. So we tried rolling one. He loved it. Then I found some stones in a long forgotten 5gal tank in the garage. I st these out for him to examine. He loved those too! I put them in his bowl with the next change but I wasn't too happy with the color mixture. So I went out and bought some green stones and set those out. Now I think he is expecting new marbles at every water change! I left some large flat clear stones on the table as well as a Pet Shop Aquarium set. He loves to watch the Nemo slide down the ramp and get angry if the table shakes and knocks the fishy down. 
Lastly I found these awesome glitter gel clings at the Big Lots store here. They are like removable stickers for windows I stuck a few on his bowl. I see him playing hide and seek behind them once in a while. 
Here is a thread I posted about making a Blizzard Wonderland
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=73003


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

pinksnowme said:


> I got my Blizzard addicted to marbles!
> Now I think he is expecting new marbles at every water change!


There is certainly nothing wrong with 'changing up' toys. I think toys are even more effective when they 'come and go'... more stimulating for the betta.

In the wild, things are constantly changing... different weather, light, critters, bugs, etc...


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## Littlebittyfish (Jan 5, 2011)

I use my makeup compact mirror ..I hang it over the top of the tank for a little bit..they like it.


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## PewPewPew (Nov 26, 2010)

I like suddenly jumping out at my fish and wiggling around in front of the tank...

Hey man dont judge D;

Alle gets mad but soars around the tank and begins to play after he chills out for hours, and Baller... Well, he just gets all kinds of excited and waits for taps on the glass to follow. (He's...interesting, lol)

I like to keep my driftwood on a weird angle securely placed against the tank's walls sometimes, so they have a new place to swim through. I just move it against a new wall, and its like a made a new continent or something- like theyve never seen it before lol! Silly guys.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Nexangelus said:


> I once saw a video of a guy who bent a pipe cleaner into a circle and had his betta "swim through the hoops" like some kind of circus performer. Of course, pipe cleaners have that fuzz, so they're not realistic for long-term use, but I'm sure it could be replicated with something else.
> 
> The only other thing that comes to mind is snails, but they're not exactly a toy. Pretty much all my bettas have found endless enjoyment knocking baby snails off of the glass.
> 
> Curious to see what other people say....


http://www.amazon.com/R2-Fish-Schoo...?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1308823527&sr=1-1

A pipe cleaner is way cheaper than this. ^_^ I bet a bangle bracelet would work, too. I haven't tried it with my guys, not enough space and I think they' just end up nibbling on it to see if it was edible.


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## Arashi Takamine (Mar 3, 2011)

Well everything in the AQ is all meant for them...Kai's favorite 'toy' is his dragon. I wanna get him something else to keep him busy.

I heard someone used the sections of a hamster maze as a toy for their betta's.


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## kif3 (May 10, 2011)

eeheheheheheee XDDD fish school kit XD that just made me laugh though im sure it could work :3 especially if someone if crazy about sport XD.

just placing in different coloured stones seems to work for me too, i put in a pink one and my fishie just loved to swim over and have a bit of eyeing off at it XD


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

Arashi Takamine said:


> I heard someone used the sections of a hamster maze as a toy for their betta's.


With any tube toy, make sure the sections are short... We don't want bettas feeling 'trapped' when they need to get to the surface for air! 

PVC pipe connectors (white pipes) come in different shapes and are interesting to explore


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

My bettas think they're too good for plain ol' PVC pipe. ^_^ The only time I saw one of mine go through their pipe tunnel was when I was trying to catch her with a net (before I was converted to the "cup" method) and she dove in there to escape. I know ping pong balls often work to distract oscars and other cichlids. I've never tried it with a betta.


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## fishman12 (Sep 1, 2010)

With the ping pong do you float it on top or what? And also where do you get betta logs?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Float on top. I think. The oscars push it around with their heads but what a betta would do with a ball their same size, I have no idea. I got all of my betta logs at my Petsmart but you can order them from amazon.com and other pet supply websites, too.


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## fishman12 (Sep 1, 2010)

Ok, cool.


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Yea my brother has to get me one hmm, two, or three of the betta logs when he is in the usa. I have NEVER seen them here. I should maybe start a list of goodies my brother will have to look for when he is there


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## BettaFishRule (Jan 4, 2011)

i luv this thread


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Wyvern said:


> Yea my brother has to get me one hmm, two, or three of the betta logs when he is in the usa. I have NEVER seen them here. I should maybe start a list of goodies my brother will have to look for when he is there


Dang things are so expensive, though. Your brother may want compensation.


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Hahahaha naw hes good. Besides Ill be looking after his 60L tank whilst he is away - I will have to feed his fish for him plus do a water change. So technically he owes me


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

I should try the ping pong ball thing...


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Wyvern said:


> Hahahaha naw hes good. Besides Ill be looking after his 60L tank whilst he is away - I will have to feed his fish for him plus do a water change. So technically he owes me


Yeah, it does sound like it an even exchange then, if he gets the betta logs.


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Yea I just had a look, Ill only get one that the boys will have to share. Otherwise they are really expensive. hmmmmm, maybe I can make something similar


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

"What rolls downstairs, alone or in pairs?
Rolls over your your neighbor's dog?
What's great for a snack?
And fits on your back?

It's Log, Log, Log..." - Ren and Stimpy

******

I've seen turtle logs too,... same thing as betta log, but much bigger. Would be nice in a larger tank with a natural look...


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

I want two for each side of my tank


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## kathstew (Feb 23, 2011)

At my local Big Als the logs are only like $8.99. But I've heard a lot of problems from them, weird nasty growth-things on them, dirtying the water etc... so Idk..

Ping pongs are cute, I find they either love them or not. My mom's fish Skittles, likes to push it around the tank. 

I stuck a piece of colored tape in the middle of the outside of my tank, and Spazz went CRAZY. He loved it, trying to hit it, flare at it etc.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, I've noticed some weird fuzzy stuff in one of my guy's log. I'm not sure if it's bacteria growth or brushed-off scales or what but when I change his water, I'm going to scrub it off with an algae brush. He hasn't shown any ill side effects and he loves his tunnel like crazy so I'll just try and keep it clean before I consider removing it.


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

Plastic bottle caps... from soda and water bottles. Remove any plastic inset (soda bottles tend to have them). Make sure they have no rough edges.

Place in tank right-side up or down. 

I put some in the sorority last night and they caused quite a stir!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Here Fishy Fishy Fishy said:


> Plastic bottle caps... from soda and water bottles. Remove any plastic inset (soda bottles tend to have them). Make sure they have no rough edges.
> 
> Place in tank right-side up or down.
> 
> I put some in the sorority last night and they caused quite a stir!


What did the girls do? Did they push them around or were they just surprised to see something new in the tank? I might try one for my overly hyper VT guy, I think he's got "tank" fever.


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

I put a red cap in first... they swarmed instantly... no one was brave enough to touch it. 

I put in a second bottle cap... the swarm moved 'en masse'... safety & curiosity in numbers!

It was bedtime, so I pulled the caps... will put them in occasionally... I'm hoping with the narrow rims, they might grab them and pull them around or under, given time and exploration....

If the toys are not ever-present, they have a great distraction value...


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Cute.  I can just picture them. "You touch it first." "No, you." "No, you do it."


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## fishman12 (Sep 1, 2010)

I put a bootle cap in my VT's tank and he made a bubble nest in it.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Bootle? Haha it floated? I should try that. I'm gonna go try the ping pong one now...


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I think my VT's tank is too small for anything else floating in it. He's got some tall plants and a betta log and he seemed bored with the soda cap I put in there (short attention span, super hyper, can't find his food when it's under his nose . . . he's got issues). I might get him a 5g when I finish quarantining various fish and can put some of my small tanks away. And if my sorority flops, I'll leave the girls in their various 2.5gs and put him in the big tank instead.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Haha I put the ping pong ball in maxwells side of the tank. He's not doing anything with it, but I hope he'll make a bubble nest on it...


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## fishman12 (Sep 1, 2010)

Neil D said:


> Bootle? Haha it floated? I should try that. I'm gonna go try the ping pong one now...


 bottle


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I wonder what would happen if I put a fishing lure in. Oh, definitely not the kind with hooks or anything but like one of those wiggly worm ones or the kind with feathers.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

The ping pong ball is a no no for me!!!!! I put it in and a few hrs later there is soo much weird white substance in the tank! Only on that side of the divider! Most of it is gone, but it scared the **** out of me!


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

Although not a 'toy', live food provides another stimulating 'activity' for your bettas. Baby crickets and wingless fruit flies are not only food, but stimulate the betta's hunting abilities, something that they would enjoy in the wild.

It also stimulates my bf's curiosity... "why are you bringing crickets into the house? What do you mean they have a 'cage'? You're going to do WHAT with them?" LOL!


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

Neil D said:


> The ping pong ball is a no no for me!!!!! I put it in and a few hrs later there is soo much weird white substance in the tank! Only on that side of the divider! Most of it is gone, but it scared the **** out of me!


What brand of ping pong ball did you use, Neil? That's not normal...


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## fishman12 (Sep 1, 2010)

yeah what brand?


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## omgitslph (Jun 14, 2011)

Sakura8 said:


> Cute.  I can just picture them. "You touch it first." "No, you." "No, you do it."


That reminds me of the Finding Nemo scene about touching "the butt". xD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

omgitslph said:


> That reminds me of the Finding Nemo scene about touching "the butt". xD


:rofl: Yup, it does, doesn't it?


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

Hamster toys: a different twist 

http://reviews.petsmart.com/4830/41...eviews/reviews.htm?sortOrder=reviewTextLength

Petville makes a few different hamster toys. This toy train and the bridge (not shown here) are perfect in aquariums. They have no rough edges, are easy to clean and most importantly, allow the fish ample room to escape to the surface.

I have the train in Baby Blue's 5 gallon tank. She has no companions (she's anti-social to the max) and not too much decor, as her eyesight was compromised from a popeye infection.

I have seen BB inside the train, which is like a hamster tunnel section with the 'roof' removed. At any time, she can rise to the surface. There is nothing blocking her vertical assent.

Just another betta-worthy toy to consider!


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

OOOoooo, here's a close up:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4189259&cp=2767038.2769312

BTW, I'll post a pix of my set-up soon!


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

tee-hee. i posted this on this site before, and found it on google. xD

i have one of these









it's a little glass bubble, attached to a glass animal by fishing wire. it floats about, bobbing along if you have a current. Freya used to flare at it, and peck at the dolphin's eyes. o.0 mine's a fully blue dolphin, with a light blue belly and white eyes. x: a friend who works at a Petco in Cali got it for me. :d maybe someone else's betta would enjoy it, but mine don't anymore. xD


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

Pecking out eyes... always fun, lol! A Betta's idea of fun borders on the macabre sometimes....


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

it really does. o.0 she was pretty relentless about it. she'd sneak up behind it, and peck at the eyes. leave it along for hours, days even, then do it again. .___. it's like "no wonder Cup likes you. you're a mean woman, Freya!" xD


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## omgitslph (Jun 14, 2011)

My 10 gallon tank has a frog, 1 big fish, and a set of 3 small fish on one string. My betta doesn't seem to mind them but I think they make him feel not so alone in his huge tank. xD


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## Larkspur (Jun 26, 2011)

My Luna is in my 10 gal with a black moor, a goldfish, and a cherry barb (his mates died) She likes the cherry barb but is scared of my goldfish when he freaks out and flies around the tank lol but the point that I was getting to is that I have one of those glass fish on a bubble in my tank and it is her best friend! she swims along side it where ever it goes!!!!

Also, I love making ceramic art and for a while I was making these cute rat/hamster/mouse food bowls and I decided to put them into my betta tank and my guys LOVE THEM! I call it his "man cave"








If anyone wants one I'll make some more! I have a website that I sell them on but currently they are "out of stock" except for my personal ones of course.


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## fishman12 (Sep 1, 2010)

You shouldn't have goldfish with a betta


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## Larkspur (Jun 26, 2011)

Oh, why not? 
They seem to get along fine, they've been together for about a year now and I haven't seen any problems... :/ maybe I'm just missing it tho! Who doesn't like who? Do bettas bully goldfish or do goldfish bully bettas?!


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## fishman12 (Sep 1, 2010)

Dunno but it is strongly advised against.


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## Tisia (Mar 15, 2011)

goldfish are cold water fish and need lower temps, bettas are tropical and need about 76-82 degree temps. goldfish also get really big and are really messy fish which means they create a lot of ammonia, depending on goldfish type they need about 20 gallons for just 1, plus an extra 10 gallons for each additional fish, plus heavy filtration because of the amount of waste they produce, and bettas are usually not very fond of much current


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## Larkspur (Jun 26, 2011)

OH NO! I hope they haven't been terrorizing each other for the whole year!!! I'll just watch really carefully for now...if I see anything I'll move my betta. I'll go do some research on it! D:


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## Larkspur (Jun 26, 2011)

oh.. :/ I have always had my tank heated since there is so much water it's a 29gal and it always seemed so cold My black moor has been in that tank for 3 years and his best friend the gourami died so I decided to get the second gold fish... I have been testing my water bi-monthly and it never seems to be too bad! but I suppose I could just move her anyway just in case


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## frogipoi (Jul 3, 2010)

Aurora's heater lost its top suction cup so now it floats. He loves sitting down on it O.O
Goldfish do need cold water... but I'm not an expert.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

@ Larkspur

No, please remove your betta. Your goldfish NEED colder water and your betta NEEDS warm water. In 29G you can have 2 fantail goldfish with EXTRA CRAZY filtration. Goldfish can't really live with any other fish cos of their ammonia by products and their temp requirements. Buy a 5G tank at walmart for 30$ and a heater and make that the bettas home. You can even divide it!Good luck!


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## Larkspur (Jun 26, 2011)

Yeah I'll do that!... I just bought her from walmart and they are super stupid there so they were like "yeah goldfish and female bettas are fine together" So I had no idea when I put them together!!! I'm so glad that I joined this community!! My poor fishies! I had no idea!!
I have been better about the males they have their own 3gal tanks with heaters and filters. 

ALSO Sorry for being off topic!!! D:


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Great!! I'm so glad you joined!


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

yeah, goldies need big tanks. o3o i had a common in a 29 gallon with a pleco, but even that was too small for him. Dx he lived an amazing 11 or so years, and would have lived longer if it hadn't been for my dad. >.>;

sometimes, i place things around my betta's tanks. Dante used to stalk the Arceus pokemon figure i have. Caroline loved the paper cranes i made after the Tsunami in Japan. and, Ichi's checking out all the My Little Pony toys i have around his tank. xD


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## pinksnowme (May 31, 2011)

Luimeril said:


> tee-hee. i posted this on this site before, and found it on google. xD
> 
> i have one of these
> 
> ...


what are they called?


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

pinksnowme said:


> what are they called?


i..... don't know. o.o i forget what the name on the package was, since i got it last year. i guess... check a local Petco in the decoration aisle...


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## Littlebittyfish (Jan 5, 2011)

My nephew has this light up blue avatar toy..He got it from burger king i think? or mcdonalds..._Anyways_...I saw it laying around so I picked it up and stuck it out side my fish tank...Sherlock was really confused....he kept doing a halfway confused looking flare and he just floated there really still like starring..It was cute.


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## Larkspur (Jun 26, 2011)

I like to pose my figmas and nendoroids around the tank I like to pretend that Moony has a crush on Miku


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## Larkspur (Jun 26, 2011)

Floating glass turtle
http://cgi.ebay.com/Adorable-Glass-...567?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5199dd8527
Floating glass fish
http://cgi.ebay.com/Beautiful-Glass...435?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a678eb73b
These might be funny too although I don't know if they are meant for aquariums with real fish in them.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Wiggling-Tail-F...934?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56448ae5c6


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

My fish would be confused by it...


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## omgitslph (Jun 14, 2011)

I've always wanted to put action figures in my tank. Are there any that I should stay away from due to chemicals that can leach into the water?


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

Larkspur said:


> Floating glass turtle
> http://cgi.ebay.com/Adorable-Glass-...567?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5199dd8527
> Floating glass fish
> http://cgi.ebay.com/Beautiful-Glass...435?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a678eb73b
> ...


I think the last item goes in those 'fake aquarium sets' ... I used to have one... not sure what they'd do in a regular tank... although you could rig one up with fishing line and suspend it in the tank.. so your bettas can attack it and 'peck' at their fake fishy eyes, lol...

Anyone tried window cling-ons on the outside of the tank?

The suggestions are great... keep 'em coming!


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## Larkspur (Jun 26, 2011)

'Pecking' eyes is always a fun pastime! ;D


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

LOL Larkspur... that's what I hear!


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## Larkspur (Jun 26, 2011)

Ok, so what about those Galileo thermometers, you know the ones where the glass bubbles rise and fall at different temps! What if you broke open one of them and took the bubble bubble that hovers in the middle of water at 76 degrees? then the fish would have a bubble that they can push around the tank 
http://cgi.ebay.com/CROSSE-GALILEO-...057?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415b0ee139


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## Larkspur (Jun 26, 2011)

Sorry for flooding this topic but...
I found more of those floating fish!
http://www.bonanza.com/listings/Handcrafted-Lampwork-Glass-Flat-Fish-and-Bubbles-6-pc-set/16295642

http://www.bonanza.com/listings/Handcrafted-Lampwork-Glass-Puff-Fish-and-Bubbles-6-pc-set/16295478

http://www.bonanza.com/booths/deezstuff?item_sort_options
^(under home and garden)^


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## fishman12 (Sep 1, 2010)

Larkspur said:


> Ok, so what about those Galileo thermometers, you know the ones where the glass bubbles rise and fall at different temps! What if you broke open one of them and took the bubble bubble that hovers in the middle of water at 76 degrees? then the fish would have a bubble that they can push around the tank
> http://cgi.ebay.com/CROSSE-GALILEO-...057?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415b0ee139


 That would be cool... Dunno if it would work. Whoever asked about action figures, put it in water for a week-10 days and se if anything leaks out. (check the ammonia, etc.)


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