# How do you keep your betta entertained?



## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

Mace may have been glass surfing earlier. I'm not sure because he was gliding across the front wall of his tank like he was, but it wasn't consistent. He'd wander off for awhile, then come back. I'm wondering if he was trying to look at the stuff we have on the dresser? I had a bag of chips on it, and since I moved them (into my lap, om nom nom) I haven't seen him do it, sooo...

But that got me thinking that Mace might be a betta that needs new and exciting things to keep him entertained. He's currently studying a Godzilla DVD case. So I was wondering *how do y'all keep your bettas entertained?* I have a few ideas already, but I'd love some more. c:


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## BettaMummy87 (Jul 26, 2014)

I put little picture frames or ornaments by Keiji's tank as he lives alone, bar a snail. I am thinking of buying a little floating ring target and seeing if I can train him to swim though it.  

I also rearrange the tanks every so often. Just little things, here and there, like an ornament switch (cycle 2-3 ornaments, he regains interest in the first one by the time it is back, Silly fishy).

Instead of a mirror, I sometime show him photos of other males on here. Much more interesting than flaring at himeself) and I have started showing him females occassionally too, since he built his first nest. Fingers crossed my breeding tank will be finished soon and he can see females for real XD


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## Ilovebettasbk11 (Nov 12, 2013)

Mine likes to follow my finger and flare at it lol


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## kjg1029 (Jun 14, 2014)

draw on the glass with a dry erase marker!...and now I want some chips...lolxD


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

Great ideas, guys! c: 

BM87: I'm going to (hopefully) get a few more things for him this week. Showing him pictures of other bettas is a really good idea, though! I wouldn't have thought of that. I'm definitely going to try that. :3

ILBBK11: He hasn't shown any interest in my finger whenever I've tried to. :c I'm still going to try though because I think it's cute, haha.

kjg029: That's a really cool idea!  I have some dry erase markers, too!


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## BettaMummy87 (Jul 26, 2014)

I think most of the males on here have been seend by Keiji now. he enjoys it as he always sees off the other male.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

*Xerxes'* 7g tank is on my desk ext to my monitor, he actually liked watching the screen especially when I'm gaming (GW2), I'll sometimes turn the screen more towards his tank to let him have a better view. He also can see my husband's 12g long dwarf puffer tank on the next desk (and the puffers can see him) so I'd guess they can stare each other down when no one is in the room. Aside from that I tend not to keep the desk as clear as I should so he seed misc food and items like hair brush by his tank for added stimulus.
*Magnus *is still in quarantine healing his fins, but I don't have anything betta fin safe and aquarium safe except an IAL and his DIY black mesh tube that he enjoys. My husband had cut and we'd both sanded pvc piping for hides in the qt tank but even sanded they are too rough to pass the nylon stocking test. So since I can't put stuff in the tank I like to put random colorful objects next to his tank and periodically move them around and switch them out. For example there's a life size rubber iguana (very realistic and detailed) that's molded with tees mouth open, if I put its head by Magnus he swim away.. but if I put the tail tip near him he attacks the glass ("OMG BIG WORM" *nom nom nom*). Today I showed him my husbands little first gene pokemon figurines (barely bigger than a thumb nail) he flared at Bublasour but fled from the other starters haha silly boy. His tank is next to my plant dumping tank which gets bright so i toss some of black rag over part of it so he can till see some plant in the tank, but his tank isn't flooded in bright light everywhere, he can also see my 55g community tank across the room and anyone that comes by. I'm very happy that he's not gotten bored and fin nipped at all.
*Alastor's *tank is by the front door in the living room and he can see the kitchen table too, usually some activity somewhere around him. He can also see the tv in the room but I've not confirmed if he watches it yet. There are 2 other tanks on the bookshelf with him, no fauna (fish/inverts) in them, just plants, sometimes I think he wants to hop tanks just for fun. He's more skittish than the other 2 so I don't usually put misc. items by his tank for stimulus, I think the curved glass distorts everything for him and scares him easier.


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## BettaMummy87 (Jul 26, 2014)

Aqua Aurora said:


> Today I showed him my husbands little first gene pokemon figurines (barely bigger than a thumb nail) he flared at Bublasour but fled from the other starters haha silly boy...* Alastor's *tank is by the front door in the living room and he can see the kitchen table too, usually some activity somewhere around him. He can also see the tv in the room but I've not confirmed if he watches it yet....


Pmsl. That is because Bulbasaur < Squirtle < Charmander.  

Also, its probably because he hasn't found a show he likes. Two tanks near the TV. Three females like Dr Who, Keiji likes Oscars Oasis, and Start wars makes him flare. Yoshio Likes some cartoons and most live action programmes (Once Upon A Time has his interest at this second). XD Seriously, they all have 2-3 things they will watch and otherwise ignore it.


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

I entertain the whole fishroom at once;










Fish love metal! :devil:


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I find if I heavily plant a tank I get a lot less glass surfing behaviours than if there is a lot of open space. So I suppose I entertain my fish by providing them with a stimulating environment. They spend a lot of time exploring and patrolling their 'territories', and they get really excited when I throw in a whole heap of live foods (mosquito larvae/blackworms/bloodworms/grindals) that they then have to spend time hunting down.


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## atraf (Oct 7, 2014)

Rearranging the tank when you clean it may help them stay entertained. I have a few different plants and caves that I cycle through to always keep him guessing and its worked well


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## stellenternet (Dec 3, 2014)

Bubbles loves my finger so I take advantage of that. On my tv there is this thing called the aquarium channel it's a channel with just fish swimming around in a tank mean't for relaxing people. Bubbles loves watching it! (It doesn't stress her out) Or I like to teach her tricks.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Mr. Fish likes to chase my finger across his glass, so I play with him every time I come in the room. I think I'll get a few more plants for his tank, too. He also has a few sparkley, polished rocks that I move around when I vacuum. Mrs. Fish so far seems content with watching me when I'm at the computer and exploring her new tank.


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## myexplodingcat (Apr 9, 2014)

Tolak said:


> Fish love metal! :devil:


they do though .-. it's kinda strange


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## stellenternet (Dec 3, 2014)

Is it possible to pet your fish? Or will it hurt them?


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I've read that you can pet them gently but sparingly. Petting them too much can rub off their slime coat. Violet would lay on my hand for a few seconds, but he didn't like to be petted. Some fish like to be petted, and some don't.


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## kjg1029 (Jun 14, 2014)

i wont even let them touch my hand O.O....thats a neat thought tho! i bet it would feel nice if you didnt have arms....lol


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## stellenternet (Dec 3, 2014)

It would be cool to pet them.


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## jewelqueen17 (Dec 18, 2014)

I think a popular "trick" for bettas to do is jump for food, and I used to do that some time ago, it took a little bit for him to figure out what I wanted him to do but eventually he got the idea. I like to show my boy videos on YouTube of bettas (never EVER betta fighting, though!), sometimes fish movies like Finding Nemo and Shark Tale, even though those are incredibly old (what happened to all those nice fishy movies?) and the DVDs I own are scratched up horrendously (it's a wonder I can still watch them). I should just download it somewhere, but I guess I always liked old things. Some betta supplies come with pictures of bettas on the tag, so I tape them to the glass and he'll flare at it, a welcome change from his reflection  My boy also enjoys to push around his floating glass thermometer, but I had to stick it under the filter because I couldn't read the temperature, now he just builds bubble nests around it. I have never heard of drawing on the glass with a dry erase marker, though, I will have to try that soon! Wonder how he will react to it...


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## Lizz (Mar 16, 2014)

every time i do a water change i arrange the tank differently. I also have them sitting on a shelf in my (dorm) room where they can see all the comings and goings of me and out to the hallway outside. i also found that if i put Berlioz out where he can see the TV and my laptop he will watch the movie or show or will watch me do homework. ill also sit and talk with Noah and Berlioz throughout the day. especially in the mornings when I'm drinking my coffee. but i greet them and say bye every time i go in and out of my room. Berlioz likes staring contests too. i start to look at him not saying anything and he will just turn and watch me. when he "blinks" (spins around) i win and when i blink he flares at me haha. Noah is new to the family so he is still teaching me about his favorite things to do.


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