# Betta body language?



## laughing (Mar 12, 2011)

I have a 10 gallon community tank, and currently houses 2 neon tetras, 3 black neon tetras, a GloFish and a "glass" fish, plus some misc shrimp/snails that hitch-hiked. 

I received these fish from a friend, and I really want them gone, I don't enjoy them in my tank at all. (Plus very over-stocked. :roll I just don't know where to send them (Craigslist keeps flagging my posts). BUT, once they're gone it will be a community with a betta, too.

As an experiment, I put my HMPK male in his holding cup (PetCo cup) that I use for water changes and floated him in the tank. He always has stress stripes while in his cup, and developed them long before I floated him, but in the tank they didn't disappear, but seemed to calm a little. I think it freaked him out being in a fully clear container without hiding spots. He only half-flared, and just looked around, getting air normally, but kept his nose pointed slightly down-ward. He didn't hit the sides, barely flared (and didn't show his beard), and just chilled in his cup.

I then floated my female after removing my male in her cup in the 10 gallon. She REALLY was intent on my GloFish that is bright pink. (S/he will be the first to go, way too active in my tank, picks on the others, etc. The water perameters aren't right, either.) She followed the Glo all around the cup and even banged up against the sides. After 30-45 seconds she significantly calmed down and didn't hit the sides anymore, but seemed to curiously follow the other species of fish, but always flared at the Glo, not the others, though. She kept her body very straight and showed significant interest in all the fish unlike my male.

What is their body language showing? Most likely neither of them will be the betta I put in it, but rather purchase a new one, but I'd like to know what flaring, chasing, hitting the sides, ignoring vs curiousity, etc. means in bettas so I can be prepared when I find a new betta and can tell if he is being aggressive or friendly. 

Thanks to any help anyone can answer! :-D​


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