# Betta Enrichment



## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Bettas are (usually..) inelegant and inquisitive. I think its good to show them new things, even if most items have to be views through glass as not everything is aquarium safe.. so I try to show all my bettas something different every week or two, holding up this new item to their tanks for one to several minutes depending on their reactions.

*What items do you show your your fish for enrichment?* Toys, foods, misc items around the house, etc!

Here are some of mine and some reactions in no particular order:
*Metallic blue pen-small:* mostly blind Xerxes (blue dragon mustard plakat male) thought it was a female betta, he flared/strutted and began frantically building a bubble nest. Aristocoles (multi color ee) flared a bit but no bubble nesting
*Single Goldfish cracker:* Surprisingly the one time Alastor (white and red delta male) _almost _flared.. he's never flared fully and only 3 times done a partial (no beard drop) flare. Other boys checked it out but no real flaring.
*A rose:* Sapphiron (blue and red vt male) went flare crazy, he thought it was another male and was ready kick.its.[censor]! Alastor rested on his moss and just stared at it for a few minutes. 
*Anthurium bloom:* (guess who was flaring again)
*Mountain Dew can:* no real notable reactions, all took a look no one stayed interested.
*Bowtie (Farrell) noodle*: Aristocles and Magnus (mustard delta male) semi flared it once but thats about it.
*photos/videos of other bettas on phone*: no one ever gave a [censor] :/
*Orange sherbet ice cream in cone (mmm):* Sapphiron flared a little but lost interest everyone else ignored it and demanded their dinner.
*red and white cork float* (for fishing line-metal removed): Poor blind boy Xerxes thought it was a girl again and tried to coax her over to his pre-existing bubble nest.. would be amusing to see him try to wrap(mate) something so stubbornly buoyant. Aristocoles and Chiyome (red marble plakat female) paid it no mind.
*Live ramshorn snail* (one of few things I can put in the tank): Xerxes gets flare happy laying down the law on how they need to stay the [censor] away from his bubble nest. Aristocoles will semi flare, circle, and stalk them.. then eat them
*Small pokemon figurines (pidgeotto and sandshrew):* Magnus was very interested in the bird and followed it around but couldn't care less about the lil' earth digger pokemon... Alastor wasn't particularly interested in either of them.

Some things that get them all hyper:
*tiny plastic bowl, long tweezers and pipet*: I use for live and thawed frozen foods feeding.


----------



## Gariana (Jul 22, 2015)

Well... I keep showing Oskar (yay! my betta finally has a name!) different things, just to see what he does. His usual reaction? Freeze, stare intently, swim away :roll:

One day, as I was removing my earrings I held one up to him. A small white and yellow daisy. He puffed and flared at it :lol: Yet he seemed to like the yellow rose one and kept following it. Picky little snob...


----------



## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Nice, sounds as though he likes the shinny things like a magpie ^^


----------



## wanderer7 (Sep 5, 2014)

I have a little plastic ball that floats on water. My first betta, Wodensfang, would push it around with his nose; sometimes I'd push it back at him with my finger and he'd even play "soccer" with me. My subsequent fish have either circled the ball flaring at it or ignored it entirely.


----------



## Tealight03 (Nov 15, 2014)

I put all kinds of things in front of the tanks: framed pictures, ceramic frog, spice jars, towels and place mats with bright prints on them, Prime, etc. Usually they look and are interested. Liam is more likely to flare than any of the others. Although with the green frog, he hid then gave it the death look stare down.


----------



## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

I was hoping the bettas would push the cork float around like Wodensfang but no such luck. 
The green frog one is amusing ^^


Keep 'em comin'


----------



## allied123 (Dec 11, 2014)

My guy absolutely freaks out when he sees my gel eyeliner brush. It's the only thing he really gets furious about besides a mirror and he only sometimes gets upset with that.

I recently got a couple of those fake jellyfish things with the string and suction cup? I put one in the tank and he doesn't seem to care about it at all. no interest, which is great lol I don't want him attacking it or anything.


----------



## noaveragebetta (Aug 16, 2015)

I love this thread! I'm going to try some things with Pontiac. Thanks for posting this!


----------



## Gariana (Jul 22, 2015)

Showed Oskar the mirror yesterday. He went *_eek_!* *_flare_* *_run for the nearest bush_*

I guess the poor guy scared himself :lol:


----------



## Meeklymaggie (Aug 22, 2015)

My red vt Subee hates Dora the Explorer. Whenever is on he flares and darts around like his tail is on fire. Most other things I've showed him don't faze him... unless it's the blood worm bottle or my nose... he loves when I put my nose really close to the glass.


----------



## Betta44 (Aug 9, 2015)

My daughter has several small plastic lizards (about the size of my betta). He tends to ignore all but one- the bright yellow and green one. He flares every time I hold it up to his tank.


----------



## dannifluff (Jul 5, 2015)

Aw, I don't do this. But Arthur does like to watch our 50" widescreen tv, which is about ten feet from his tank. Also, with two cats, there are always kitties and/or feather toys flying around. He likes to wriggle and flare at us all during their evening play time.

He also watches the assassin snails while they do their thing. Lol.


----------



## Betta44 (Aug 9, 2015)

I bet the cats provide plenty of entertainment! And vice-versa.


----------



## Tealight03 (Nov 15, 2014)

I put something in front of the tanks every morning. Liam got the frog this morning. He flared immediately. Like "oh I remember you enemy frog. FLARE."


----------



## Tuck2012 (Mar 18, 2015)

Due to the position of the tank all sorts of things pass in front or get placed beside it. He is a nosy devil and most things get his attention but he particularly likes it when the cats jump up by him, they have not the slightest interest in him, but he tries so hard to get their attention bless him. He also takes great interest in my husbands beer bottles. Every Saturday night Bud and his dad watch Match Of The Day `sharing` a bottle of beer :lol:


----------



## mattchha (Aug 1, 2015)

All of my bettas swarm my turkey baster when I clean their tanks... you'd think it'd be because of the suction pulling water out from under them, but it's not. They're just so mesmerized by that thing, I don't get it. Maybe it's the bubbles. anyone else's do this?


----------



## dannifluff (Jul 5, 2015)

Tuck2012 said:


> Every Saturday night Bud and his dad watch Match Of The Day `sharing` a bottle of beer :lol:


I love this! They are nosy little things


----------



## Tealight03 (Nov 15, 2014)

mattchha said:


> All of my bettas swarm my turkey baster when I clean their tanks... you'd think it'd be because of the suction pulling water out from under them, but it's not. They're just so mesmerized by that thing, I don't get it. Maybe it's the bubbles. anyone else's do this?


Phil swarms the turkey baster. When he was sick I used it to get food close to him so he would eat. But now it's like you just ate the normal way and I just want to clean up poop!


----------



## Aquastar (Jul 17, 2015)

I put my Gravel Siphon in the tank while I was getting some stuff and my HM and a neon tetra swam inside the tube! Luckily it wasn't collecting debris at the time...:roll:


----------



## Betta44 (Aug 9, 2015)

My bettas are all over the turkey baster as well.

One of my daughters has a small snowman that is like a water globe (the kind with glitter in it that you can shake). It has a LED light inside that changes colors. All 3 of our bettas (yes, in different tanks) are quite interested in it, so there's another idea.

Thanks for all the good ideas everyone!


----------



## noaveragebetta (Aug 16, 2015)

oh my gosh, I love this thread! It is flippin hilarious! I got such great laughs from this, thank you everyone. My guy just doesn't really care about anything. A few days ago he made his first bubble nest. Now he won't quit! He is obsessed. So I've tried several things to "play" with him, and he doesn't give a rats @%s. lol I even put him in the smaller tank temporarily to try to do some flaring exercises... He just got really pissed and refused to look at anything I put near him or in the little tank. He actually flared AT ME, the little turd! That's my avatar pic, that's as much as he's flared so far. I'll have to keep trying. I do put things near his cage and try everyday, but nooooooo. Stubborn.


----------



## noaveragebetta (Aug 16, 2015)

Meeklymaggie said:


> My red vt Subee hates Dora the Explorer. Whenever is on he flares and darts around like his tail is on fire. Most other things I've showed him don't faze him... unless it's the blood worm bottle or my nose... he loves when I put my nose really close to the glass.


I read this to my fiance and he busted up laughing. We dislike Dora too lol :lol:


----------



## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

If you can picture Odie (the dog Garfield picks on all the time), that's how Mal looks regardless of what I show him. I swear if he had a tongue he would lick my face.


----------



## noaveragebetta (Aug 16, 2015)

Mousie said:


> If you can picture Odie (the dog Garfield picks on all the time), that's how Mal looks regardless of what I show him. I swear if he had a tongue he would lick my face.


hahaha! awww! I'm a first time betta owner, and I just keep saying this, I never knew how much personality they really had. It's crazy. Tomorrow I'm going to do a water change and do some enrichment with him while he's in the other tank. Oh I forgot, he DOES flare at the net when he sees it. He hates it. He's come to 'get along' with his filter now that I've adjusted it. :roll: The filter itself doesn't adjust so the filter wears pantie hose now 
I'm going on vacation and have a house sitter (finally) so I'm going to leave some things out so she can put in front of his cage or in his cage while I'm gone. I'm going to try some metallics and things with sparkles next.


----------



## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

noaveragebetta said:


> hahaha! awww! I'm a first time betta owner, and I just keep saying this, I never knew how much personality they really had. It's crazy. Tomorrow I'm going to do a water change and do some enrichment with him while he's in the other tank. Oh I forgot, he DOES flare at the net when he sees it. He hates it. He's come to 'get along' with his filter now that I've adjusted it. :roll: The filter itself doesn't adjust so the filter wears pantie hose now
> I'm going on vacation and have a house sitter (finally) so I'm going to leave some things out so she can put in front of his cage or in his cage while I'm gone. I'm going to try some metallics and things with sparkles next.


Me too... experienced aquarist, but first time betta owner. I always wondered why people named their betta. You know, out of 5 tanks in our house, only my betta has a name! I am honestly considering moving Mal up to my office on my desk and moving my wireless printer into the closet. I think Mal would love to be up here next to me on my desk, since this is where I spend most of my time during the day (Doug works from home, and also has his own office upstairs). We're only downstairs at lunch and in the evenings. He would be close enough to my two monitors.. so maybe I can let him watch Netflix with me rofl.


----------



## noaveragebetta (Aug 16, 2015)

Mousie said:


> Me too... experienced aquarist, but first time betta owner. I always wondered why people named their betta. You know, out of 5 tanks in our house, only my betta has a name! I am honestly considering moving Mal up to my office on my desk and moving my wireless printer into the closet. I think Mal would love to be up here next to me on my desk, since this is where I spend most of my time during the day (Doug works from home, and also has his own office upstairs). We're only downstairs at lunch and in the evenings. He would be close enough to my two monitors.. so maybe I can let him watch Netflix with me rofl.


That is awesome! Find a fish documentary. Fish porn. haha! Yup, never knew I would love a dang fish so much. 
I used to have a corn snake and ball python, that i adored! I didn't realize how much personality they have also. Animals are such funny creatures. :-D


----------



## Tealight03 (Nov 15, 2014)

Agree, they have such personality and are all so different.


----------



## Gariana (Jul 22, 2015)

I accidentally found another thing that gets Oskar going. I was sitting at my desk, writing with a chrome colored pen. Just out of curiosity I pointed it towards him.

:shock:

_Grr! Huff! Puff! Flare! Wiggle-wiggle. Flare some more._

Tried with a matte black pencil. Same reaction. I guess I better keep those evil, _evil _pens and pencils far away from him :lol:


----------



## Tealight03 (Nov 15, 2014)

I put a spoon full of yogurt in front of Liam and he flared. 

Too funny about the pencil and pen. I use dry erasebmarkers to draw on their tanks. It never gets much reaction though.


----------



## Innerbeauty (Jul 31, 2014)

noaveragebetta said:


> I read this to my fiance and he busted up laughing. We dislike Dora too lol :lol:


 I think everybody but little girls hate dora. You know it's really bad when your two year old boy looks at you and says "This annoying!" and then shouts "Stop it!" at Dora when she asks a question. :lol:



I have a girl, Firework, that flares at a jar of water. (?) Also flares at. everything. else. In contrast, my male only really flares at his reflection. Everything else just makes him bounce around like the rabbit on Alice in Wonderland.... like you just messed up his whole day or something.


----------



## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Had a rare possible treat to a *gnat *falling into a tank at feeding time.. But Sapphiron (the owner of said tank) was too obvious to notice this little bug wiggling on the surface.. he kept going after my finger expecting a pellet.. =.= So much for that enrichment (and snack) opportunity.. I fished the gnat out after it was dead.

*Double A Battery:* Poor half blind Xerxes thought it was a female again and started strutting. Aristocoles paid it not mind.

*Small wolf plushy:* Everyone seemed indifferent, though Alastor hid from it. Its usually by Chiyome's tank and she was fussy that it was moved (to show the others).


----------



## HTageant (May 27, 2015)

I've had fruit flies and mosquito hawks fall into my tank before. My betta loves it when that happens. 

I usually don't have to use objects to entertain him. Whenever he sees me, he'll rush up to the front of the tank, and start flaring like crazy. Then he'll start into the little S-curve swim. At this point I don't know if he just hates me, or if it's somethng else. 

Perhaps he gets excited because I'm the food bringer


----------



## noaveragebetta (Aug 16, 2015)

Mr Pontiac hasn't shown much interest in anything except I just happened to set down a jar of peach moonshine next to the tank. He darted around the tank and flared at it, then darted again. 
Does anyone change or move the objects/ornaments in their bettas tank? 
I've been moving his plants and things once a week during one of his water changes. He seems to like it and explores the tank. I only have a 2.5 so I like to think this keeps him from getting bored.


----------



## noaveragebetta (Aug 16, 2015)

Lol! the stories of Xerxes just make me laugh so hard!!! Too funny he is.


----------



## Betta44 (Aug 9, 2015)

In reply to No Average Betta, yes- I move stuff around in my bettas' tanks as well. With every cleaning, we move a few plants or switch around the structures (like an arch and Betta log will get switched places).

I also sometimes rotate my tank between "themes" (I have a coral reef theme, Asian theme, "natural" theme). I have a 10 gallon tank so it's made it possible to get some bigger decor items for the tank.

My daughters have 5.5 gallons so we just rotate things in and out from time to time and switch things around with cleanings. I read somewhere that it helps keep Bettas from being bored; I hope so. I think it does help from what I can observe.


----------



## noaveragebetta (Aug 16, 2015)

Betta44 said:


> In reply to No Average Betta, yes- I move stuff around in my bettas' tanks as well. With every cleaning, we move a few plants or switch around the structures (like an arch and Betta log will get switched places).
> 
> I also sometimes rotate my tank between "themes" (I have a coral reef theme, Asian theme, "natural" theme). I have a 10 gallon tank so it's made it possible to get some bigger decor items for the tank.
> 
> My daughters have 5.5 gallons so we just rotate things in and out from time to time and switch things around with cleanings. I read somewhere that it helps keep Bettas from being bored; I hope so. I think it does help from what I can observe.


Oh great! I'm not the only one. I didn't know if this would be hard on them or not, but he seems to like swimming around and checking things out, swimming through his plants is what he really likes. =)


----------



## noaveragebetta (Aug 16, 2015)

Woke up this morning to Mr. Pontiac and his two bubble nests (he's still not good at this lol) I shook the pellet bottle at him like always and he showed no interest and refused to leave his nest. I showed him a red straw that I put in his tank sometimes, He darted at the general directional, flared, and darted back to his nest. Then finally came out to eat because he's a fatty. 
I also tried to fish something out of his tank with the net, and he flipped out darting everywhere lol . He thought he was going to his small tank for a water change. So not really enrichment... he's being moody.


----------



## noaveragebetta (Aug 16, 2015)

Today Mr. Pontiac finally showed me his beard and flared really well (for him) at the mirror today. He did have a pretty good nest going. I suspect this maybe why
He went a bit ballistic darting like crazy and what looked like biting the tank at the mirror - after that I stopped of course. It wasn't even that long the mirror was in front of him today. Normally he doesn't care about the mirror at all! 
I bought a betta log and put it in his tank: Doesn't even care. Swims around it and looks at it and swims on :roll:

Earlier this week and before the mirror-
Gatorade lid: darted, stopped, turned around and darted again

Printed picture of female betta: darted to it, stared for a while. nothing further. 

I was taking a pic of him with my phone and he flared at it. I think he's associating it with the mirror lol 
I attached the pic with his beard. His fins haven't looked good since I got back from vacation. I did the water change and everything since. I noticed he has been biting his tail also.


----------



## mattchha (Aug 1, 2015)

The other day, I tried someone's suggestion of writing on my glass tanks with dry erase markers. Everyone seemed really intrigued by it, but I had to laugh when it wigged Lorenzo out. He was really curious, but then he darted away. I wonder why it scared him? I used to think he was a timid fish, but really
he's pretty laidback for a betta.

Idk if anyone else has done this, but two of my tanks are
on the bar above my kitchen sink (very convenient for water changes) and once when I was doing the dishes, some soap bubbles floated up near the tanks and my girls kept snatching at the glass trying to catch them. It was really amusing. I'll definitely try it again (and obviously make sure there's no way a bubble will get into the water).


----------



## Overprotective Fish Lover (Apr 11, 2015)

So, I have this necklace holder thingy-ma-bob that I don't use anymore. It looks like a dress with a tutu and it's pink. So I hold it up to Gabey's tank and he FREAKS. Like, TOTALLY FREAKS. I swear, that thing is his arch enemy. He abhors it. He flares and hides and scowls (yes I know, bettas cannot techically scowl. but he looks really mad anyway). He DETESTS it.

It's one of the only things he'll flare at. He's a mild mannered boy and although I try very hard to get a flare picture, no success. Other things I've tried to make him flare:
A mirror
A video of a girl fish on my phone
Large stuffed animals
Playing cards (man, he studies those things for hours)
Pencils
A lamp

No flare. But he loves looking at new stuff. He's a curious little guy!


----------



## centaurii (Aug 31, 2015)

I printed out a (mostly to-scale) picture of a female betta, cut it out, and taped it to a pen. Omicron flares at it, but it's not an aggressive flare- he just hurries to follow it around the tank, pumping his beard in and out. Sometimes he doesn't even stick the beard out and he just flares his fins. 

When I show him a mirror, his demeanor changes. He flares as big as he can possibly stretch, beard out all the way, and he zigzags furiously at the front of the tank, snapping his jaws.


----------



## mattchha (Aug 1, 2015)

Whenever I used to feed my old roommate's betta, he would flare at thr betta on the food package... and then I started feeding him garlic soaked brine shrimp for a couple days, and everyday after that for a week he would full-out flare at me. Maybe he wanted more 

Now whenever I show Lorenzo his reflection with a compact mirror, I think he usually sees me and my hand behind it, so he swims around but focuses his eyes on me, he rarely looks at his reflection and flares. I think he's conflicted


----------



## Betta44 (Aug 9, 2015)

On a related note (and since I cannot find anywhere that will allow me to post a new thread....and I've emailed the moderators twice on how to post a new thread, but no reply...so I am sorry if I am breaking protocol a bit here), I have 3 male bettas and none have built a bubble nest so far. They all seem happy and healthy. 2 are in their own 5.5. gallon tanks, 1 is in a ten gallon tank. All are filtered, baffled and heated. Water parameters are good. Is it because the current is just a bit too strong? They are baffled so it's a very moderate flow. 
All are relatively new to our household, we've had them for close to 2 months. I am just wondering if I should see some bubble nest building by now?
Thanks, in advance, for any insights, etc.


----------



## Innerbeauty (Jul 31, 2014)

^ In answer to your question, you might try adding catappa leaves to their water. Everytime I add one to my guy's water he finds new motivation to build the biggest ever bubble nest.  Also, the water needs at least one quiet spot that the bubbles will stay- if they keep moving or popping he will just give up. So yes, your current may be too strong.


I have found something that Emmett flares at- a pink piece of foam. :roll:
It came on a ball keychain attached to a new pair of flip flops I bought- goga mat Sketcher's. The foam is like a yoga mat and it's bright pink. Emmett thinks it is a female apparently. It goes like this:

Emmett: *swims to bubble nests, blows a bubble, returns to pink foam* "Hey, baby, see my fins? Come to my bubble nest over here and check out how looks with the light hitting it.... I won't be fresh, I promise.... See my fins?"


----------



## Overprotective Fish Lover (Apr 11, 2015)

lol I got "goga mat" sneakers and I have that little pink foam keychain thing...oughta see what Gabe thinks of it.


----------



## Betta44 (Aug 9, 2015)

Thanks Innerbeauty for your reply to my question about bubble nests. I'll have to see if I can make the current even gentler.


----------



## Betta44 (Aug 9, 2015)

Does anyone have suggestions on how to make the current gentler, besides a baffle? I am using the filter that came with my aquariums because, as we all know, setting up a new tank with all the equipment, etc. can get pricey. I've heard of whisper filters...are they worth the investment? i.e. Do they make the current gentler? Any other ideas?

Thanks.


----------



## Soriel (Jun 26, 2015)

Hey guys, I just stumbled on this website, and found the website in general very interesting and good contents:

The goal: Teach a Betta to swim through a hoop on command. 
http://www.bettysplendens.com/can-you-teach-your-bettas-tricks.html

:-D


----------



## Innerbeauty (Jul 31, 2014)

Betta44 said:


> Does anyone have suggestions on how to make the current gentler, besides a baffle? I am using the filter that came with my aquariums because, as we all know, setting up a new tank with all the equipment, etc. can get pricey. I've heard of whisper filters...are they worth the investment? i.e. Do they make the current gentler? Any other ideas?
> 
> Thanks.


I have a Tetra whisper filter, I think it is this one: Tetra In Tank Filter
It's adjustable so it can just trickle if you want it to.

Personally I have newfound love for internal filters with a spray bar. The spray bar can go below the surface pointed at the wall of the tank for a much slower flow. AquaTop makes awesome ones available on Amazon for the same price of Tetra's.


----------



## Innerbeauty (Jul 31, 2014)

Overprotective Fish Lover said:


> lol I got "goga mat" sneakers and I have that little pink foam keychain thing...oughta see what Gabe thinks of it.


LOL! Small world!  What did Gabe think?


----------



## Betta44 (Aug 9, 2015)

Thanks Innerbeauty for the good suggestions on filters.


----------



## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

I have 2 new bettas and haven't shown them everything the other's have seen but Freya (yellow female plakat) doesn't seem to interested in anything yet, gives it a few seconds look then goes about her business.
Ajax (blue and black plakat) is a bit more curious but not to flare-y yet (he's so tiny I think he's not quite full grown yet). He was very interested in a noodle I showed him the other day (large shell) I think he thought it was Freya as he's seen her in a separate quarantine while their tanks were being set up.
Aristocoles was semi flare-y when I put a metal thermos in front of his tank, might have sen a very distorted reflection in it)... or he was just griping because now he couldn't see me easily from his favorite perch to beg for food (was fasting day-no one got food).


----------

