Betta Weirdly Attacking Mystery Snails

[Larry Little]

Hey y'all --

Weird deal; I have two male bettas (separated) that have suddenly begun attacking the mystery snails in their tank. Showing full-on displaying; erect finnage, fin flicking, flared gills, close circling, head butting and nipping. Looks for all the world like mating behavior. Have kept mystery snails in with them for a while now and suddenly seeing this behavior. Anyone have any ideas what the sudden difference might be?

 

[TMaier]

Puberty? Did their voice change?

 

[Cuereus_George]

i know mine occasionally attacks the snail i keep in his tank. i go to feed him and the snail is missing an antenna or 2. i just switch out snails from one of my other tanks

 

[Andy Sager]

Nothing weird about it. Bettas eat meat and snails are meat. I'm surprised that it lasted as long as it did/does. I put a snail in to clean my Betta tanks and the fish get the snails usually before they finish cleaning. Sadly, I have enough snails to replace them.

 

[Cuereus_George]

snails not big enough?? mine are about the 3/4 the size of mt betta not including his fins