One MEAN Betta

[Melody]

I have noticed the last few days, My Betta, Elton, has been a little aggressive. Everytime I walk into the kitchen he flares at me. If I get even close to his tank he goes nuts! His color is beautiful and he is most certinaly healthy. He has been building bubble nests like crazy! I measured one point and it was a little more then 1/4 inch thick!!! I thought at first it was soap and freaked out. but looked closer and watched him build more. What a fish, I sure do love watching him.

 

[Menagerie]

Sounds like he's ready to mate and is willing to defend his territory.

 

[An t-iasg]

I had a betta like this once too. He almost always flared at me when I looked in at him. He built huge bubble nests too. He may be flaring aggressively because he's defending his nest also.

Some of my other bettas are very friendly and come up to me when I look in, like they are coming over to say hi, and they don't flare, even if they are building a nest. IME, bettas are either psycho or sweeties!

 

[Melody]

Elton is my fourth Betta, and I have noticed something with him that none of my other bettas have. When he flares, a row of his gills comes out from his cheeks. His face looks ruffeled! He is a deep blue/black body, with red mixed with his fins that turn purple when he gets all huffy. The contrast of his gills against his almost black face is quite startling. and they stick out alot further then the gill covers. Is this normal?? Im trying to get a picture of it, but hes proving to be a little flustered with the camera and all the pics turn out blurry because of him nodding his head and fluffing his tail at me.

 

[Billsgate]

I do believe it is completely normal that his gils are red.....My betta is completely red, so are his gills when he flares them. I think gils are always red, wo matter what the color of your betta.

HTH

 

[Melody]

Well, I wasnt worried about the color, I was a little concerned about how far that they stick out.

 

[Billsgate]

Oopsie

I don't think they can stick their gils out too far. There are people who can touch their nose with their tongues and theres people who can't. You are the lucky owner of a betta who has BIG gills.

I don't think he's in danger or anything, my betta also sticks his gills out quite a bit over the gill covers, should be okay.

HTH again

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi Melody,
I agree with Billsgate -- I don't think it's a problem, and some bettas look slightly different than others when they flare. My bettas now have a black piece of thin "skin" that comes out from under the gill covers when they flare. Otherwise, I don't see that piece of "skin", and I don't think it's a problem. My previous bettas never looked like that when they flared. It's just a matter of figuring out what is unique about your betta!

 

[BASSNMAN]

Ever considered getting Elton a lady friend? You would probably want an additional tank for 300 little bettas!! :

 

[pkremer]

Hmmm...my betta must like me...he reserves his flaring for the killifish on the other side of the divider. He sure doesn't like them much!

Every single time I walk in the room, my betta (Cheyenne, just named by my 9-year old visiting friend...I don't think she realized the betta was male! hehe!) cruises to the front to see me and beg for food. The other day, I had to disrupt his bubble nest to feed him because his entire area was one huge bubble mass!

Paul

 

[Melody]

Bassman, I have been looking for another female Betta, I had gotten one but she sadly passed away the night that I got her. She had JUST come out of the shipping box and was very stressed already. I have looked a bit and really havent found one I like. I know that elton is ready for a "Lady Friend" but Im not really sure what I would do with all those babies! I think my Hubby would say no to 300 tanks sitting around the house.

pkremer, I have had to dig a hole in Eltons bubble nest also so I could feed him. He was VERY upset with me over that one. He will actually come up and try to nip my hand. He is so funny to watch..

 

[XxTitleisTxX]

I have a female betta that is not able to be in a tank with any other fish at all. Especially other females. She's a real angry one