Bettas are feisty fish and love to be active. New owners are often surprised to find that their fish has such a unique and fun personality. Male bettas love to flare and act tough to those outside of their tank, especially other bettas. If you do not have a neighbor for your betta, you can still provide him with the exercise that he needs. Set up a mirror outside of his tank that he can see himself in for about 5 minutes each day. You will find that your betta thinks this is another fish and will flare and swim around his tank, putting on quite the display for onlookers.
If you have more than one, place their tanks next to each other for a few minutes each day and they will play and flare at each other. Some owners choose to let their fish always see their neighbors. Usually, they will get used to the idea that another fish is nearby and calm down for the most part except for an occasional flare at each other. For some fish, this situation may appear to be stressful if they are constantly worked up and flaring, and it might be best if they were hidden from their neighbor for some of the time. Every fish is different; have fun discovering your new friend’s personality!
Some betta owners notice that around feeding time it appears to do a little wiggle “feed me” dance. You may discover other funny, but lovable habits of your individual fish as well!
It is important to watch your fish’s behavior on a regular basis. Notice how they react to everyday events, regular activity patterns, how their normal coloring appears, etc. This will help you to identify when something may be wrong with your fish more quickly and easily and find the correct means to fix the issue or cure an illness.