# Betta not flaring/ showing fins?



## kja96

Hey

I've had my betta male for a whole week now, in a 10 L ( approx 2.5 gallon) tank for a whole week now, and he's my first fish  so maybe i'm overreacting. I got a lot of live plants, temp at 27-28 degrees C, waterchange twice a week, no filter, and feed flake food with freeze-dried Mosquito larva mixed in. Just so you have all the details.

Anyway, on to my question: The first hours he attacked his reflektion in the sides of the glass, fought one side for an hour or two, moved on to another side and so on. while doing this, he flared out his fins and gills, as you know they do, and was very beautiful*Glasses*
he stopped the next day, probably realised they weren't other fish really, but now when I try the trick of putting a mirror in front of the glass, he just ignores it. I even tried printing a picture of a betta en taping it to the side, and he stared at it for a few minutes and then ignored that too. Ireally want him flaring into a mirror, both because he beautiful, and thats why i bought him, because ip helps me het a good lok at his fins and se how his health is, and because i heard it's like exercise for them, they become healthier.


*Edit: Do you think im just overreacting, that it's too early and fish behave like this the first weeks or so?


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## jrodriguez

I wouldnt do that to the betta if i were you and it is nothing to worry about it is just used to seeing another betta


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## mielikki

You really don't want to do that, the flaring and posturing stresses the Betta out, and will shorten its life. Give him a tiny bit of pea treat, instead, and watch him do the "Betta Dance" for you...
in such a nice sized tank, he will become even more lively and brightly colored the longer he is in there, and will look beautiful all the time.


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## squirrelcrusher

When I added my delta betta to my tank last week he didn't do much until he got use to the place. Now he swims around with this fins "full" alot. He also has gotten brighter in color than he was in the tiny prison the pet store kept him in.


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## mielikki

I just put 3 glass catfish in with one of my betta, and so far, so good. The Betta is ignoring the fish, the cats are watching the betta.... kind of fun, makes for an interesting looking tank.
Betta seem to be most happy when they have room to swim, and a plant to curl up in. All three of mine are showing great color since I got them bigger tanks.


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## BlueSaphire

I never did that to my male betta because it does stress them out, not to be rude but if you bought a fish just to see him flare you should never have gotten one...


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