# Darn spooky betta! Grr.



## FRIENDLYFISHIES (Aug 7, 2012)

Im getting quite frustrated with how spooky my plakat betta Miyagi is...I posted about a month ago when I got him that he was super jumpy...it settled down for a good 2 weeks but now we are right back to being jumpy...only this time its worse! The darn fish is going to hurt himself. Im starting to wonder if he has a vision problem? Hes not flashing...hes healthy...just flips out whenever you walk by the tank or move your hands near him (which I have to do to perform water changes and clean the tanks beside him) ive never seen a betta this jumpy. The other day he got himself wedged between is moss ball and the wall. Yesterday he flopped himself out of the water several times (thank goodness I have a cover on the tank!) ...One of these days though I think hes going to really hurt himself. Do you think its a vision issue? Is there anything I could do to help him? I get nervous when I do my water changes that hes going to flop himself right out and onto the floor. So frustrating.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Some times a floating plant can help and more cover in general. So he can sit in a place where he feels unseen.


----------



## FRIENDLYFISHIES (Aug 7, 2012)

Thanks emc, but it didnt help, I was hoping too. Actually I had to throw them away this AM, they didnt live well in the low light LED and were half rotted, I was worried about ammonia spikes...I ordered him a little house today though, im hoping that might help. Its so upsetting to see him do that to himself though :/ ..esp when my other bettas are so laid back! I just wish he would settle down and enjoy life.


----------



## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

I was just about to say to get a cave but thats basically what you are doing.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I had a betta that occasionally hid in the pleco cave. Can you leave the light off?


----------



## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

My betta sleeps in his cave. I don't know why but i see him swim up every 30min or so at night to grab a breath of air to then swim back in the cave. Its a little shrimp cave, he also has shrimp tubes but barely fits in those.


----------



## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

He needs to get used to you. I had a male that did that every time I was in the room. After a while, I got him eating out of my hand.


----------



## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

He has to come up for air because Betta's are Labyrinth breathers as well as gill breathers


----------



## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

Obsidian said:


> He has to come up for air because Betta's are Labyrinth breathers as well as gill breathers


right, I forgot. Silly me. I guess I though that they might not at night because they don't exercise as much, hence need less oxygen


----------

