Bettas and exercise

[Runs With Scissors]

I purchased a male Betta last week. He's in my 10 gallon quarantine tank and will move to a 20 gallon community tank once quarantine ends. My question has to do with whether or not I actually need to worry about my Betta getting enough exercise.

I've seen where you can buy mirrors to get them to flare as a way of creating a kind of fish workout. Given that my guy spends much of his day leisurely swimming from one end of his tank to the other, and given that he occasionally stops to flare at his reflection in the glass, do I really need to think about setting up a little fish gym?

What say you, aquarist hive mind?

[H.K.Luterman]

My betta is in a 5 gallon with lots of snails. He likes to stare at them, and occasionally flares and does a war dance at them. So I don't really worry about him needing any extra stimulation; he's always swimming around as if on patrol. I think as long as your betta has enough things in the tank to keep him entertained (other fish, snails, decor to swim around in), he'll probably be fine. BUT, it is fun to give them mirror time.

[Will Billy]

My thoughts are this, to begin usually Bettas are sort of a lazy fish. Not always is the case as they have different personalities. I have a buddy that thought his Betta had died because it was stuck to his filter intake. The Betta was very much alive, he just enjoyed swimming up to the intake and letting the suction hold him in place so he didnt have to swim around. He eventually purchased a betta hammock and placed a pre filter sponge on his intake tube. There are many toys you can get for your Betta, exercise mirrors are one, floating logs gives them a place to hide, but also promotes swimming in, around, and through the logs. Ive even herd of Bettas pushing around marimo moss balls ( although i havent tried that yet, and cant confirm wether they enjoy that or not first hand). A lot of it has to do with your Betta’s personality, and his environment. As a general rule of thumb a more engaging environment typically leads to happier, healthier fish. 

[Maggie]

I got a betta mirror but don't think Cosmo needs it yet, as he also flairs at his reflection, and has alot of other enrichment in his tank. He's a "teenage" plakat and very active; seems to be mostly full-on go, or full stop to rest for a moment. I'm attributing it to the sudden large increase in space, the stress of a new situation, the fun found in bubbles and water flow, and pure joy in being able to do acrobatics. 

[FrozenFins]

21 hours ago, Will Billy said:

 I have a buddy that thought his Betta had died because it was stuck to his filter intake. The Betta was very much alive, he just enjoyed swimming up to the intake and letting the suction hold him in place so he didnt have to swim around. 

My betta does that too, but then when I give him his hamock he refuses to touch it.

[Will Billy]

47 minutes ago, James Black said:

My betta does that too, but then when I give him his hamock he refuses to touch it.

Thats too funny, I thought that was a one off behavior. I am assuming that might be why he put the sponge pre filter on. Maybe to coax him into changing his behavior and use the hammock instead. 

[lewismoreno]

Betta fish do not require structured exercise like mammals, but they do benefit from environmental enrichment that encourages natural behaviors. Your Betta is likely getting enough exercise by swimming throughout his 10-gallon tank and flaring at his reflection. Adding a mirror to stimulate flaring can be a fun way to encourage movement, similar to a fish workout, but it’s not essential. As for creating a fish gym, it's not necessary unless you want to go above and beyond. Ensuring that your Betta's tank has plants, hiding spots, and other enrichments will naturally keep him active without the need for a dedicated setup like a push up rack for fish.
 

[AtomicSunfish]

On 2/15/2021 at 11:26 AM, Runs With Scissors said:

I purchased a male Betta last week. He's in my 10 gallon quarantine tank and will move to a 20 gallon community tank once quarantine ends. My question has to do with whether or not I actually need to worry about my Betta getting enough exercise.

I've seen where you can buy mirrors to get them to flare as a way of creating a kind of fish workout. Given that my guy spends much of his day leisurely swimming from one end of his tank to the other, and given that he occasionally stops to flare at his reflection in the glass, do I really need to think about setting up a little fish gym?

What say you, aquarist hive mind?

Bettas are certainly hardy fish, but like all creatures, they still have needs, and that includes a healthy environment with interesting things to do. Personally, my rules are to never keep any animal permanently alone, and to keep fish in at least a 10g tank. That way they get activity, interactions, exercise, and foraging. I think keeping bettas with compatible fish or invertebrates is a good idea. I also think that putting up a mirror reflection from time to time is good for them, because it makes them feel like they’re defending their territory against a foe, and then successfully driving him off. The benefit is that no one actually gets hurt, and the animal gets some exercise. I would never leave a mirror up all the time, because that could be stressful and/or desensitize the betta to its “rival,” defeating the purpose of the mirror. However, putting one up every now and then probably simulates a little bit what it’s like to live in a shallow pond in nature, and that’s a good thing.

Edited Wednesday at 05:16 AM by AtomicSunfish