TFA101

By associating Mango's new trick, The Dolphin Jump , with food rewards (possitive reinforcment), I'm able to teach Mango some cool new tricks. In no time I'll have him swimming through a plastic ring and a hamster tube on command... hopefully. Any ideas for some "fish tricks"?

Blub

Do you have a video of him jumping?

What about pick up a pebble and 'throw' it as a trick?

TFA101

My friend has a video cam. I'll borrow it and post it on here if she lets me

Martinismommy

Oh boy! I have a couple of jumpers here and I do NOT encourage it at all....It actually scares me when they do it...I'm afraid they will come up over the side..Lenox comes completely out of the water when he sees my fingers with food....I'd love to see a video of someone elses fish doing this but as for me I discourage it.....

TFA101

dont worry, I only do it when the tank is uncovered in the center of the tank so there is little to no risk of jumping out, but I do cover the tank and block all but the smallest holes to prevent the behavior from going on when I dont tell him to, and to allow air circulation

pamd

Training Mango sounds like fun! There's an interesting thread started by Omorrokh about training her betta:

http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/be...ew-female.html

Toward the end of the thread, you'll also see a note of caution by aprilrain, who (unlike Omorrokh) started detecting an undesirable result with her very shy betta, so be careful if Mango is the shy, cautious type.

Personally, I feel sort of same way as Martinismommy about teaching jumping tricks. My betta, Candi, is "trained" to jump about an inch out of the water to get a pea treat from my finger. I think I could have gotten her to go higher but was afraid to. As it is, it feels perfectly safe, since she's not near the edges of the tank when I do this and she's focused on the pea. I started by offering the pea barely over the water surface and gradually increased the height. It only took a few times for her to learn, and we didn't "practice" every day since she only gets peas once or twice a week.

Here are a couple of other interesting reads:

http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/trick.htm

http://www.underwatertimes.com/news....id=98435710261

There's even a training kit!

http://www.fish-school.com/

I don't know anything about the security of the site or the quality of the product, but I'm pretty sure I saw the same kit at one of the major online aquarium supply sites.

Good luck, and please post about your progress!

TFA101

Shy and cautious are two things Mango is not

TFA101

WOOT!! Saturday August 23 2008, I get Mango the betta to swim through a hoop!!

Blub

Well done! I almost got there with my first male Malachai, but he wouldn't do it whenever he was commanded.

Suave

video?

Devon

According to Fish School, bettas are some of the easiest fish to train to do tricks. I'd love to see a video too. Way cool!

TFA101

Once i find a friend who owns a (working) video camera, you'll see some videos. So far I got him to:

- attack the target
- jump to the target
- jump and grab a bloodworm
- swim through a hoop

Blub

How long have you been training him?

The next thing is to teach him footy! (I mean, English football where you kick a ball not american football!)

TFA101

training has only recently started, about a week ago. bettas, smart fish. I'd love to teach him to play soccer (american way for english football), but Im not sure how id be able to do it. I already have a plastic ball (soccer ball too) but I haven't a net or a way to train him either. Any suggestions?

Martinismommy

TF... I can't wait to see the video of your boy performing for the camera lol

TFA101

I can't wait until I actually find a camera recording in color and sound. Anyways, I found a way to teach Mango to do soccer, fetch, and the limbo. Unfortunately, positive reinforcment using food wont be entirely possible since Mango literally gets his breakfast and dinner in these training sessions. Any ideas on treat reduction (i use betta pellets and on occasion bloodworms) or another way to reinforce positively? And I know he gets full, he vomited up two whole betta pellets the other day. I'm gonna fast him today and tommorow breakfast, give him some time away from food. I know i cant give him cuddles because it's not recommended to pet them, ideas on rewards?

Martinismommy

Annie my Granddaughter pets our Bettas every night...A soft gentle touch..Betta fish love human contact...

TFA101

where is the pet? head? tail? body?

Blub

I believe it's on the body. You could reward him by playing 'chase the finger'!

Martinismommy

She puts her finger in the tank and they come and rub up on her.....They let her touch them where ever she wants...It's usually on the side of their body.....I'll try and get a video before she leaves this week....It is really cute!

Martinismommy

Yeah but you saw what happened to me when I played "chase the finger" with Lenox! lol

Devon

Only one of my bettas is a cuddler at the moment, the others are still settling in. I just stick my finger in the tank as mentioned, and Bowie comes and nudges up against me. He actually follows my hands around when he's feeling needy, I think to get me to put my hand in so he can say "hi". It's really adorable.
Some bettas really like that kind of attention, and others don't. I doubt Esteban will ever beg for pettings. You'll just have to see where Mango stands on that subject. ^_^

Martinismommy

Devon...Esteban doesn't have to beg for attention he has all the woman bowing at his fins lol

Devon

Shh Karen! His ego gets bigger and bigger the more talk like that he hears! I'm telling you, one day that fish is going to pack up and abandon me to chase fame and fortune in Hollywood or something.