Martinismommy

Do Veil tail betta boys seem to have less of a flare than the other varieties? Jagger is a very healthy BIG boy but I have never seen him really flare up like my other boys...

Just curious.....

TFA101

many bettas have different personality. I'm guessing Jagger is a mellow betta? probably the reason he doesn't usually flare up. Have you ever played w/ your betta(s)? If not, use the back of a ballpoint pen (the ones with the plastic casing and colored end) and slowly stick it in front of his nose from the outside of the bowl. If he follows it, he'll probably flare up. If you do this regularily, he may develop a better relationship with you and flare up more often without the pen.

Martinismommy

Thank you for the input...I play with him everyday...He eats out of my fingers..He follows my finger around the tank.....It's more like his finnage is too heavy to flare...Not quite sure but he is anything but MELLOW lol

Shawnie

play with her betta's?? I bet she has a carrying case and clothes she puts on them for days of the week! LOL shes betta queen of the shoe

Shawnie

love ya gf!!!!!!

Allie

My boy all equally flare...now Mr. Peach use to flare at everything. Jasper was a flarer too. I hardly see Casper flare, unless I use the mirror to get him to flare.

Martinismommy

Hey Shawnee....

Why did you let my secret out! lol This darn spoiled brat drove home in Loretta Lynns Lincoln!

Allie, I use the mirror every day...I call it their excercise program......5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes at night..Steve told me I have officially flip my lid lolol

Shawnie

I agree with steve!!!! now u fit in perfect with the rest of us LOL

seeeeeeeee I told ya she has outfits for everday of the week! this is tuesdays torent!

Allie

hahahahahahahha!!! That is comical!!!

Martinismommy

I am laughing so hard I have tears over here!

Shawnie

I think we need a "kegarator " nite very soooooooooon!

Martinismommy

No time like the present! (burp)

LetDiceFly

Flash has gotten where he flares at the mirror even before he sees his reflection. I can show him the edge of the mirror and he will flare. I think he has gotten the point where he knows that it is a game and that there isn't any other betta.

Shawnie

<--hands karen a towel!

Tazmiche

I have 4 males at the mo......

Sky.....Tatty finnage,butch.....flares at own reflection OR if i try to drop in a pellet before he has finished chewing!!!

Flame..... HE IS STUNNING.!!!!!!!! THE longest finnage, red blue and Gold. He goes to bed in his monument around 8pm..... he likes to play peek...a..boo in his plants

Marmalade ( marmy) seeks attention!! Is the clown. Plays with food so you laugh then does it more!! Bit a chunk of tail!!

Kizmet that died was a dream! came to you at the call of his name. Can't dwell on him or i'll cry. ( Delta tail in end...bought as a baby VT femail)

And then there is Spot. He is a beautiful velvet red, such a dream, such a gent and SSSOOOO SSSOOOO mellow, i have NEVER seen a full flare from him!!! I may see a part one but then i get the oh it's you look and thats it. HE is so gentle! melts your heart!!!

Flame/Spot and Marm are DEF veil tails. I think Sky is BUT he came to me with such bad fin rot and regrowth aside still tatty who knows!!!

chickadee

I am personally very timid about using the mirror with a betta. It is hard on their heart to allow them to do that much flaring. It is a danger mode they go into. It is not something they do for fun or exercise. This is the reason that I am careful to keep them from being able to see each other too much. At one point I had a regular piece of paneling to keep the two tanks in my den seperated from each other but now they do not even notice each other so I do not have to use it that much.

Flaring is hard on them as they only do it when they feel threatened for some reason. If it is a momentary thing or they just get startled, it will not harm them but to make them do it for extended periods is just not a good idea.

I heard one member call it like putting them on constant alert and letting them think that someone is breaking into their home to hurt them. How long could we be in that state without being overwhelmed?

Veiltails tend to have a lot of finnage like the Rosetails and Halfmoons and you will find that the more finnage the fish has the less likely they are to do a lot of flaring at full flare anyway. It is heavy and they get enough with just trying to maintain their energy swimming through the water with all that trailing behind without getting all wound up and spreading it out to catch the water and throw them about with it all extended. They learn that they can swim better with the finnage down. The fish with a great deal of finnage and heavy backsides can even break the rays to their fins and not be able to flare at all. I happened to own at least one fish whose finnage was so heavy that it broke his rays and while he was still a very lovely fish, he never flared and I believe he could not have done even if he had wanted to. As the Veiltails get older they also put on more finnage so the fins you see on the little guys at the store are nothing compared to what you could have when they become full grown.

Rose

P.S. I am not scolding just expressing an opinion.

COBettaCouple

I would recommend not using the mirror, they are really cute swimming around all tough, but there's always a chance of brain damage from extended flaring.

I love the outfit..

Teddy Bear has an incredible flare, but he's so mellow that only seeing Kairi will get him to flare. Sora never flared, but Mickey will flare at pretty much nothing even. The flaring gills are pretty similar but it really is just a matter of personality how much they flare.

angelfish220

I would never even imagine making my betta flare, its like getting your dad ready to punch a guy you never even dated (is that a teenage discription or what ) It just seems cruel to me.