Betta Flare As Greeting?

For a few months, I noticed my Betta Cleo flaring at me for a second and then either swimming from side to side or back and forth. The best example is when I’m laying in bed looking at him, he’ll swim up to my side, flare, and then swim around. When I get up to “pet” his tank(run my finger across the tank where he’s at), he stops.

My wife thinks that he’s doing it as a greeting as she mentioned that it’s only for a second or two and he’s not puffed nor is he breathing heavy.

Is it normal for some Bettas to flare their parents as a greeting? I hate using the word owner as he’s a member of the family.

 

Aggressive bettas will commonly flare at people upon sight. It’s just their way of interacting, and also defending their territory from an “intruder”

 

So it’s not really a greeting but not something I’m doing wrong either

 

I really think one of mine does it as to say he’s mad about something but someone also told me it can be a greeting. All I know is mine are very curious and each have their own personality. I have 4 males each in their own 5 gallon tank. If I rearrange their belongings I get flared at. Lol

 

I really think one of mine does it as to say he’s mad about something but someone also told me it can be a greeting. All I know is mine are very curious and each have their own personality. I have 4 males each in their own 5 gallon tank. If I rearrange their belongings I get flared at. Lol

I had a really sassy one who would be really moody after tank cleanings so instead of being the person who gave him food I was an evil person who destroyed his home.. my other betta just gets really annoyed and ignores me

So it’s not really a greeting but not something I’m doing wrong either

I wouldn’t say it’s exactly a greeting, but no you’re not doing anything wrong. It means that your betta is healthy. Lethargic bettas won’t have this behavior. It’s sort of just their way of acknowledging that someone is at the tank looking at them. The side-to-side is probably begging for food, and some bettas may actually flare as part of the begging process

 

I had a really sassy one who would be really moody after tank cleanings so instead of being the person who gave him food I was an evil person who destroyed his home.. my other betta just gets really annoyed and ignores me

Mine does that too when I clean his tank and do a water change. He’ll flare at me constantly afterwards and after a day, he’ll be fine again.

I wouldn’t say it’s exactly a greeting, but no you’re not doing anything wrong. It means that your betta is healthy. Lethargic bettas won’t have this behavior. It’s sort of just their way of acknowledging that someone is at the tank looking at them. The side-to-side is probably begging for food, and some bettas may actually flare as part of the begging process

I have no clue about that. I usually feed him once a day and fast him on Saturday. When he’s hungry, he’ll usually swim around the spot where the feeding hole is.

 

Mine does that too when I clean his tank and do a water change. He’ll flare at me constantly afterwards and after a day, he’ll be fine again.




I have no clue about that. I usually feed him once a day and fast him on Saturday. When he’s hungry, he’ll usually swim around the spot where the feeding hole is.

Swimming around the feed spot can be considered begging because every fish owner has that moment when they see their fish swimming back and forth at the top of the tank and wants to give them food.