attacking plants

[sainthogan]

Why is my female attacking her plants? She's not eating them, just taking chunks or large pieces off of them and letting them float around in her tank. She gets plenty to eat (in fact she probably gets more than she needs because she's really good at convincing me she needs more than 3 pellets per feeding). Is she bored?

[whatsupyall]

Maybe she is eating them, but only some parts of it. Perhaps a bad habit from eating plants. Some bettas love duckweed. So maybe she think it is duckweed, but once it's in her mouth, she spits it back out because it isn't duckweed. Maybe others can help, as that is my only idea.

[shellieca]

LOL. My girls pick at everything but I haven't seen them taking chunks of the plants. She could be bored. Do you vary her diet?

[sainthogan]

I do vary her diet. She gets pellets as her staple food. Bloodworms for treats and her favorite flakes as a very special treat. She could be curious I suppose. It's a new plant that started growing. She did that with her Lilly when it was growing, but I'm not sure if she stopped on that plant and is only focusing on her new one.

[shellieca]

I wouldn't worry about it. Sounds like its normal for her.

[sainthogan]

Originally Posted by shellieca

I wouldn't worry about it. Sounds like its normal for her.

Ok, I won't . I do feel sorry for the plants though

[shellieca]

Ha! I'd feel more sorry for your pocket book, plants aren't cheap.

[sainthogan]

Originally Posted by shellieca

Ha! I'd feel more sorry for your pocket book, plants aren't cheap.

Too be honest, I've been buying the cheap bulbs from Wal-Mart, so it hasn't been so bad yet. In fact, those are the only ones I have been able to keep alive. The ones I bought from the pet store that were already grown and you plant them, have completely died off. The bulbs from Wal-Mart, took root and took off in my tank. They are thriving so well, that you can hardly tell that she has been attacking them. Of course, now I've see her do it, so I know what to look for.

She didn't know that I was watching, I was on my bed pretending to be asleep. She snuck up on the plant, like she was hunting, attacked a strand until it came lose, then she chased the broken part around the tank. She never tried to eat it, just chased it. If it sank to the bottom though, she would grab it and take it to the top. She would actually try to get it into the filter flow so that it would continue to move up and down on its own and then she would chase it. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, until I saw her do it again a few hours later. It appears that she is actually doing this for fun!!

[guardianfyre]

Sounds like she's playing fetch. lol