Anybody else get mad at their betta fish?

[rckstr1253]

Well I have this one betta I love and is my favorite. He's a blue and orange double tail half moon I bought at petco. I bought him in late august and had him a month or so when he started to bite his own tail. I got him to stop by adding more decorations and such and his tail was healing nicely, now a few minutes ago I go to turn out his light and what do I see, he has nibbled off a huuuuuuge section of the regrown tail part and part of his top tail fin as well. I know he couldn't of gotten it caught on anything as all the plants are foxtail plants I spent $5.99 on or more and its like a nibble pattern in areas. My question is has anyone else gotten tired of this? I was finally enjoying his beauty with his tail back and its gone again. Its actually angered me enough to go on record and say I'll never buy a betta fish again. I actually prefer my mystery snails more now.....easier to take care of and you don't have to deal with the bull. Sorry for the venting but I am seriously mad after all my hard work to get his tail to grow back and the 3 or so months it took......grrrr

[erinandares]

Awwh. Well, I don't get mad at them for biting, because they haven't done it, yet. *knock on wood* But I do get mad at them all the time. Like my new guy who won't move a muscle. I literally yelled at him "WHY WON'T YOU MOVE???" when I tried yet again in vain to feed him. You would think he could be dead.

I get mad at Phaistos all the time. Literally. Me and that fish have such a hateful relationship, it's shameful. He gives me dirty looks and I give them right back. He flares his fins and does that little caudal whip thing. He can't talk though, so... Yeah. I win. :p It stems from me taking his girlfriend away after an unplanned romp he undoubtedly orchestrated. >.> Phaistos has turned into a dog!

He got through the tiniest hole in the divider the other day (which actually prompted me to upgrade them) and attacked Hermes. I was asleep, so I didn't notice until I woke up and he was swimming around and I couldn't find Hermes. Turns out, Hermes had hidden inside the vase and Phaistos was just cruising along like the whole tank was his. He's full of crazy. I also get mad at Spiridion. That fish will go out of his way to somehow taste my flesh. He will NOT stop biting me. One day. he's going to get accidentaly flung across the room off the tip of my finger! D:

Now everyone can see that I am emotionally unstable and should never own pets. Bahaha, I shall anyway. *blatant disregard*

[Larkspur]

aww :c yeah I get so mad at Moony for biting his pretty fins D: It's so STUPID! I don't know why he does it D: I have put female guppies with him (he likes to watch them but they never interact) and I change around his tank like 3 times a week but he still gets bored and bites his tail! (I'm really mad because he's the only half moon I have and his tail is shorter than my PK's)

[rckstr1253]

Yea I mean Im sooo frustrated Im ready to put him back into his petco cup. I mean when i got him his tail was perfect and he was in the cup a while....so maybe he doesn't like a big tank....which he's in a 2 gallon tank. But at this point I am done with betta fish.....he bit his tail 2x now....and the other 2 have a 5 gallon tank and did the same. So their tails are bit too and I bought them plenty of objects to play and explore......just not worth it anymore.

[Myrtaceae]

If I'm mad around my tanks it's usually because I've splashed water on myself.

Tail-biting is often a response to stress, especially so if all of your bettas are doing it & you've stopped it before when it was stress-induced. I'd check your water params, filter flow, and make sure the objects provide enough dark hiding places. I'd be more concerned with the stress level of the fish than the actual state of his fins. Think of the tail biting as the fish being nice enough to give you a visual indication of his stress, rather than getting ill with no warning (I'm looking at you neon tetras).

Fish are really hard work full stop (regardless of regrowing or not). They're fun to watch, but that's not quite the same thing as fun to admire.

[Sena Hansler]

Tail biting can also be boredom... or just having a heavy tail.
I get mad at El Dorado xD

For instance, I did not realize HOW social El Dorado was. he doesn't like being near or in sight of other betta fish, or he gets stressed... However he has a 10 gallon with plants and hidey hole, and gravel, upstairs in the liviing room. He's tail-biting >:( I'll have to downsize his tank to a 5, then add toys - like ping pong balls, a fake fish, or whatever he leans towards He needs people there aaaallll the time -.- I may end up giving him my old TV xDD geesh what a child -smh-

Lark, he may be stressed with other fish in there? o.o or better yet...the other fish bite his fins? ;)

[GunsABlazin]

being a double tail HM, he may be dealing with the fact that his tail may be to heavy.
Many of the members of this forum have heavy tailed hm's, and know that they will "trim" their own tails if they start to make swimming difficult. One of the members even has the supplies and trim the bettas tail themselves. But this is dangerous and if not done right will cause more trouble then good.

If his tail biting is that frustrating for you, then find him another home and get yourself a Plakat. They have short tails, but are still very elegant and have great personality's.

[Luimeril]

i'm more like "ugh... again, Ichi?" not so much mad, but kinda frustrated. i am a little mad at Lulu, though. i can't put her in anything other than her one gallon! it's frustrating, but not enough ta make me truly MAD at her.

[Sena Hansler]

Luimeril.... lol. darn fish hey??! Shiloh "has" to be in the 20 gallon. "or else" he also today jumped out of the treatment container (for ich), and right now is swimming around in his 20 I floated it in... and begging for food... guess he says he's better o_O

[ManInBlack2010]

i get mad at my white HM bocephus all the time. He's such a beautiful fishy and he has to go and wreck his tail :P - he also an extremely picky eater and i have a hard time getting him to eat - he's my diva