Active/Happy Betta or Stressed Betta?

[rykthia]

Hi All,

This is the first time I have posted to this forum. I just recently got a little male betta fish. I have him in a 3 gallon tank, complete with a light, plants, a filter and a heater. He seems to be very happy in there, from what I can tell. He spends all day swimming up and down and diving around, hiding between plants and investigating. I was very surprised to see him so active. The problem is, I am almost worried that maybe instead of being active and healthy he's just stressed out and going crazy! How would I know the difference?

Two things in particular:

1) I do have a pump running. I'd like to be able to keep a filter going if possible because it'll save me some cleaning, but there is a small current running across the tank.

2) The sides of the tank look reflective from where I sit. He's not showing off his fins, but he does spend a lot of time going up and down the tank walls. I worried that maybe the reflection looked like another betta to him and was stressing him out.

What do you think? He's active pretty much all of the time. I've gotten worried a few times when he drops to the bottom and just hangs out there. Is that healthy betta behavior to always be moving? (I am hoping so, because it is quite a bit of fun to watch...)

Thanks so much for your help!

[turbomkt]

Try creating an area with still water or reduce the current. You'll know your betta is happy when he starts to create (or try to create) a bubble nest.

But betta movement isn't generally a bad thing with the tank you described.

[Severus]

Sounds pretty normal to me. Your Betta will display the most if he is near another male Betta or sees his reflection as another fish. My betta never really displays much anymore because he is very relaxed and comfortable in his tank. Like turbomkt said, a bubble nest does mean your betta has established himself and is happy (ready to mate)

[kimmers318]

The betta I have in a 5 gal, and the other in a large community tank are both quite active so everything sounds normal from my end. If you are worried about the current you can try disturbing it a little, which is what I did. I bought a silk plant and have it directly under the water fall where water re-enters the tank and stuck one of the "branches" of the plant up into the bottom. This caused the water to be spread out as it fell back in....but the funny thing is, I usually find Rainbow resting among the leaves of said plant right in the way of the water flow!!!! Go figure, someone forgot to tell him he isn't supposed to like currents.

[mariposa]

a bubble nest does mean your betta has established himself and is happy (ready to mate)

My betta did this in his 1 gal bowl. Does this mean he was happy in there? I'm at the moment trying to get him established in a 10 gal with a few other small fish but I'm also having an issue with the filter creating a current. I'm gonna try the plant under and somewhat in the waterfall.