Either find items to put in the tank that are made to go in fish tanks or items that can be thoroughly cleaned, will not fall apart in water, and are non-toxic. It is best to buy items specifically made for fish, to avoid killing or injuring your finned friend. [1] X Expert Source Craig MortonAquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc. Expert Interview. 21 July 2020. However, some other items that would be safe to use (if cleaned properly) include glass marbles, plastic straws, rocks, plastic cross-stitching material, and other items made of things like glass or plastic. Just make sure there are no sharp edges or broken bits for your betta’s long, flowing fins to get caught on! There are a wide variety of products made for Betta tanks specifically. At the very least, consider adding a fake plant or two for your Betta to hide or relax in. [2] X Research source Betta leaf hammocks are also fun. While you do want to give you Betta places to hide and explore, you also need to give it enough open space to swim around freely. Don’t overcrowd the tank with too much stuff![3] X Research source
Make sure the toy is clean before you place it in the water. Put a small plastic ping-pong ball in the top of the tank. [4] X Research source See what the betta does! Some Betta will push it around their tank. If the Betta doesn’t play with the ball immediately, give your fish some time to get used to it.
Try to get your Betta to follow different patterns you make with your fingers. Can you get it to do a flip?
Try feeding your Betta a food they really like while training them. Betta may even jump if you hold blood worms or insects above the water level just a bit!
As your Betta becomes more and more comfortable swimming through the hoop, raise it up little by little, until the bottom of the hoop is just touching the water’s surface. With enough practice, your Betta may jump out of the water and through the hoop to get a food reward. Remember not to overfeed your Betta fish. A few treats for training are just fine but don’t overfeed the fish or it could cause illness or death.
To begin, find a plastic stick, straw, or chopstick suitable for putting in the betta’s tank. It is best to find something brightly colored, so the betta will recognize it. Put the stick in the tank, and when the betta touches it with its nose, give them a treat. Do this several times a day, being careful not to overfeed your betta. Eventually, you can use this stick to train your betta to go through hoops, follow your stick in patterns, and even jump! Just be cautious of over-exerting your betta, and always clean your stick with clean water before use.
