Betta fluffs out at other fish... but doesn't seem to harm them.

[Tayles]

I've got a white (yes white) male betta. He lives in my 10 gal community tank. He's peaceful and happy, generally. But occasionally, he will fluff out at my yellow female platies, and like intimidate them by swimming towards them fluffed out. Then he returns to swimming by himself. Is this normal or is he going to turn into the fish from hell? lol

 

[Angelfish]

Just sounds like he is trying to scare them away from his teritory or something like that. If its not happening often Id say hes going to be okay.

 

[Tayles]

Thanks!!

 

[PreciousGems]

White (known as opaque) bettas are beautiful, I have about 30 of them right now, lol. "Fluffing" is a normal betta behavior. It is called Flaring. Bettas flare to show how tuff they are, or if you breed them, this is how they show off to each other. Perfectly normal, just make sure he doesn't rip his fins by doing it too much. If you notice them ripping I would seperate them and treat him with some melafix to help them regrow with out any infections.

Alexa

 

[Tayles]

Thanks for the info. Yes he is very beautiful... he's like white (looks kinda pinkish in the light) with a sparkly blue color spotted all over his head/face area, and the same blue color on one of his side fins, and also splotched on his tail/top fin. He's the first one I saw of that kind... and he was in Petland's tank with some Discus fish... we got him because we had to wait a while for service... (I don't think they sell their Betta's out of the tanks otherwise).... but he is indeed a sight...

By ripping what do you mean? It's just the part under his gills I guess is how you could put it... that he poofs out for a few seconds (max of 10 secs) then it's put away. (The thing he poofs out is black, it's really pretty when he does it)

 

[bobrob]

Yea opauqes get a red and/or blue tint in their fins as they get older. What is meant by tearing their fins is that when they falre theyre stretching out their fins and they try and stetch them out as far as possible so the fins break. Its kinda like tearing paper if you pull it apart its gonna rip.