Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Getting Started

How to train your betta fish: Our top tips

Mary Johnson
By

Famous for their gorgeous coloring, betta fish are one of the most popular aquatic pets in the world. While it’s difficult to gauge a fish’s intelligence, bettas are devoted parents to their young, which typically indicates a high level of intelligence. Many betta fish also develop endearing personality traits.

Like their human friends, betta fish are intensely curious by nature. They’re often possessive of their personal space, they quickly learn their feeding schedule, and they can even recognize their owners. Knowing this, it might not surprise you to hear that many owners learn how to train betta fish. Stick around if you’d like to learn more about these stunning fish, including fun betta fish tricks you can teach them.

A blue and purple betta fish swimming in a tank.
Tim Mossholder from Pexels

Training your betta fish

Bettas are clever little fish, but that doesn’t mean you won’t need to ease into your training sessions. Fish have short attention spans, so we recommend starting out with five-minute sessions. You can work your way up to 10 minutes once your betta gets used to their new training schedule. While you won’t be able to teach your fish to talk, you can still train them to do interesting tricks. Here are a few they can learn.

Recommended Videos

Follow the finger

One of the easiest is teaching your fish to come to you when you want them to. Start by running your finger along the outside of the aquarium — you can also drag your finger through the water — until your betta approaches you. Then give them a treat to encourage their behavior. This might take days or even weeks of training, but your fish will eventually catch on. In fact, they might start approaching you when they want a treat… which brings us to our next trick.

Eat from your hand

After your betta has learned to swim up to your hand when they want a treat, you’ll be able to teach them to accept the treat directly from your hand. We recommend talking to your fish while you do this, as some betta owners swear it makes a difference. Get your betta’s attention by tapping or running your finger along the glass. Once they’ve acknowledged you, put a piece of food on your fingertip and place it in the water. Your fish should gobble it right up.

Jump for a treat

Once your fish takes food directly from your fingers, you may be able to teach them to jump out of the water or swim through hoops in exchange for a tasty treat.  Place a piece of their food on the end of your finger, and hold your finger close to the surface of the water. Make sure to show your fish their food to entice them, and they’ll accept their snack.

As your fish grows more comfortable jumping for food, you can lift your finger higher up from the water. Around an inch away from the surface is the perfect height for a betta, but you should always take precautions to make sure your fish doesn’t jump over the side of the tank.

Swim through hoops

One of the toughest tricks for bettas to master is swimming through hoops. You’ll need plenty of patience, and your fish still may not learn the trick. Using a clean hoop, lower it into the water near the glass. Tap the side of the aquarium to get your fish’s attention, and run your finger along the glass in front of the hoop. Your betta just might swim through it to reach your finger.

You can also try placing both hands inside the tank and using a bite of food to lure your fish through the hoop. Again, this one takes practice, and not all fish manage it.

A blue and red betta fish swimming.
Stacey Gabrielle Koenitz Rozells from Pexels

Keep a healthy environment

There are many ways you can ensure a positive training environment for your betta fish.

  • If you want to foster the perfect learning environment for your betta, keeping their tank clean is essential.
  • Bettas are most comfortable in water ranging from 76 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, so you’ll want to ensure your fish stays warm enough.
  • A betta’s preferred diet consists of bloodworms and brine shrimp as well as store-bought betta food, which has extra vitamins and minerals to keep your fish healthy.

Unlike many fish, bettas would rather be alone. Trying to keep two bettas in the same aquarium almost always results in a fight, so don’t worry about your fish being lonely. They don’t need a roommate. All they need is a clean tank, heat, quality food, and plenty of your attention. With a little work and a bit of patience, you’ll have a well-trained fish in no time.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mary Johnson
Mary Johnson
Contributor
Mary Johnson is a writer and photographer from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her work has been published in PawTracks and…
Are ‘dog years’ really 7 human years? How to calculate your dog’s age
Time to bust the myth: A dog year may not equal 7 human years
A dog licks a person's finger with yogurt on their nose

There are many ways to identify a dog's age and translate dog years to human years — other than knowing their birthday, of course — from the formation of their teeth to the development of their body. Then there’s the classic rule of 7: 1 year in "human time" equals 7  "dog years". However, research shows that figuring out exactly how to translate dog years to human years may not be as simple as multiplying a number by 7. So how can you calculate your dog’s age?
Let’s dive into the latest and most accurate techniques for canine age calculation. Once you know how to apply this knowledge, you'll be able to figure out what stage of life your dog is in.  This calculation is yet another way to ensure you’re taking the best possible care of your best buddy — and it’s fascinating to know either way.

Is 1 dog year 7 human years?
Despite the popularity of this trope — that 1 year for a dog is equal to 7 human years — it’s not quite that simple. In fact, the dog-to-human age equivalent can change from year to year depending on the age and size of your pet. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), all pups will gain about 15 human years within their first actual year of life, while the second year of life equals another nine years.
Past year two, however, the numbers tend to differ. Larger breeds will “age faster” on paper, meaning their human age equivalent will be higher than that of a smaller dog who was born at the same time. This may sound a bit sad, or even worrisome, so it’s important to remember that age isn’t an indicator of health or life expectancy. As we tell humans, age is just one number.

Read more
How to tell if your older dog’s health decline means the end is near
Signs your old pup is close to the end-of-life period
An old Great Dane with a white face leaning against a man's side.

If you've stumbled across this article after searching terms like "old dog behavior before death," we are so sorry for your situation. There's nothing we want more than for our fur babies to live forever. Unfortunately, death is a part of life we all must face, and the loss of a pet is a major trauma because of the tight bonds we form with our fur babies.

Knowing death's a part of life doesn't make the loss of a pet any easier — it can be as difficult as losing a human family member. Despite the many ways we can try to grieve once our beloved pet has passed, it can be helpful to know the end is near. Here's what you should look for if you suspect your dog may be nearing the end of the road.  

Read more
Is your dog barking nonstop? Here’s how to get your noisy pup under control
How to step in and help your noisy dog stay quiet when barking nonstop
Dog barking at night

If you’ve ever tossed and turned because your neighbor’s pooch barked all night, then you know how incredibly frustrating a noisy dog can be. Don’t let your pup be "that" dog in your community. While it's perfectly natural for Fido to bark occasionally, excessive barking at unreasonable hours or for long periods is unneighborly.

Experts at the American Kennel Club (AKC) say that preventing nuisance barking should be a top priority for responsible pet parents. If you live with a loud four-legger that barks nonstop, take steps now to resolve the problem before your neighbor complains (or you lose your mind).

Read more