Any fish in confinement cannot be happy and enthusiastic if it does not feel like its home. When setting up the tank, you should aim for cloning the natural habitat of betta fish as much as possible. The best way to do so is to keep the water parameters appropriate and install toys for betta fish.
Decorations and toys for betta fish make betta wish feel like it is in its natural habitat. Betta fish are isolated individuals in their native environment, with minimal involvement with other species except while breeding. The betta’s wild ecosystem, on the other hand, is full of materials that trigger their inquisitive nature, such as luxuriant vegetation, driftwood, stones, and other similar items.
Betta fish can often become bored if they are housed in an unfilled tank with no décor. If your betta is being lethargic, not eating properly, or is biting its tail, it could be a clear sign of bored betta. Therefore installing a few toys for betta fish is essential. In this article today, we are going to discuss a few toys for betta fish.
5 Best Toys For Betta Fish
In confinement, betta fish are bound to get bored if one does not install enough things to keep them busy in the betta fish tank. This mundane life will stress betta out and can cost you your lovely betta’s life. The only reason people bring a betta as a pet is to watch the vibrant, colorful, enthusiastic fish swim around in the tank. To ensure your betta has a fun life, you need to add a few toys for betta fish. Here are a few options:
Plants
Fake plants or live plants act as a great add-on to your tank decor. This is because it not only replicates somewhat the natural habitat of the betta fish and makes it feel at home but also provides a great time pass for your betta.
You will find your betta resting on the plant leaves, sleeping, or hiding behind it. In the wild, betta fish usually hide behind the leaves of the aquatic plants to shelter themselves from dominating species. You can plant live shrubs like java moss, java fern, or moss balls for a betta. If you want to avoid the strain of maintaining the live plants, you can go for silk plants.
Floating Log
A floating log has a natural and original-looking edge, which will make your betta feel like it is in its native habitat. The log will give your aquarium a beautiful instinctual look if you use real or fake flora. Floating or non-floating logs provide betta fish a great space for swimming and relaxing while also giving them a safe spot to sleep or hide.
A log is among the best toys for betta fish and is suitable for tank species, like betta, newts, frogs, and mudskippers of many kinds. It gives your tank inhabitants safety, happiness, and stress relief. Floating logs are just right for aquatic critters like frogs and newts to crawl on top of it. Inside the log, your aquarium animals can nap, swim, eat, and procreate. Some logs also have to feed holes to provide your betta food.
Mirrors
Betta fish generally flares up when placed in front of a mirror. This is because the natural personality of betta fish is aggressive. Betta fish is also known as the fighting fish for a reason. It is territorial and cannot withstand any other betta or non-betta species in its territory. That is why they are asked to keep in the solitary tank.
When placed in front of a mirror, they think someone is in their territory and tries to flare up in aggression. This flaring up provides a good showcase of its vibrant color. Nevertheless, we advise not to install a permanent mirror because this can be stressful for your betta.
Ship Wreck
Shipwrecks are the most natural-looking thing you can add to your tank. We do not mean figuratively, obviously, but there are shipwreck toys available for tanks. Nevertheless, make sure the edges of the ship’s wrecks are not too sharp, or you might damage your betta’s fins or tails for life. Add a few plants around the shipwrecks, and your betta will get its amusement park in its small world.
Balls
You can fill your aquarium with either an artificial or natural ball. Natural, yes. Marimo moss balls are round-shaped plants that will keep your betta entertained for hours as he studies their smooth, protective texture. The moss balls are living creatures that use ammonia as fertilizer to enable maintaining the aquarium evenly moist while also providing a wonderful burst of color and shape to the design.
You may also use a normal ping pong ball. They can be one of the best DIY toys for betta fish. Carefully place the ball into your fish’s aquarium after washing it in warm water without soap. They are one of the best toys for betta fish. It will attract your betta’s interest and provide a fun way to spend time.
How To Choose Toys For Betta Fish:
You cannot just choose toys for betta fish. There is a lot of parameters you should consider. For instance, whether your betta will like it or not, whether the material used to make the toy is safe or not. Therefore, we have discussed a few points to remember while purchasing toys for betta fish.
- Inspect the toy properly. Look for sharp edges. If they are present, it is a major red flag. It can damage the beautiful fins and tails of your betta.
- Avoid picking up anything from the beach or the road, like shells, rocks, or logs, and putting it in the tank. They will have toxins that could affect your betta.
- Do not make beach sand a substrate in your tank. It contains a lot of pollutants and can affect the well-being of your betta negatively.
- Also, avoid products with poor reviews and have metallic textures.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
How can I play with a betta?
You can try the mirror exercise, where you just place the mirror in front of your betta tank and watch its reaction. You can also try training your betta with the training kit and methods like following the finger.
Do betta fish need toys?
Yes, they do. If enough toys are not installed, your betta might get bored, and you will end up cutting its lifespan short. Install basic toys like logs, plants, balls, or rings to make confinement fun for your betta.
Do bettas need a hammock?
The majority of betta fish love hammocks and will gladly remain for hours just relaxing in their small place on the surface. Because bettas are inherently lured to hammocks, including other toys may make your betta joyful.
Can I make some homemade toys for betta fish?
Yes, you can. Some of the toys like ping pong balls, hammocks, caves, floating logs can easily be made at home.
Where to buy toys for betta fish?
You can surf online. You will get betta toys at a reasonable rate at any online shopping platform like Amazon, e-Bay, etc., or you can go to a nearby pet store.
Final Thoughts:
Including toys for betta fish will be a prudent decision for the well-being and healthy life of your betta. Toys make their life fun and joyful, making them enthusiastic and active. Or else your betta might get bored just swimming around with nothing to do.
