Do Bettas Make A Noise? Update - Yes!

[Athena]

Hi, I'm sure some of you are going to laugh at me but I swear my male Betta makes a noise!! It's a kind of rattly, rasping sound and he does it quite often (well, if it's not him I must have a bug in my ear ). I can't think where else the noise is coming from if not him.

Oh please tell me I'm not going insane - have any of you heard your Bettas rasping? I did wonder if perhaps he was "passing wind" (well, if Bettas breathe in air it must come out somewhere, mustn't it?). My other theory is that he does it to get attention as it only happens when I am not sat directly in front of the tank.

Any ideas anyone?

Athena (a newbie on the forums)

 

[modaz]

i wouldnt rule out anything to be honest, as for wind if there is excess bubbles coming from him then YES it is likely to be wind i wouldnt say you were insane, but i might do if you find the noise to be something else

 

[Athena]

Yes, that would be very embarrassing if it turns out to be something else although I can't imagine what.

Sometimes I sit there with no music or TV on so it's very quiet and apart from the tank electricals there is nothing else in the room that could make a noise. Besides, I am positive it's coming from his tank - even when he was in another tank I still heard the same noise from the one he was in - so it can't be the pump or anything in this present tank.

Perhaps I should get my GP to check my ears

Will be interesting to see if any other Betta owners come forward to admit to hearing strange noises!

Don't call the men in white coats just yet

Athena

 

[groupiekilla06]

My bettas usually only make sounds during feeding time. They make crushing, chomping, and general splashing sounds. You can literally hear some of them snap their jaws together. A couple of mine bite hard too.

 

[ReMz]

I really would not accredit your betta for the noises you described. They jump and chomp on food sometimes. Only noises I have heard.

I would start looking into a possible resident you have with you of the insect kind. Maybe your betta makes odd noises somehow tho..... i certainly couldn't accurately judge that w/o hearing it myself

 

[dusky]

Wouldn't be the filter would it if you have one?

 

[devon_charm]

one of my betta used to click allot lol but never rasping sounds, then again you never can tell

 

[Athena]

Thanks, Dusky and Remz for your input. No, it can't be the filter that's making the noise because he was in a different tank before I bought this one and I still heard the same noises. Not an insect either - as I have wooden floors, minimal furniture - I'd definitely notice if there was something crawling around - and if I didn't spot it my cat would Besides, can't think of an insect that makes that noise.

Ah well - it remains a mystery for now. I shall try Googling a bit more and see if I find anything eventually. Will let you know if I do.

Cheers - Athena

 

[Athena]

WOW!!!!!

Just had to share this with you because I think I may have solved my query about noisy Bettas! Perhaps I'm not going crazy, after all...

Found this snippet of info on a website - it's actually regarding another type of fish but one that also has a labyrinth organ, like the Bettas (both Anabantoids):

"Croaking Gouramy
Trichopsis vittata
Ikan Karim,

This small fish is probably one of our most successful anabantoids. Although generally a peaceful fish, the males may be quite aggressive to one another. Both sexes are known to produce a sort of soft purring-croaking noise with the aid of the labyrinth organ. The fragile bubble-nest is usually built amongst thick clumps of floating vegetation, and a pair may produce over 200 eggs per spawning."

Well - isn't that amazing? Now we all know - Bettas can make a noise! (p.s. he's definitely a Siamese Fighter and not a Gourami, though)

Athena

 

[dusky]

Well well well who'd of thought it. You could do a video with sound and put it on if you have the equipment

 

[Netty]

I came across a link a while ago which had recordings of different fish in the wild making noises.....it was fascinating. Like Dusky said it would be great if you could record it for us

 

[Starfishpower]

two of my bettas - crowntails, one male, one female - make little clicking sounds sometimes. its kind of hard to describe and i dont have the equipment to record it but its sort of like if you could take a really hard piece of glass, one that wouldnt break under masive vibrations, and made it ping for a split second, thats kinda what it sounds like. im glad you started this thread cause i was just thinking about starting one like this a week ago cause i had never heard of any ever mention to me that bettas make noises. oh and my male crowntail also crunches his pellets up, which is funny, but not the sound im talking about here. oh, and welcome to the forum.

 

[Athena]

Thanks for adding to this thread - it's really interesting to know that a few others have heard noises from their Bettas.

I wish I was able to record the noise for you but unfortunately I don't have the equipment or know-how to do it - and also, any recording equipment would have to be left recording for ages until Sammy made the noise because there's no way of knowing when he's going to do it next.

Some evenings I hear it several times, especially when the TV is off - other times he's quiet. How I describe it is like a soft rasping or, as that person I quoted above said a "purring". It's also reminded me of a rattlesnake tail noise at times.

I wonder if it's only certain types of Bettas that do this? Without making myself look too stupid (well, I am fairly new to all this) - can a Croaking Gourami mate with a Siamese Fighter? Just wondering if maybe my Sammy is a cross-breed and that's why he can croak!

Athena

 

[Frollickyfish]

One of mine makes a similar noise but only when he is eating as if he is crunching on his pellets.

 

[dem0nz]

my betta plays the banjo