Look But Dont Touch?

[chrisrm]

is it ok to 'stroke' bettas?
i only ask as when i feed drago he seems to enjoy the contact, but obiously i dont want to hurt him!

 

[kizno1]

aslong as your gently it fine

 

[Winterlily]

There seems to be a lot of debate about this in general. Some will say never ever touch your fish because it reduces or removes the slime coat, which then leaves them open to all kinds of nasties. Some pet their fish way more than the stroking you're talking about and their fish are fine. <shrug> My own personal feeling is that if you do it gently, with a well-wet and clean hand, and don't do it all the the time (just make it a treat once in a while), it cannot possibly be any worse than when they slide past a piece of driftwood or other decoration. One of mine, Roo, comes swimming in and out of my hands and fingers the entire time I'm doing water changes ... taking it upon himself to slide against my hand/fingers. He's fine.

 

[BettaChick14]

My betta comes right up to me when i go to the tank. 2 days ago, it was the cutest thing, I was doing a water change and putting clean water in. I was pouring it in when Luna (the betta) came right up to where the current was and did a little dance it was almost like he was asking: "Hey! what are you doing?" As for petting... I don't really have an opinion. I personally don't do it because of the slime coat and germy hands but I guess if you have clean hands and your being very gentle.

 

[Hawkins]

My betta comes right up to me when i go to the tank. 2 days ago, it was the cutest thing, I was doing a water change and putting clean water in. I was pouring it in when Luna (the betta) came right up to where the current was and did a little dance it was almost like he was asking: "Hey! what are you doing?" As for petting... I don't really have an opinion. I personally don't do it because of the slime coat and germy hands but I guess if you have clean hands and your being very gentle.

what have you been smoking?

firstly, you have named your fish. fine, that's not too crazy.
secondly, you claim that he was dancing. HE IS A FISH!!!
and finally, you are telling us that he SPOKE.

sorry but this is just some evidence that people want too much from their FISH

get a life!!1

 

[ellena]

Hey, steady on! She just enjoys her betta, that's all. They do 'dance' about in the current and she can imagine he's thinking whatever she likes

 

[jasminekiddell]

All my fish (coldwater fantails & my betta) are quite nervous if i put my hand in they'll swim away.
I don't try to touch them apart from once i just had to grab one of my fantails against its will because it had a giant peice of pebble in its mouth and it couldnt get it out.
I want to hold them and stuff but i feel their just it look at not hold, plus i dont want to harm their coat.
Ive seen a few videos on youtube about tame goldfish, i think this one is rather good, http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcWvCrPru18
Its like the fish chooses to have human contact.
This video is very fascinating ive never seen a fish like it, http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUhgGhi7Wfw
I wish my fish could be tame enough to like a stroke lol!

 

[BettaChick14]

Sorry Hawkins,
Me and my friends all have betta fish and we all go GaGa over them.
It was just funny at the time, thats all. Anyway, I'm sorry I irritated you.

 

[bae1994]

My betta comes right up to me when i go to the tank. 2 days ago, it was the cutest thing, I was doing a water change and putting clean water in. I was pouring it in when Luna (the betta) came right up to where the current was and did a little dance it was almost like he was asking: "Hey! what are you doing?" As for petting... I don't really have an opinion. I personally don't do it because of the slime coat and germy hands but I guess if you have clean hands and your being very gentle.

what have you been smoking?

firstly, you have named your fish. fine, that's not too crazy.
secondly, you claim that he was dancing. HE IS A FISH!!!
and finally, you are telling us that he SPOKE.

sorry but this is just some evidence that people want too much from their FISH

get a life!!1

please dont say un needed coments
most people know what they mean and i believe you did , just you wanted an argument

 

[fergalthefish]

alternatively you could stroke the tank like i find myself doing sometimes!?!?!

there, that should get Hawkins going!!!!

 

[bae1994]

oh forgot to say when i do water changes mine tryes to fight with my hand

 

[bae1994]

and hawkins wasnt it you that said one of your fish sang james brown

 

[lilacamy931]

WOW guys! This happened fast. Bettachick its fine, mine makes faces at me, likes me to stroke him and gets sulky if don't pay attention if within about 3 feet of the tank! He also has his little moves for different things and I love it! Enjoy your betta, youve not irritated anyone and tell me more! lol

In regards to above question agree with Winterlily's comments above. Just make sure pre-wet and clean and as a treat. Calcifer likes to wrap himself on my fingers or hands occasionally when working in the tank, he pretty much is a cat in a bowl but I always ensure very very gentle and careful of movements as don't want to put his immunity at risk.

 

[keithp]

Is it just my theory, but being bettas have a violent lifestyle whether male or female, wouldn't you think they can handle more stress or rough contact? I mean for a fish to live after having its fins torn apart in a fight is a pretty tough fish and have the fins grow back!

 

[Honeythorn]

My girls often come up to my hands to see what I'm doing if I'm re-arranging things in the tank. Bronson attacks my fingernails if I have bright nailpolish on, and I have Loaches that readily wind through my fingers like snakes in the hope of getting a bit of food I simply make sure to wash and rinse my hands very well before having to put my hand in the tank for any reason.

A gentle tickle is fine every now and then if he seems to like the contact.