Normal Activity?

[smokeyhill]

I'm new to the forum and to fish in general. Synopsis: I have psuedo-acquired a new male betta (I'm a nanny for a family with two small children, so to sum it all up I'll be doing all the fish-keeping). I'm wondering if his activity level is normal. The bettas I have seen in both stores and in bowls are very, very quiet. Now, from reading, I'm assuming this is because they are in small, inhospitable environs. The new betta (Nemo, as per the three-year old!) is extremely active. In fact, I hardly ever see him rest. He's in a 1.5 gallon tank with a small hanging filter and a large Ariel statue in the middle of the tank. He sometimes rests in a little crook in the statue, but most of the time he parades around the tank. He seems to display a lot, but I don't know why...I don't think he can see his reflection in t he tank, and there is no reflective surface nearby. He already recognizes me as the hand which feeds him, and is very curious about everything. I put a temp. probe in the water for a few minutes today, and he circled all around it, checking it out, and finally shimmying backwards and forwards to make sense of it. Anyway, just wondering if the high level of activity is normal or if something is stressng him out.

If you care to know anything about me, read on. I'm a recent college grad waiting for entrance into medical school, and I'm studying up on fish so that I can get a 55 gallon freshwater tank rolling. So far, this board seems to have very knowledgable people in hoards, so I decided this was a good place to start.

Any input about Mr. Nemo would be appreciated.

 

[devon_charm]

It is perfectly normal. Bettas have different personalities like we do. For example i have a boy that loves to take food from my fingers and goes mad when i am near him yet i have another that stays out of reach and couldn't care less, some just sit on the bottom for the best part. Any how hope that helps a little and welcome to the amazing world of Bettas - it wont be long before your hooked lol