How to Teach Your Betta to Jump
Give your fish time to get to know you., Observe your fish., Spend one-on-one time with the fish., Wait until feeding time., Use food as a bribe., Hold your finger in position., Wait for the betta., Keep working on the trick., Take the food away...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Give your fish time to get to know you.
That is, don't start teaching your fish to jump the first day you get it.
Let it come to associate you with feeding it, so it learns to trust you somewhat.
When the fish doesn't look scared when you're around and when it immediately pops up to the top of the tank when you want to feed it, it's likely getting used to you.Try to wait a couple of weeks before attempting to train it.
A month may be better because it will give your betta a chance to get used to the tank and to you. -
Step 2: Observe your fish.
Spend some time watching your fish and observing its behavior.
Getting to know what your fish likes to do can help you train it.
For instance, you can teach most fish to jump, but you may also be able to teach it other tricks based on what it likes to do, such as teaching one that likes to go through hoops how to swim through a hoop on command., When you're trying to train, minimize other distractions.
Have other people leave the room, and turn off any noise.
You want the fish to focus on you and what you're doing, not what else is going on in the room., Though most fish will eat anytime you provide food, it's still a good idea to wait until your fish is hungry to try to train it.
That way, when you use food to bribe or reward the fish, it will respond to it more readily than if you had just fed it., Place a piece of food on the end of your finger to use as an incentive.
You can wet your finger a little bit, so the piece of food will stick to the end.
The food is what will get the fish to jump, as most fish will not jump just for a finger or something interesting.You can also use a popsicle stick or a straw in place of your finger.
The betta won't hurt you, but you will be getting up close and personal with the fish. , Place your finger (or stick or straw) above the water.
You don't want to get too high.
Just place it an inch or so above the water.
In fact, when you're first starting out, you may want to put it just above the surface of the water so your betta gets used to the idea gradually.Be careful to stay just above the water.
Otherwise, the food will float off your finger, straw, or stick.
Also, try not to make your finger too high, as the betta could jump out of the water.
In addition, make sure you do it in the center of the tank, so there's less risk of the betta jumping out. , Now it's time to wait for the betta to do its thing.
It should swim to the top and jump to get the food off your finger.If it needs a little encouragement, sprinkle a flake or two of food on top of the water just below your finger, so it comes to the right area.
Hold still while waiting for the betta.
Movement can scare the betta fish.
If your betta looks agitated or scared, try again later. , If your betta doesn't get the idea the first time you do it, keep working on the trick.
Try holding the food on your fingers a couple times every day to see if you can eventually entice your betta to come take the food by jumping up.Only do it once or twice each time you try it because the betta has a small stomach, about the size of its eyeball., Once your betta figures out that it can jump for food, it will likely jump just for your finger, the straw, or the popsicle stick you used.
Practice for a few weeks with food, and then you can try taking away the food to see if it will jump without it.
If the betta jumps, reward it with food.
Eventually, the betta may not even need the reward.
You may need to stick with using food as a bribe, though, depending on your fish. , If you can't get your fish to take the food from your finger, make sure to go ahead and feed it.
It's abusive to withhold food to get your fish to do a trick.
You can always try again later with the trick., Because fish will practice the tricks you teach them when you're not around, you need to make sure your tank is covered (with holes for aeration).
Otherwise, your fish may jump out of the tank or into another part of the tank if you have barriers.
If it jumps out, the fish could die. -
Step 3: Spend one-on-one time with the fish.
-
Step 4: Wait until feeding time.
-
Step 5: Use food as a bribe.
-
Step 6: Hold your finger in position.
-
Step 7: Wait for the betta.
-
Step 8: Keep working on the trick.
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Step 9: Take the food away.
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Step 10: Do not withhold feeding.
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Step 11: Make sure the tank is covered.
Detailed Guide
That is, don't start teaching your fish to jump the first day you get it.
Let it come to associate you with feeding it, so it learns to trust you somewhat.
When the fish doesn't look scared when you're around and when it immediately pops up to the top of the tank when you want to feed it, it's likely getting used to you.Try to wait a couple of weeks before attempting to train it.
A month may be better because it will give your betta a chance to get used to the tank and to you.
Spend some time watching your fish and observing its behavior.
Getting to know what your fish likes to do can help you train it.
For instance, you can teach most fish to jump, but you may also be able to teach it other tricks based on what it likes to do, such as teaching one that likes to go through hoops how to swim through a hoop on command., When you're trying to train, minimize other distractions.
Have other people leave the room, and turn off any noise.
You want the fish to focus on you and what you're doing, not what else is going on in the room., Though most fish will eat anytime you provide food, it's still a good idea to wait until your fish is hungry to try to train it.
That way, when you use food to bribe or reward the fish, it will respond to it more readily than if you had just fed it., Place a piece of food on the end of your finger to use as an incentive.
You can wet your finger a little bit, so the piece of food will stick to the end.
The food is what will get the fish to jump, as most fish will not jump just for a finger or something interesting.You can also use a popsicle stick or a straw in place of your finger.
The betta won't hurt you, but you will be getting up close and personal with the fish. , Place your finger (or stick or straw) above the water.
You don't want to get too high.
Just place it an inch or so above the water.
In fact, when you're first starting out, you may want to put it just above the surface of the water so your betta gets used to the idea gradually.Be careful to stay just above the water.
Otherwise, the food will float off your finger, straw, or stick.
Also, try not to make your finger too high, as the betta could jump out of the water.
In addition, make sure you do it in the center of the tank, so there's less risk of the betta jumping out. , Now it's time to wait for the betta to do its thing.
It should swim to the top and jump to get the food off your finger.If it needs a little encouragement, sprinkle a flake or two of food on top of the water just below your finger, so it comes to the right area.
Hold still while waiting for the betta.
Movement can scare the betta fish.
If your betta looks agitated or scared, try again later. , If your betta doesn't get the idea the first time you do it, keep working on the trick.
Try holding the food on your fingers a couple times every day to see if you can eventually entice your betta to come take the food by jumping up.Only do it once or twice each time you try it because the betta has a small stomach, about the size of its eyeball., Once your betta figures out that it can jump for food, it will likely jump just for your finger, the straw, or the popsicle stick you used.
Practice for a few weeks with food, and then you can try taking away the food to see if it will jump without it.
If the betta jumps, reward it with food.
Eventually, the betta may not even need the reward.
You may need to stick with using food as a bribe, though, depending on your fish. , If you can't get your fish to take the food from your finger, make sure to go ahead and feed it.
It's abusive to withhold food to get your fish to do a trick.
You can always try again later with the trick., Because fish will practice the tricks you teach them when you're not around, you need to make sure your tank is covered (with holes for aeration).
Otherwise, your fish may jump out of the tank or into another part of the tank if you have barriers.
If it jumps out, the fish could die.
About the Author
Teresa Edwards
Writer and educator with a focus on practical cooking knowledge.
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