Betta Fish breathing

Question
Hi.  I just bought my first Betta fish a few weeks ago and from time to time his gills open really wide.  He only does it for a minute or two and then he stops.  What does it mean when a Betta fish does this?  What causes him to suddenly open them so wide?  Is this something I should be worried about?  Any help would be very much appreciated.

Answer
Hi Ann Marie,
This is nothing to worry about, unless he is in a very small bowl or container.  In this case it would be that he does not have enough room to swim.    When bettas are sick, you will notice, as they usually stop eating, and show signs of illness.  They usually stay at the bottom of the tank, or swim erratically or not at all.   Keep his tank very clean.  I cannot advise you on how many water changes as I do not know the size of your tank.  
Bettas should be kept in 5 gallon tanks, and there water should be around 78-80 degrees.  When bringing home a betta, we all know that the little sadistic cups they are kept in, are not heated, so we put the betta in unheated water, around the temperature he came in.  Then we heat his water slowly, very very slowly, ONE degree every two days as bringing up their temperature too fast could cause death.  Adding a teaspoon of undiluted aquarium salt to his water helps with stress, and parasites.  (One teaspoon to five gallons of water)  In his habitat the betta may live in shallow waters, but he has lots of room to swim.  Small tanks, bowls, vases, and mirrored tanks are all money making machines, and not suited for the betta.  Vendors do not care, as long as they sell.  They are there to make a buck, and this is all that matters to them.  Bettas kept in small containers will get sick, and their lives are cut short.  They are intelligent little beings, and should not be treated this way.  Unfortunately, their are no laws to protect fish, and not much good information on how the betta should be kept.
Bettas should have varied diets.  Betta Pellets, Betta Flakes, Bloodworms, Glassworms, Plankton Flakes, brine shrimp, and one frozen pea a week.  One day you feed him pellets the next flakes, and so on.  He must be fed in small quantities 2-3 times a day.  Example:  2 pellets for one meal, or 2 flakes for one meal.  Their tummy is the size of his eye, and we must always remember this when feeding them.  One cooked frozen pea a week is a must.  Cook the pea, remove the outer layer, and cut it into tiny pieces.  Feed the pieces one at a time to your betta making sure he eats it, and that it doesn't fall to the bottom of the tank.  On the day you feed him the pea, feed him nothing else.  This is so he cleans out his system, and avoids Swim Bladder Disease.  The Betta is prone to this disease which begins with constipation, so it is better to avoid it.
I hope this information helps, and if you have any other questions regarding your little friend please do not hesitate to write me.  I have bred bettas, love them, and know how attached we are to them.
Lynda