RECOGNITION

Question
PLEASE DON'T THINK I'M A NUT.EVERYBODY AT WORK ALREADY THINKS SO.MY QUESTION IS-CAN MY BETA FISH RECOGNIZE ME? IT'S SO STRANGE WHEN I STAND IN FRONT OF HIS TANK HE COMES OVER WITH FINS FLIPPING RAPIDLY AND STAYS IN ONE SPOT AND APPEARS TO BE LOOKING AT ME! THEN WHEN I TAP THE TOP OF THE TANK HE SWIMS UP TO GET HIS FOOD.COULD HE JUST ASSOCIATE THE TAPPING WITH FOOD? OR DOES HE RECOGNIZE ME AS THE ONE WHO FEEDS HIM? ( I AM VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS I AM A TRUE ANIMAL LOVER AND I REALLY CARE ABOUT HIM!

Answer
Hi Peggy.  You got me giggling, thanks.  You are absolutely NOT NUTS about your Betta.  It can certainly recognize you.  Moreso probably associating you with food, but knows you nonetheless.  I have found my Bettas to be so very friendly and interested in what I'm doing.  One of my females will actually swim in to my hand and I can move her from one place to another without the use of a net.  She's a real sweetheart.

People may think I'm a nut too because I talk to my fish all the time like they are little people.  And I have 6 tanks!!!  All of my fish "know me" and as soon as they see me (hungry or not), they all come to the sides to "say hi", well, and to beg for food too, lol.

So tell your friends that you are NOT nuts, your fish absolutely can recognize you.  Here is a site that you can check out (actually if you type in something like "do fish recognize people" it brings up countless websites saying "yes".  Here is one in particular on Betta's though:  http://www.wikihow.com/Take-Care-of-a-Betta-Fish  The statement is down in the "Tips" section.  

I hope this helps.  If I can help you in any other way, feel free to write me back.

Good luck!!!    ;o)