Can Betta Fish Jump?
If you came here asking the question “Can betta fish jump?” because you are thinking about entering your fishy in the next pet Olympics, then… you have to invite me if he/she qualifies. But I’m going to guess that it’s not visions of gold medal grandeur that you are really curious about. None the less, jumping betta is a thing. And as you can see from the video above, that may be something you want. In fact, there is even a kit available dedicated at showing you how to teach your betta fish to do tricks. Most likely though, having your betta fish jumping out of its tank is not something you want.
So to get right to the point, yes betta fish can jump. Bettas can definitely clear the edge of an open topped aquarium if the water level is high enough. Now, I did say that betta fish can jump, not that they will if the opportunity presents itself. Different, individual betta fish behave in individually different ways.
There are some bettas that seem to enjoy the “high” life more so than others. I meant that in the “high” up in the air sense of the word… not the “it’s for my glaucoma” sense. We are talking about fish. Jumping betta fish. Anyway… In general though, betta fish tend to jump as a way to try and escape an aquarium that has poor water quality and/or temperatures that are too warm. Using a decent aquarium thermometer to check on your aquarium’s temperature is a good way to prevent soaring betta fish. Regular water changes are necessary as a part of good betta tank maintenance, but in this case will also keep your betta from feeling the need to vault out.
