How to Give Your Betta Fish Popeye

There is a lot of talk about how a betta fish can get eye problems, like popeye, but have you ever considered that you can actually induce this condition in your fish? I'll tell you exactly how to do it.

This involves a little bit of betta fish "surgery", so be prepared. First, as in my previous posts, you need to chase your betta fish around the tank with a spoon or something, so that it becomes tired. That way, it won't fight you as much for what you are about to do.

Next, take the fish out of the tank and place it on its side. Then, this is the thing you need to do carefully -- partially (and I mean only partially, not the full deal) -- partially dig out it's eye with a toothpick. The fish may flip over when you're doing this as its way of escaping. Of course, you take advantage of this by digging at the eye on its other side with the toothpick.

Between the fish flipping over multiple times and your digging at its eyes, pretty soon it should appear that your fish has popeye. Congradulations, you did it! Now, put the fish in the tank and watch it swim around. It should do just fine. Test the fish by putting your hand up near its eye on both sides and see how it responds. It should respond to you, but maybe not as accurately as before.

If all of the above happens, then you have successfully partially disabled the eyes of your betta fish! Congradulations.

You know you can always take this to the next level, and actually 100% dig out the betta fish's eyes. But, at this point, I've typically found it very hard to stop injuring the fish, and eventually ending its life.

So, maybe it's best to stop right here. But you've got to consciously pull yourself away from the fish so that you don't harm it anymore. At least, that's what I have to do. I think that it is possible for the fish to have his eyes half poked out and still have a very normal life.

I think it's possible to do other things to the betta fish, and for the fish to survive. For example, pulling off its directional fins, for one. Taking off its tail fins, for two. Depriving the fish of oxygen for 5 or 10 minutes at a time. Of course, if you do this, keep in mind, the fish may not move as much. Or, it may recover after some time and start swimming again. That's it for now.