By Conner Tighe If you’ve ever seen your betta suddenly puff out its gills, spread its fins, and look like it’s ready to fight its own reflection, you’ve witnessed a behavior called flaring. It can be dramatic, impressive, and maybe a little funny — but it also has an important purpose. Bettas flare as a form of communication. In the wild and in aquariums, flaring helps them appear larger when they feel territorial, threatened, overstimulated, or interested in another betta.