I am not quite sure how to phrase this, so bear with me. My little Red, when he flares at my finger, one of his gills comes out WAY farther than the other side. Is this normal? Or is this due to the fin rot he had when I got him - his gills were in pretty bad shape too, they almost looked like the had scabs on them? Has anyone else noticed this with their bettas?

My other betta, Baracus, his gills are perfectly even when he flares at me (which is normally for no reason that I can think of)....

I personally think it's just a deformality. My betta, Bellicose, has that issue as well, and he seems perfectly fine for the past 4 months now.

I have never seen that with any of my bettas, but it does sound like some kind of deformity. As long as he is behaving and eating well, I wouldn't worry about it

I always find it funny how the little guys flare when I go near there tanks. Such brave little fish

I was thinking it was something related to the poor condition he was in when I got him. But man he flares out those gills and chases my finger until he catches it.... you should see him attack the syphon!!

I suppose of no one is alarmed by it, then I won't worry so much.