# Blacklights....ok or not?



## keebelf (Mar 24, 2012)

We have a 55 ga. tank, plastic plants. 1 male betta, 2 neon tetras, 3 Lamp Eyes, 2 Catfish, 6 Yellow guppies and 4 somethings (they are similar to the Neons but they aren't as neon-y) and 2 Blue Rams.

We used to have a 10 ga. tank and I was wondering if it would be okay to get the 10g. tank light (which has two bulbs in it vs. the long fluorescent tube) and try to find a black light bulb that will fit it and use that on occasion, just to look at the fish under the black light and let the kids see it and ooh and ahh but it would NOT be an all the time deal.

Does that sound okay or will it hurt the fish somehow?


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

It will have relatively no negative effect towards the fish at all, I've seen many pets others advertise lots of there fish to make the colors pop out more and not nice have I gotten a negatively effected fish long term/short term as a result of being under those lights


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## ZergyMonster (Feb 20, 2012)

I have seen some stores with black light tanks to show off the colors of their glow-lite tetras. I don't see how it can be bad unless you're trying to have live plants in your tank.


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## gbose (Dec 2, 2010)

ZergyMonster said:


> I have seen some stores with black light tanks to show off the colors of their glow-lite tetras. I don't see how it can be bad unless you're trying to have live plants in your tank.


I don't mean to hijack this thread, but what does black light do to live plants?


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## ZergyMonster (Feb 20, 2012)

My understanding is that black lights don't have the 5000k-6500k light rating that plants need to grow well.


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## gbose (Dec 2, 2010)

Thanks, Zergymonster!

BTW, I just read up a bit on black lights and hear they can really harm your fish... no personal experience, but just thought I'd mention it.

GBose


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

keebelf said:


> We have a 55 ga. tank, plastic plants. 1 male betta, 2 neon tetras, 3 Lamp Eyes, 2 Catfish, 6 Yellow guppies and 4 somethings (they are similar to the Neons but they aren't as neon-y) and 2 Blue Rams.


I've never heard anything about black lights and fish, but I can tell you that you will have problems on down the road with your stocking plan. Neon tetra, lamp eye tetra, and the other tetra need to be maintained in groups of 6 or more (8 or more is best) otherwise they will be stressed. The fish could easily lash out at your betta unless they have an adequate school size. Blue rams are a sensitive fish and will not do well in a tank with hard water and poor maintenance especially if yours are wild-caught. Depending on what the catfish are, those could also cause problems. The first thing you should do with your tank is to up the numbers of the schooling fish like the tetra (no they won't school with other species of tetra). Here are some links to get you started on reading about your fish: 
TFK profile for Neon Tetras (Paracheirodon innesi)
TFK profile for Lamp Eye Tetra (Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae) 
TFK profile for Guppies (Poecilia reticulata)
TFK profile for Blue Rams (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi)


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## keebelf (Mar 24, 2012)

we are slowly working on the stocking of it. We started out with 2 neons, 2 lamp eyes and 4 of the other tetras, had them for about a week or two and then got the Male Betta. That was all int he 10g tank. Then we got the 55 last Monday and added the other fish on Friday and will be going back this week to get more. the closest fish store (Petsmart) is about an hour away so it isn't a quick little drive to the corner. We probably won't get any more different species, just add to what we have so that they do school and gather more.

The black light didn't really work. The only thing that glowed, other than our clothing were the plastic plants and that was it so we will probably give the light (they only had a 24" complete kit in the lighting section) to our 11 yo. to have some fun with.


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## EvilVOG (Nov 23, 2011)

only glofish will react with blacklight. now that purple-colored aquarium light is a different story. (you can also use the grow-light from the hardware store to save $)

Interesting thing i found out when i flipped a blacklight on near my planted tank, the tannins in the water react with it. They don't glow, but the water became opaque and impossible to see through.


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## EvilVOG (Nov 23, 2011)

it's the water itself that turns opaque. You can see in a little bit, but just the edge of the driftwood and a leaf or two of a plant that's right against the glass.


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