# how is light stessful to bettas?



## DarthMaul (Mar 30, 2010)

I have noticed on several posts that when a betta is being treated and or recovering it is reccomended to keep them in the dark to keep the fish from stressing. How in the world is light stressful to a recovering fish? I mean, what do they do in their natural wild environment lol


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

Actually their natural environment is very darkly tinted water which doesn't let nearly as much light through as the crystal clear water most aquarists have.

Darkening a tank has two uses:
1. It keeps the fish from seeing outside of the tank and being stressed by its surroundings.
2. Darkness signals night which will make the fish less active, giving its body time to heal.


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## nochoramet (Oct 2, 2009)

Ditto to what 1f2f said. Also, when you're sick, wouldn't you rather stay in a dim room with nothing going on so you can relax? That's about how the bettas feel.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

I might add that most fish found in freshwater aquaria are "forest fish" and reside in rivers or swamps shaded by trees and swim in water tinted by leaf litter. With the exception of perhaps guppies, platies, mollies and some brackish fish a setting where the light is unfiltered by heavy vegetation is largely foreign. In fact recent aquarium though suggests that many of these 'forest fish' do considerably better on dark subsrates as well.


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## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

There's also keeping light on 24/7. All fish in nature have day and night cycles. Having a light on all day can be stressful just by thought...although I currently am not sure how to explain it.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

Well they do have to sleep so leaving the light on is like putting thme in a sleeper cell :O

I always cringe when I ask someone how long they keep their light on and they answer 'since I got him'. Poor fishies!!!

To think I feel terrible for waking my fish when I have to turn on a light in the middle of the night when I get home from a late shift at work!


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

Sometimes I feel bad when I watch tv late at night or leave my desk lamp on a long time for the 2 tanks that sit on my desk (the tv light shines that way). I don't think it really affects the fish but once I get my shelf unit set up I think they'll appreciate the dark more.


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## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

I never wake up my fish in the middle of the night anymore... it takes way too long to feed. They really DO have a wake-up time! Every time I turn on the lights in the middle of the night, they just...run into the glass. Slowly drifting. Going down. It's adorably funny, but so sad haha... they don't even see their own food. 

Turning on lights since they got them? Goodness. Can't wait for their algae outbreak. Poor fish... !!


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## BettaxFishxCrazy (Sep 5, 2009)

This technique is used with every animal. If you watch any vet show, they'll put a towel or something over the animals head to calm them down. I've sat on a horses head to calm him down after he slipped and fell down until my friend ran to get a blanket off of the fence.


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## DarthMaul (Mar 30, 2010)

I never said I leave a light on 24/7 my fish have natural light the comes from the window on the other side of my room from sun up to sun down and MAYBE a couple hrs of artificial light at night  was JUST was a general question


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## soleilvie (Mar 20, 2010)

Who said you leave the light on 24/7?


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## DarthMaul (Mar 30, 2010)

i saw a lot of replies making it look like i had NO idea what proper lighting is, etc. based on the question i asked. my question had NOTHING to do with lighting with a healthy betta, it was for a SICK betta, which i did get the answers right away and like always, peoples passion got in the way and they saw something that did not met their own "personal" preference so they make it out to where if someone does it do it THEIR way, they are wrong.... just saying =]


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## DarthMaul (Mar 30, 2010)

nochoramet said:


> Ditto to what 1f2f said. Also, when you're sick, wouldn't you rather stay in a dim room with nothing going on so you can relax? That's about how the bettas feel.


no need to be SO sensitive..WOW...it was JUST a questions sheesh


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

No one was talking about you or how you light your tanks. The whole light 24/7 was an offshoot that had nothing to do with the original question or the original poster.. it was about "people" who think leaving lights on 24/7 is acceptable... one of the common misconceptions of fish keeping.

And what Nocho said wasn't sensitive.. she was simply using an analogy from human perspective to relate to the fish and why darkening the tank would relieve stress.


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## DarthMaul (Mar 30, 2010)

ya...and it also sensitive and was dumbing me down. of course i would WANT to be a dim peaceful place when i am under the weather


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## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

Nocho was giving an example. A rather simple example we can all relate to and/or imagine easily, it had nothing to do with dumbing you down. 

I just wanted to mention leaving lights on 24/7... because I have heard of people doing it, and I'm like "What??" No one should leave the lights on 24/7, but it shows that not everyone knows this either.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

My neighbor keeps her tank lights on 24/7 and it doesn't seem to bother the fish. Her betta at least has a cave to go into.


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## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

I guess I was too straightforward...I'm more worried about the fish without those darker-places to hide in. If they were exposed to light 24/7, with no place to go into, what would the consequences be?


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I imagine the fish would be quite stressed. I know how hard it is for me to sleep with the light on I imagine its similar to any animal.

Eventually after a while I'm sure the fish would get used to it but at what cost?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I know one thing for sure, my bettas do NOT like being in a dark room and have someone turn the lights on. They act disoriented or something.


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## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

They see their own reflection. I think the light glares DIRECTLY off of the glass when the outside scene is dark, and acts as a mirror, even if slightly. Which worries me, because at night, sometimes the family will turn off the living room lights and disregard the bettas. It happens hours on ends while I do homework sometimes too.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

xxabc said:


> They see their own reflection. I think the light glares DIRECTLY off of the glass when the outside scene is dark, and acts as a mirror, even if slightly. Which worries me, because at night, sometimes the family will turn off the living room lights and disregard the bettas. It happens hours on ends while I do homework sometimes too.


Ahhh I HATE it when that happens... my betta bit his tail until I got a timer. Now the lights are only on during daylight.

With reference to treating sick fish, I find keeping the tank light off (daylight should not be an huge issue) a VERY big help with treatment. Not only does it allow the fish to rest and sleep more, but some meds such as levimasole are light sensitive and won't work for crap while you're blasting your T5HOs over a high tech tank.

Also when fish are injured... keeping the light off is again a big help for traumatized fish. And even when acclimating new fish it sort of gives them "less to deal with".

All in all with many animals I find that 'mood lighting' is a big big BIG help with stress of any sort. The less visual stimulation they are processing and the more they're resting/sleeping, the more energy goes into fighting bugs and recouperating.


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## vaygirl (Sep 10, 2009)

When I first put Tango in his 16 gallon with a big bright light he was completely freaked out. He'd had LED lights up until that point. I had to use craft paper to gradually add light every day. He was terrified. Now he's used to it. I imagine if they look up it must look like the light of creation to them. 

I have a creek behind my house and it's pretty dim. Like everyone else says, there's usually shade from plants, trees, and whatnot and dark water. Very diffused light. 

I always feel better in the dark when I'm sick actually. It's an interesting topic.


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## iamgian (Apr 15, 2010)

Hm... sounds like I might need to get an actual cave for the fish. I got a little hut but a lot of light seems to be able to go through, guess it's back to the pet stores tomorrow! I'm also thinking about adding more fish to the aquarium, a betta and 3 catfish are fun to watch, especially with the catfish's mini olympics going on. Anybody have any suggestions on some other fun fish to add?


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## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

Well it 
1) Depends on your betta's personality. IMO it's not easy to see if they're okay with tank-mates. Just because they do not flare / seem nice / etc does not mean they will be exactly okay with tankmates. 
2) Tank size. 

What size is your tank?


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## iamgian (Apr 15, 2010)

10 gallon tank, filtered and heated. I added a few albino cory catfish and they seem to get along. I'd like to add some more fish but seeing as how I'm a beginner fish owner... I don't want to bite off more than I can chew.


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## Mister Sparkle (Apr 13, 2010)

Maybe a small school of neon/cardinal tetras? 3 or 4 ought to be manageable...but I think you might want to wait a few more days for your bio-filtration to catch up with the new load from your recently added catfish.


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## iamgian (Apr 15, 2010)

I was actually thinking about getting those, but you're right, it'd probably be best to wait a few days before adding anymore fish. Thanks


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## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

Albino cories are schooling fish, I'm pretty sure. How many have you added?


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## iamgian (Apr 15, 2010)

I added three, may add one more.


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## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

I don't have cories, but the usual suggestion is 4+ (the more the better). That's not my personal input though, so I'm not entirely sure.


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## Mister Sparkle (Apr 13, 2010)

In nature, corys live in groups numbering in the dozens, even hundreds. Definitely not a naturally solitary fish. In my experience, a group of 4 will stay together and act more "natural".


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## iamgian (Apr 15, 2010)

Hm... two of my corys love to hang out together. The third one tends to like to either swim in loops on the other side of the tank or play tag with my betta.


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## Mister Sparkle (Apr 13, 2010)

are they all the same species of cory?


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## Kittles (Feb 8, 2010)

Mister Sparkle said:


> are they all the same species of cory?


I have two albino corydoras, and 3 peppered. The two albino are constantly swarming around the tank together while the peppered do their own thing, examining every piece of decor and being typical. Poop.


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## Mister Sparkle (Apr 13, 2010)

Your albinos are probably c. aeneus. Get a couple bronze corys, and they'll hang with your albinos like 4 peas in a pod!


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## Mister Sparkle (Apr 13, 2010)

Once again, I find myself lol'ing..."taint" :lol:


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## Kittles (Feb 8, 2010)

I've never seen a bronze cory. The only ones I've seen stocked at my local pet stores are albino, peppered, and emerald green. I don't think I'll be adding any more, though. I'd be damned if my bio-load isn't exhausted already, and unless a problem arises, they'll be staying as is. Guess it's time to harvest more vespene gas.

And if it makes you feel any better, I lol'd at aeneus. Maturity, ftw.


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## Mister Sparkle (Apr 13, 2010)

A fish store without bronze corys??? What's this world coming to?????? :shock:

I don't know what's more disturbing...the fact that I knew what vespene gas is, or that I just expained it to my wife in order to keep her from calling the guys in white coats! :lol:


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## Kittles (Feb 8, 2010)

LOL. 

And yeah, the pet stores I'm closest to don't have the greatest selections. They definitely require more minerals. :<


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## Mister Sparkle (Apr 13, 2010)

I remember when "bronze" was about the only cory you could get. Boy, am I old or what?!

You might also see them advertised as "green corys". And if it only says, "cory" or "common cory", it's pretty good odds that it's a bronze.

Am I the only one buying these little guys anymore? To me, it's kind of like "comfort fish"!


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## iamgian (Apr 15, 2010)

Heh. All my corys are the same species, albino corys. I'm thinking about getting some emerald corys too, or maybe a set of 6 tetras. I saw some fish called glofish at the pet store, might get those instead but it could be too flashy for the betta and he might see them as a threat. My 'loner' catfish and betta seem to get along really well though, I found them playing in the hut I bought and took a picture.


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## Kittles (Feb 8, 2010)

Why haven't we seen it yet. Pics or it didn't happen. :>


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## Mister Sparkle (Apr 13, 2010)

"albino" isn't a species! :lol: It's a genetic abnormality! Those guys, most likely, are actually the species I'm talking about...c. aeneus.


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## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

Glofish! Poor things. Aren't glo-fish the fish that people (scientists?) ... do something...and then inject something to make them glow? (I think they remove their scales to do so). Wonderful discription I know, but their fate is horrible. Pretty as they are, I'd stay away from them. I wouldn't support how they're treated :|

Unless it's called something else. Haha...


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## iamgian (Apr 15, 2010)

Glofish is a negative then. I posted the picture of the catfish and my betta hanging out in the hut on the betta pictures forum. Check it out! My brother just got neon tetras... I was gonna get those too but I don't want my tank to be too much like his... so now I have to think of some other things to get. Maybe I could have a whole army of catfish. The problem is that I'm not sure if I'm even feeding them right. I'll completely wet the flakes so they fall to the gravel but my betta sees them and bolts to them like no other. He seems to like to eat... a lot.


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## Kittles (Feb 8, 2010)

That's a typical betta for you. Pigs in their past lives. Apparently mine was a corydoras catfish, as well. I feed sinking shrimp pellets to the cats and they all flock to them once discovered, however, their feast is constantly disrupted when my betta decides it's his turn and thrusts himself through them, scattering them about, only to spit up is earnings two seconds later. 

Here's a picture of Roy Cherry lurking the cats during feeding. Guess he was patient, yesterday.


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## iamgian (Apr 15, 2010)

How do you get such clear pictures? I swear I can't use flash or else the glare would just ruin the whole picture, and then when I don't use flash the picture just goes really fuzzy


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## Mister Sparkle (Apr 13, 2010)

Bettas aren't too proud to scavenge the bottom. Those giant round "pebbles" that a lot of people use because they are pretty can be real death-traps when a betta tries to swim too far into them to get to a piece of uneaten food.


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## Kittles (Feb 8, 2010)

iamgian said:


> How do you get such clear pictures? I swear I can't use flash or else the glare would just ruin the whole picture, and then when I don't use flash the picture just goes really fuzzy


I use the macro setting with a really high iso; maybe 800 or 1600, though the latter turns out more grainy. The high iso increases the shutter speed so you don't have to worry about blurry pictures with the flash on. The trade-off, however, is the lower picture quality like I mentioned.


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