# betta reflection help



## Connerstunt (Jan 4, 2012)

i have a round tank and i figured out why he is not eating very much he is to busy chasing his reflection. how can i stop this? 

i think its really stressing him out.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

There are a couple of things you can try.

1) Leave the lights off. You don't really need the light on unless you are growing live plants.

2) Cover the back and side with a background, or paint them (on the outside). As a temporary fix, wrap a towel around those three sides. 

3) Put decorations and plants around the edges to try and block his view of the tank walls.

Hope one of these methods works for you.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Sorry, misread that. All those things should work on a round tank too, though.


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## Connerstunt (Jan 4, 2012)

ok thanks. iv put a light blue backing on the tank (he mainly does it at the back of the tank.) 

i will keep it dark as i can till i can..

i think the main part of it is that the tank is old and its plastic. ima get a 10 gallon as soon as i can the hard part is keeping the tank dark during the day. a good bit of light shows in my room with the blinds closed. 

hes fine when its pitch dark ( night) the main time is during the day.


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## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

Agree with all advice ^! Although, might I add not to have too light or too dark of a background (mostly with solid colors- those broken up colored backgrounds that they have for tanks are fine 'cause you can't see the reflection as well with all the different colors). If the background is too light or too dark, the fish can still see its reflection so there's that possibility of it still chasing the reflection after you've added a background.
I also wanna say that if you can adjust the lighting, you can avert the reflection- it's caused by the way the light is hitting the walls off your bowl and that's why it can see itself. So maybe try adjusting the height of your light experiment with different sources of light.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Round bowls are tricky when you need to do certain things to them at times.

A reflection usually happens on glass tanks, and when the aquarium light is on and the room light is off. 

Does he circle the tank? Or is he flaring/attacking the side?

I have a couple round tanks for my two baby bettas, and they will swim continuously around it, and sometimes will fidget. They are plastic, so they don't really show a reflection when the room light is dim, or if at all since uncertain if the plastic tanks can actually reflect.. 

If he's attacking the side of the tank, eventually he will calm down, if he is just circling the tank then that just may be him liking how the water feels on him when swimming quickly next to it. A lot of times you will see a betta pace back and forth when in a rectangular tank, but in a round one, there are no sides to break up the pacing so they just continue to swim. It's not harming him, and he will stop when he tires.

As for the not eating, how long have you had him? Not uncommon for newly adopted bettas to take a week or more before they eat healthy and hearty. As long as he is eating then he is getting nutrition. He won't let himself starve to death. 

What are you feeding and how much and how often?

But honestly, he isn't chasing his reflection so much as he is exercising and building up his muscles from being in a breeder's jar/cup for so long. A 10 gallon would be great for him, or divided for a few of them


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## Connerstunt (Jan 4, 2012)

so far i had him/her for 8 days. (i not sure of the sex he/she was in a community tank at the store) right now she paces the left side she goes so far and turns around there is no flaring..

the tank didnt come with a top light so i made one from some leds i found laying around but no mater how i adjust still the same. 

i dont think she has ate since i got her unless she ate what sank. i hope she relizes soon that she is the only one in the tank. 

also today i noticed she managed to cut one of her fins on something.

i got freeze dried bloodworms,2 different pellet brands aqeuon, tetra and i also got some flakes. i feed when i wake up and around supper time. and i remove what that doesnt get eatin. if any is geting ate.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

If you post a picture, we can help with sexing him/her. 

The best way to help that cut heal is to keep the water a nice toasty 80-82F and keep it clean. If you have StressCoat or Indian Almond Leaves, they can help too. 

Is it possible to get hold of live food? That generally tempts even the most fussy eaters.


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## Connerstunt (Jan 4, 2012)

ill see if i can some live food but the closest petstore from me is 45mins away. 

the temp is at 77-78 from the internal filters heat. thats about the highest i can get it without buying a controllable heater. and i been doing 25-50% water changes every few days and cleaning the gravel. 

its been about 3 days for this activity he wasnt doing it when i first got him it just started recently.


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