# Betta fish keeps flaring when I try to put a background up.? help.



## kngiraffe (Jun 20, 2011)

i did have one of those sea like wallpapers on the back of my tank that you can buy at the pet store ever since i got Flame. I never had an issue with him flaring at it before until today. My last glofish died in my 5gallon tank, so i tore it down and i decided to move Flame on my nightstand where my old tank was, just so he was closer to me and i could keep an eye on him better. Well, a little bit after the move I noticed him flaring at the wallpaper, so i took it down. Well, i don't like my tank without so i tried to stick a piece of black paper behind it, thinking well it's black and not too bright it shouldn't bug him. he flared at that too. 
 
Any advice on what in the world i should do. 








this is what it looked like before. and i absolutely LOVED it.








 
that is what the tank looks lilke now without anything...it's gross looking

please help  

*also, any new ways to decorate my tank. some objects from around the house. best kind of gravel, no gravel? i wanna switch things up. *


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## pens (May 17, 2011)

He sees his own reflections in the dark splotches on your wallpaper, and the shadows cast by the hood lamp isn't helping either. The best thing you can do is try a lighter colored wallpaper or change the incident angle or whatever (I was never a fan of optics in my physics classes) of light. Since you have a hood, this is rather difficult to do, so I guess you can try putting a desk lamp behind the wallpaper to ensure that it is backlit to eliminate reflections. 

My red betta stressed me out an exponential amount because he would constantly flare and attack his reflection in dark objects (i.e. filter canister), but my white betta (due to pigment loss from the pet store) never does this. Interestingly enough, my white betta is the dominant one - even though he was in dismal shape when I got him a week ago. Maybe bettas see red as more 'betta-like,' thus causing red bettas to attack their reflections more often?


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## kngiraffe (Jun 20, 2011)

pens said:


> He sees his own reflections in the dark splotches on your wallpaper, and the shadows cast by the hood lamp isn't helping either. The best thing you can do is try a lighter colored wallpaper or change the incident angle or whatever (I was never a fan of optics in my physics classes) of light. Since you have a hood, this is rather difficult to do, so I guess you can try putting a desk lamp behind the wallpaper to ensure that it is backlit to eliminate reflections.
> 
> My red betta stressed me out an exponential amount because he would constantly flare and attack his reflection in dark objects (i.e. filter canister), but my white betta (due to pigment loss from the pet store) never does this. Interestingly enough, my white betta is the dominant one - even though he was in dismal shape when I got him a week ago. Maybe bettas see red as more 'betta-like,' thus causing red bettas to attack their reflections more often?


hmm, he didn't do that over on my desk, so maybe it's brighter over here. i know that my tv is on my dresser to the left of my night stand, so maybe the light was shining on that. maybe i'll try a different color later on tonight. it's is very stressful because i don't want him to die from flaring. ughh haahha. silly things


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## Thunderloon (Feb 6, 2011)

Petco carries a background-application material that sticks the background to the tank, I think its only for glass but you should have a look at it.


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## kera236 (Jun 2, 2011)

My betta did that too. As long as your fish has a place to hide he sshhhooouuld get used to it. Don't take my word for it though. Colonel grew used to his black background in about 2 days.


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## kngiraffe (Jun 20, 2011)

i will definitely check that stuff out at petco, @thunderloon

@kera236- hahah well Flame ALWAYS hides in his cave and or under his two plants hahaha. Earlier when my boyfriend was here he looked like he was trying to see the picture of the two of us. he would be swimming right at the corner/edge of the picture hahah.


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