# Are they safe: glass beads/cat's eye beads?



## LakotaWolf (Mar 20, 2010)

Hi guys,

My betta has recently become very lethargic, and he now spends his days freaking me out by convincing me that he's dead.

I have live plants in his 7.5gal tank, so it's not really easy to rearrange the decor. :/

I've been considering some interesting alternatives to add to his tank to entertain him, such as a floating log, or that betta hammock leaf thing. Someone on another thread mentioned marbles, and I got to thinking.

Has anyone had any experience with adding glass beads/cat's eye beads to an aquarium? Are they safe? :/

I buy cat's eye beads and use them as eyes for the small stuffed animals I sew, and I think they could make an interesting betta toy if I strung a few on fishing line and hung it in the tank.

The site I buy from describes the beads as "Fiber optic cat's eye beads are made from a special glass (the same glass fiber optics are made from) - hence the name and the effect! All of our beads are GRADE A cats eye beads, and made in China."

So, they're made from glass, but I am wary of using them in case the coloration leaches into the water and poisons my betta. 

These are the beads in question, in case anyone wanted to have a look:

http://www.lythastudios.com/123bead/12round.html

So, does anyone have any advice? :} Are cat's eye beads safe to use? What about "regular" glass beads?

Thank you!


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

Bettas rarely act lethargic just because they are bored... Are you sure there is not something else up with him? What is the temperature of the tank? How often are you doing water changes?

I am not sure about the cat eye beads, but the regular glass beads are commonly used. Just make sure you wash them off with vinegar to make sure there are no residues.


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## LakotaWolf (Mar 20, 2010)

The temperature is usually 78-79 F. I do weekly water changes, and there is a filter in the tank, and a bubbler turned on very low. I also use AmQuel and Kordon Fish Protector on a regular basis.

He still has a hearty appetite, and when I approach the tank or tap lightly on the glass, he flies to the surface and acts very excited. 

But if I leave him alone for a bit, he drifts over to the plants or the filter, settles down, and appears to sleep :/

Here's his tank:

http://www.splintyr.com/thestig_tank.jpg


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

Hmm... So he poops normally? I had a betta that acted normal at first, but quickly deteriorated. I thought it was parasites, but he never got better after treatment and died soon after. 

The tank looks just beautiful, btw. 

Have you tried a mirror? Is there any way to move the tank to a place that gets more traffic (I know this probably isn't practical, but figured I'd throw it out there)? I know that my old boy (red fish in siggy) perked up when another male was placed next to him. Started building bubble nests and everything and is happy to have a flare buddy! Is the bubbler absolutely necessary? He might be depressed because he can't build a bubble nest because there is too much surface agitation. 
I am just throwing out guesses here. No promises on if anything will actually work...


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## valleyankee (Oct 21, 2011)

I got a heater and my tank is now at around 88 degrees. My betta is now a piranha.


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## missm83 (Aug 23, 2011)

i have glass marbles in my tank..i got them from a dollar store. he seems to love them ..
good luck with him! your tank looks great btw


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

valleyankee said:


> I got a heater and my tank is now at around 88 degrees. My betta is now a piranha.


88* is WAY too hot! It should not be over 82* at the most.


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## valleyankee (Oct 21, 2011)

Sweeda88 said:


> 88* is WAY too hot! It should not be over 82* at the most.


 Sorry I meant 78


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

Oh, okay. I was a bit worried there!


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

i don't think the cat eye beads would be 100% safe .. since .. as taken from wiki

"Glass optical fibers are almost always made from silica, but some other materials, such as fluorozirconate, fluoroaluminate, and chalcogenide glasses as well as crystalline materials like sapphire, are used for longer-wavelength infrared or other specialized applications. Silica and fluoride glasses usually have refractive indices of about 1.5, but some materials such as the chalcogenides can have indices as high as 3. Typically the index difference between core and cladding is less than one percent."

so if they are manufacturing using this same type of fiber optic glass .. it's hard to say if it will leech into the water or not


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