# Is it wrong to think he likes glass surfing??



## Katie61299 (Jun 4, 2020)

I have not had this particular betta very long, a few weeks, and all he seems to want to do is glass surf. I have had a a couple betta fish before this that all lived nice long lives and none of them ever glass surfed, especially not to this extent. He had done it from the first day i got him. I have a 5.5 gallon tank, heater, filter, plants, caves, a light everything a betta could want, yet it still happens. During water changes I have moved a few things around in case he was just bored and the second I am done there he is... glass surfing.... Light on glass surfing. Light off glass surfing. He does stop and will go sleep in a cave or swim through some plants, explore a bit, but it is what he spends a good part of his time doing. 
He swims along the front longest side of his tank though I am usually on the right side so I don't believe it is anything I am doing. I have tried covering part of the tank with paper and HATED that. 
When I come up to the tank he stops. Also, he is eating fine.
Is it possible he just likes doing it?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Most of the time they will eventually stop. In the meantime, try putting black matte paper or a black or dark towel draped across the front if that's where a majority of the surfing is happening.

Can you post a photo of the tank? Are there any plants flowing over the water surface to put part of the tank in shade?


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## Katie61299 (Jun 4, 2020)

He does have plants that go to the top that block out the light, as well as a pretty reasonable day/night cycle.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

If he were mine, I would remove the rocks on the right and get him more plants. Some short plants in the front might help. They have some very realistic silk plants available that you can bend. I bought this one to see if it's soft enough and it is. It flows over the surface. You can even remove and shorten some of the stems and weight with plant weights.









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Oh, and I forgot to say "temporarily" use black matte paper or a dark towel and cover the front. Rereading it sounds as if I'm suggesting permanently. If he stops glass surfing with the front covered then you know to work from there.

Several years ago, a friend had a Betta that glass surfed. She put black matte paper under the tank so that it covered the reflective surface of her table on all four sides. Might have been coincidental but he stopped.

I am so forgetful I have to use a timer for my aquarium lights. Eight hours on/16 off. Some of mine seem to stress if the lights are on much longer; others don't react one way or the other.


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## Katie61299 (Jun 4, 2020)

Thanks! I have a few other plants that I like to rotate though that I can add to help create more shade and replace the rocks, my previous betta liked it because it is hallow and he would hide in it.


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