# laser pointer?



## charliegill110 (May 19, 2014)

i read on pinterest you can entertain your betta by shining a laser pointer in the tank and your betta will chase it. so i shined mine into the tank and charlie was SO interested in it. he followed it very closely all around the tank for about 30 seconds. then i stopped to get my sister so i can show her and when i came back some how charlie immediately knew i was making the red dot, refused to even look at it and just flared at me instead. so that was fun for 30 seconds. 

has anyone else tried it ?


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

My angelfish chase the laser pointer.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I do know lasers can trigger OCD behaviours in dogs/cats and they can start chasing/becoming fixated on moving shadows/light. 

However, I'm not certain if this behaviour would translate over to a betta being that they don't possess the same level of intelligence as a dog/cat.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

you can use them, but limit how much you use them.


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

I think it's a bad idea. Laser pointers can cause flash blindness, I had it happen to me a few years back while operating a machine at work. Some idiot thought it would be funny to shine one in my eye. I went to the hospital, he got fired.

An animal is unpredictable. If a betta turns the wrong way or you get distracted while "playing" it could end up bad for the little guy.


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## gracem2002 (Dec 27, 2014)

I agree with Mike, laser=bad. Also, moral of story: Don't listen to Pinterest on matters involving bettas. Half of the betta stuff on there is pictures of pathetic .4 tanks.


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## OpalBones (Apr 10, 2014)

I sometimes play with mine using a lazer pointer. Teo will slowly swim over and turn his head to look at it but Trout acts like a freaking cat and darts all over the tank trying to bite the red dot. lol


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

From a behavior standpoint, not a good idea for any critter. As previously mentioned, studies with cats and dogs show laser pointers contributed to OCD and other tragic pshychological problems. I hate them.


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## OpalBones (Apr 10, 2014)

I have used laser pointers as toys with all of my pets (cats and dogs) before and none of them have developed behavior issues from it. Maybe the problem is over use? Like people using it as an everyday thing instead of in moderation(like once every two months or so).

You're house hold red laser (the cheap kind you can buy at walmart) from what I have read is not strong enough to cause permanent eye damage unless you hold your animal down and shove the laser into their eye for ten straight mins. Green lasers on the other hand should not be used as toys for humans or pets.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

It may be that those animals already have some sort of predisposition to OCD. Personally, I don't really see the point in a 'toy' in which the dog or cat (and I suppose in this case, fish) never really achieves any closure. I think live foods such as blackworms, daphnia, mosquito larvae, brine shrimp etc. are healthier and a more natural way of providing mental stimulation for fish. My fish really seem to get a kick out of hunting their food down.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

+1 ^ So do mine.


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## OpalBones (Apr 10, 2014)

Oh that's a good idea to have them do a food hunt/chase.


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## jato (Jan 12, 2015)

LittleBettaFish said:


> It may be that those animals already have some sort of predisposition to OCD. Personally, I don't really see the point in a 'toy' in which the dog or cat (and I suppose in this case, fish) never really achieves any closure. I think live foods such as blackworms, daphnia, mosquito larvae, brine shrimp etc. are healthier and a more natural way of providing mental stimulation for fish. My fish really seem to get a kick out of hunting their food down.


Every non-pathological mental health disease exists in Every member of the species. The difference between your average member and the mentally ill is the amount of resistance the individual holds. Stressors often trigger mental illness onset, which is why (for example) most mental health illnesses in the US are diagnosed in college. The laser itself, so long as its a red household pointer and not the green professional pointers, is not evil or wrong... in moderation. In dogs, these behaviors will trigger themselves in time whether its the laser or another stressors/stimulant.

That being said I wouldn't use it either, simply because Odin is already interested/content with watching me and will dance and swim as soon as I put my finger to his tank.


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## AngelFins (Nov 19, 2014)

I use a super cheap red lazer sometimes, but I'm very careful and only do it in short doses. With live food, however, there's a big risk of illness or parasites being transferred to the betta which I don't feel comfortable taking that risk. However, I do see that your profile picture is of a wild betta, so maybe that makes a difference XD


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I wouldn't say a big risk. I've been feeding live foods to my bettas (I used to keep almost exclusively fancy Betta splendens) for a number of years now, and apart from velvet which I brought in because of lax quarantine procedures, I've never had any issues with disease. I think tubifex is the one to watch out for, but foods like blackworms, white worms, daphnia, mosquito larvae etc. are safe if you know how they are cultured/kept/handled before they go into your tank.


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