Cutting reflections on glass for Betta

[Shanny]

Hi Everyone!

I have a male betta at my desk at work. As it is an office environment there is lots of overhead lights. The tank has a flat, glass top. It is tucked into a cubby but there is many reflections on the sides.

I've noticed that he is always "charging" around the tank, flaring at everything. He even flares at me if I lean in to watch him. I don't want him to be constantly stressed all day while I'm around. The lights go off at 4:30pm each weekday and all day on the weekends.

Does anyone have any advice on how to cut down the reflections? Would painting the sides, back and top help?

 

[Zimmanski]

You may just have an active betta. Fish in tanks don't see the reflections we do. You see reflections because you're looking through one piece of glass at another angled glass. Fish only look through one so its just like us looking through a window.

 

[BettaBabe]

Fish defiantly see their reflection it may be faint but they can still see it just like when we see our reflection in a window.
If he has a particular side that he charges more often try rearranging your tank in a way that breaks up his line of sight. Also you could purchase a small betta light ( they're like $10 at my LFS) and try placing it in different spots to see if you can change the reflection. Or depending on what the tank is like you could place a tissue or something on top to filter some of the light. Flaring at you isn't really something you can change but maybe once he's not constantly on guard his aggression will calm down all together.

 

[Shanny]

Fish defiantly see their reflection it may be faint but they can still see it just like when we see our reflection in a window.
If he has a particular side that he charges more often try rearranging your tank in a way that breaks up his line of sight. Also you could purchase a small betta light ( they're like $10 at my LFS) and try placing it in different spots to see if you can change the reflection. Or depending on what the tank is like you could place a tissue or something on top to filter some of the light. Flaring at you isn't really something you can change but maybe once he's not constantly on guard his aggression will calm down all together.

I have a little light on top but it seems to make things worse. I'll try moving it around though to see if a different position helps. I'm hitting the city tonight so I'll look for different decorations that might break up the line of sight on the sides.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Shanny]

You may just have an active betta. Fish in tanks don't see the reflections we do. You see reflections because you're looking through one piece of glass at another angled glass. Fish only look through one so its just like us looking through a window.

He is definitely more active than my last guy. He is constantly flaring at the sides so I really think he is seeing his reflection.

 

[DavidAl]

The lights go off at 4:30pm each weekday and all day on the weekends.

Are you guys hiring? J/K

Go to your local auto shop and by the darkest tint you can find. Tint all side panes except the one you use to view the fish through. This should help some.

David

 

[Shanny]

Are you guys hiring? J/K

Go to your local auto shop and by the darkest tint you can find. Tint all side panes except the one you use to view the fish through. This should help some.

David

LOL, actually the Alberta government just cut the post secondary budget by 7.3% so there are major lay offs coming for us. So no hiring!

I'm guessing a matte finish would be better than a gloss?

 

[DavidAl]

I'm guessing a matte finish would be better than a gloss?

A plausible guess indeed. Go for it and let us know if it worked.

David

 

[Shanny]

Well I've blocked out the light from the back, sides and top so the only light coming in is from the front. I also bought more plants and put them the whole way around the sides and back of the tank to try and block his line of sight. He just tucks in and flares at his reflection in the few spots of glass not covered by plants.

Near the end of the day I pulled the blinds to see if maybe cutting the sunlight would help and I think it did. The only problem is I can't always have the blinds pulled just for him. I think my coworkers wouldn't be too pleased with that.

My other thought was to pull him out of the cubby into the full direct light to see if that stops the reflections.

 

[Shanny]

So today I pulled him out of the cubby and took off the light blockers from all sides. It worked! He is no longer in fight mode! So I was actually creating more reflections by trying to block the light.

Now to try and find a safe place for him out in the open.