I'm An Idiot

[Macgirl]

I am a complete moron. Today I went and I bought a gorgeous white and red angelic looking betta from Petsmart. I acclimate him and everything and then release him into the tank 1 1/2 later. He gets there and swims around and then I realize.... I have a freaking mirror background!!! Grrrrrr!!! Every time he swims behind the tank and sees his reflection he flares up. I'm afraid I may have to return him because I don't want him to spend the rest of his life flaring up at himself. I have failed as a fish mommy.

 

[mgamer20o0]

remove the mirror?

 

[Macgirl]

I can't. When I bought the tank on craigs list it already had it glued on on the inside.

 

[Crepe]

A panel of black acrylic or plastic. super glued on the inside. Yes, Super glue is aquarium safe. Use the gel kind, cyanoacrylate only.

 

[mgamer20o0]

you could paint it.

 

[krap101]

What kind of glue? Silicone is easy, but epoxy and superglue are not.

 

[Macgirl]

It looks like silicone glue. I've been watching him and it seems that he has grown tired of looking at himself and now swims by the mirror not caring that he sees the reflection

 

[Zagz]

Put a lot of silk plants in front of it, it may discourage him.

 

[zelilaa]

mm.. he gets bored with it? does he seem very stressed or flaring a lot lately?

 

[Macgirl]

mm.. he gets bored with it? does he seem very stressed or flaring a lot lately?

Nope I spoke too soon. He flares almost everytime he sees it which duh of course he is going to because he is a betta lol. My stupid sunburst platies keep trying to nip at his tale. There is a 90% chance that I'm going going to return him. I have life plants in the back, but they don't seem to discourage him. I don't know why I didn't think about my mirrored background

 

[adeebm]

He should get tired of flaring. And anyway, flaring is healthy for bettas. It keeps them active too. I don't think it's a problem. My betta used to flare at his reflection on the glass when the sun came out.

--Adeeb

 

[dkpate]

Flaring is only healthy for about 10 minutes a day, any longer and it's too stressful. If he is getting nipped though, I would return the poor guy.