I just bought 5 Neon Tetras, 5 Glowlight Tetras, and two ADF's this afternoon after getting off of work. They all seemed happy and uppity from the start. However, when I shut off the light, they all separate, zip-zapping in different directions, and they totally freak! When I turned the light back on, they schooled back up and started the happiness all over again as if nothing happened. Any ideas what to do? I don't want to turn the light off tonight knowing they are stressed and wake up to find them poisoned by their own fear. However the frogs do need a day and night divide so if I leave the light on, they will get sick. Thanks guys!
Neon Tetras afraid of the dark?
- Thread starter troshs
- Start date
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exodon king
Aquarium Advice Freak
its just the sudden change in light. keep in mind, the sun doesnt just "turn off". so unless you get some kind of light dimming system, you will just have to let them get used to it, or adjust your light schedule.
exodon king
Aquarium Advice Freak
they will freak out a little at first, but they will be fine
Aquarium1
Aquarium Advice Addict
Also (at least with mine) the clicking from shutting off the lights scares em a little but they'll get use to it.
Da Squid
Aquarium Advice Freak
Yeah, mine stopped flipping out after about a week.
It took my cardinal tetras a few weeks to adjust. I hope that you have a covered tank because mine didn't. One of the little buggers jumped out of the tank as soon as the lights turned off one night. Since then, I haven't had any casualties.
exodon king
Aquarium Advice Freak
VERY good point. i have lost quite a few fish because of this
mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
I agree... theres just something about some fish wanting to explorer the carpet... i lost one to the carpet as well, and it was from the gap behind my glass lids... Since then i have installed egg crate over the gaps on all my tanks... a very good suggestion from one of the sw guys
exodon king
Aquarium Advice Freak
i lost mine through the eggcrate, and unfortunately it wasnt as easy as the carpet. as soon as they hit the carpet, my dog found them. 
One way to prevent the sudden light turn off and scaring the fish try to make a dawn and morning effect. 5 or 10 min before you turn on your tank lights turn on a lamp near the aquarium. Same at night but instead turn the lamp on before you turn of the lights and leave it on for 5 to 10 min after the lights are off. I do this with all my new fish, but i am too lazy to do this with all my fish every time i turn on and off the lights.
Yeah, i do have a covered tank. I prefer covered tanks anyhow, and plus I have two african dwarf frogs who will be easier to control with the cover.
I don't know why they "like to explore the carpet" but i guess a fish doesn't realize that there is no water outside the tanks.
I noticed my Neons have been checking out their reflections on the side of the tank all at once. They look ready to start a gang fight. LOL
I don't know why they "like to explore the carpet" but i guess a fish doesn't realize that there is no water outside the tanks.
I noticed my Neons have been checking out their reflections on the side of the tank all at once. They look ready to start a gang fight. LOL
Actually if you look on Ebay, they have light bars that dim and light up to mimic the time of day. they are called moonlight bars and the blue light they give off at night resembles moonlight so beautifully. I am thinking about getting one
i lost mine through the eggcrate, and unfortunately it wasnt as easy as the carpet. as soon as they hit the carpet, my dog found them.
So sorry to hear that.
I have 5 cats and they are scared sh!tless of the fish tanks for some reason, maybe the water. but they see the fish moving and it drives them crazy. The dogs though, aren't likely to go into my room, they stay downstairs most of the day. Only holes in my cover are where the filter and heater fits into, doesn't give off that big of a hole, but you never know.
exodon king
Aquarium Advice Freak
yeah, i didnt realize my eggcrate cover on one of my exodon tanks was loose for about 3 days. by then, my dog had eaten around 50 of them. at $8 a pop, that was a $400 snack
holy crap!
if my dogs woulda done that, they'd have quickly turned into outdoor canines.
exodon king
Aquarium Advice Freak
hahah. you cant blame the dog for your mistakes. he was just being a dog. besides, ive had my boy for almost 15 years. theres no way hes going to be an outside dog now. lol
it was a big loss for me, but in the end it was my own fault for not checking. its a tough lesson to learn, but thats how we figure things out sometimes.
plus, i have a lot more exodons where those came from.
it was a big loss for me, but in the end it was my own fault for not checking. its a tough lesson to learn, but thats how we figure things out sometimes.
plus, i have a lot more exodons where those came from.
well glad to see that you look on the bright side. the only thing in my tank slow enough for any of my animals to catch is murphy the big pleco (who needs a new home). his fins are sharp enough though that any animal would be our of their mind to mess with him.
