I read somewhere that if you put a mirrior near your tank that your betta will be more active. So I put a small one inside the tank and he is alot more active but my question is will it be ok if I leave it there? will I hurt my fish?
Are Mirriors Ok?
- Thread starter LEB2006
- Start date
Mirrors are okay for awhile (maybe an hour a day) and give your betta great exercise, but if you leave it up too long, your betta will flare too much and might exhaust/stress himself. My roommate accidentally left a mirror behind one of our bettas tanks all weekend- when I came back, his fin was torn from flaring too much.
JoLtNbolt
Fishaholic
When I use mirrors, I never use them for more than 15-30 min. If you use the mirror too long then the betta might get too stressed and bite his own fins.
otherworldone
New Member
From what I understand, it's a normal practice for those who show their fish to allow them to see each other for an hour at feeding times. A mirror is simply a substitute for having "neighbors" to flare at and such.
I've left male bettas in full view of each other without a break with no ill effects and I know of many others who have too. I've even left a mirror beside a lone bettas tank before and forgot to remove it. The next day he was still fine. So, I suppose it depends somewhat on the individual fish.
As long as your fish doesn't start ripping his fins up, it's good for him to see another fish for like an hour every day, even if it is his own reflection. But usually, the only thing you have to worry about with leaving the mirror in place, is that he'll get used to seeing that other fish there and it won't inspire him to exercise anymore.
I've left male bettas in full view of each other without a break with no ill effects and I know of many others who have too. I've even left a mirror beside a lone bettas tank before and forgot to remove it. The next day he was still fine. So, I suppose it depends somewhat on the individual fish.
As long as your fish doesn't start ripping his fins up, it's good for him to see another fish for like an hour every day, even if it is his own reflection. But usually, the only thing you have to worry about with leaving the mirror in place, is that he'll get used to seeing that other fish there and it won't inspire him to exercise anymore.
happyannie
Fish Addict
I've been leaving the light on in the tank and turning off the light in the room for EXTREMELY short periods. My little guy flares away at his relection and zooms all over the place. This gets him moving around. I don't know if I'm going to continue on with this as it seems a bit cruel to me. It does mean my little one is coming of age. *sigh* Here's a site I came across about how fighters are conditioned. They do have some good advice on handling and some training that might be beneficial such as following a stick. I'm going to adapt a kinder gentler version of this for mine to keep him buff and toned up. http
/www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Betta,%20P...onditioning.htm I read a similar site about using a scoop to move them so got a really large gravy ladle at the grocery store for mine. It's an interesting website but best to keep in mind they're training fighters.
I have some bids in on red cherry shrimp as tankmates for him to keep him company. They're pretty harmless and sounds like they'll get along well.
/www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Betta,%20P...onditioning.htm I read a similar site about using a scoop to move them so got a really large gravy ladle at the grocery store for mine. It's an interesting website but best to keep in mind they're training fighters.I have some bids in on red cherry shrimp as tankmates for him to keep him company. They're pretty harmless and sounds like they'll get along well.
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