Silly Question

JessiMommy · Sep 29, 2003

OK Just curious... anyone know why my neon tetras freak out & seperate from one another when I turn out the tank light at night? They swim happily together all day & as soon as that light goes out they swim in opposite directions and dart all over the place. They do calm down after a few minutes but what is up with that? :blink:

ade · Sep 29, 2003

Silly answer...

Perhaps they can't see each other until they get their night-vision?

guppymonkey · Sep 29, 2003

My fish tend to freak out a little bit when the light goes out. If you have a light over the tank (like in a hood) its best to turn that light out before the room light so that they can have a little time to get used to darkness.

JessiMommy · Sep 29, 2003

guppymonkey said:
My fish tend to freak out a little bit when the light goes out. If you have a light over the tank (like in a hood) its best to turn that light out before the room light so that they can have a little time to get used to darkness.

Yea that's what I do. Thanks!

aberdeen aquarist · Sep 29, 2003

another silly answer, it sounds like they are getting a fright when you turn off the light and calm down when they realise they aren't in any danger

gadazobe · Sep 29, 2003

The transition from light to dark is very sudden, not like natural day and night. It freaks me out when I go from sunlight to dark suddenly - I lose my orientation for a few secs, and most probably it's the same for your fish. I try to turn of their lights while there are still lights on in the room, that way it's not so sudden.

ade · Sep 30, 2003

Ok, perhaps my silly answer wasn't quite so silly after all.

Kossy · Sep 30, 2003

Absolutely gadazobe, think of the fish in the wild they don't just suddenly look and all of a sudden it goes from bright day - night. What I do and many other people do is turn on the room lights for around 15-20 (I have 2 light intensive lights and a dimmer so its even better for me) minutes and then turn on/off the aquarium lights

JessiMommy · Sep 30, 2003

gadazobe said:
The transition from light to dark is very sudden, not like natural day and night. It freaks me out when I go from sunlight to dark suddenly - I lose my orientation for a few secs, and most probably it's the same for your fish. I try to turn of their lights while there are still lights on in the room, that way it's not so sudden.

Well that's what I do so I guess I'm alright.....

Mollymomma · Sep 30, 2003

I have 2 lights on my 55gal. so I turn off one side then 10 mins later turn the other out, room lights out 10 mins later.. Just like mother nature lol