Using A Mirror

[MrNiceGuy]

I was reading something a guy on the internet wrote about using a mirror against the tank to make your betta believe he sees an enemy. This results in the betta letting his fins hang out and puffin out his gills and what not (which you probably already know).


Anyway, the guy claimed that he does it 15-30 minutes a day to promote health. He said it releases endorphins which naturally makes the fish happier. Along with that, he said that after you take the mirror down the betta will believe that it scared the enemy away and that in turn will boost your bettas confidence.


Any thoughts? And if this can be used for good do you think i'd have to do it for 15-30 minutes? I get kinda tired of moving my hand around after 5.

 

[Netty]

Short periods of time are fine. We would usually only do it for 10mins a day. It's also good exercise for them for flare their fins out but obviously not all the time.

 

[bronzecat]

Sounds like it could have truth in it? We have 3 male HMPK's in a divided tank. The dividers are new so still see-through and they're really happy active guys Two have got bubblenests and none appear overly stressed.

 

[ReMz]

Don't "torment" your betta with a mirror, that is the key. Show a mirror. If he flares, he flares. If he darts away and acts stressed, don't worry about it. IMO you are not going to achieve anything but your own (and maybe) your bettas entertainment. No harm in showing a betta a mirror in modest proportions. Different bettas will respond in different ways. Some are hyperactive-dominant and some are very docile.

My new HM flares at least 6 hours a day (I kid you not... maybe even more) at his minor reflection in the tank. My other guys have never shown much more than a "hmphh" in these tanks. His own erratic behaviour has resulted in many bubblenests and good health so far. In all honesty, his fins are coming along much nicer than the initial growth when i bought him. I attribute this fully to his 'over-flaring' - and of course good water qaulity.

 

[electric yellow]

Don't "torment" your betta with a mirror, that is the key. Show a mirror. If he flares, he flares. If he darts away and acts stressed, don't worry about it. IMO you are not going to achieve anything but your own (and maybe) your bettas entertainment. No harm in showing a betta a mirror in modest proportions. Different bettas will respond in different ways. Some are hyperactive-dominant and some are very docile.

Exactly! I only show my boys their reflection for a max of five mins every day. They love it...but there are some days where they dont even react to it. Then there ar some days when they are terrified so i take it away straight away. It helps my boys stretch their fins and i believe it does aid in the natural growth of the fins in getting them to flare to full stretch.

 

[Gemini]

I wouldn't use a mirror for too long a period. When a Betta flares its' fins it is in an aggressive state. Staying in an agitated state for too long can cause a lot of stress.

I've heard of people keeping Bettas separated by a divider and allowing them to flare at each other constantly, day in and day out. They claim that the fish are Flare Buddies or something like that, and when placed so that they can't see each other, the fish go into despair and don't swim around as much. The truth is, the fish wear themselves out so much with constant aggression, that once taken away from each other, they finally have a chance to relax and get some rest. So it's not as healthy as some people think.

I certainly agree that showing a mirror for a short period of time (maybe something like 15 min twice a day) is perfectly healthy. It can provide your fish with a little exercise and stimulation, no harm done. I doubt it will actually make your fish more confident. Bettas are born the way they are; some are bullies, some are docile. I've yet to hear of a Betta actually becoming more dominant over time due to mirror exposure. The idea sounds odd.

I'm sure there's nothing wrong with providing a Betta with a mirror for short periods of time, but I'd be careful not to overdo it and cause too much stress.

 

[Netty]

Definately over doing it can not only cause stress but with certain long finned Bettas like HM's it can cause them to blow their fins. Some Bettas can suffer from sticky fins and flaring at a mirror a couple of times a day for a short period of time can help to open the fins up.

The rule really is to be sensible....everything in moderation