I mean, he's awake and swims around during the day and seems to be hidden at night. I sleep with the tv on but it's still darker at night. I figure since we are inside, the tv is kind of like moonlight...
This picture is the closest I could get to how it actually looks as far as lighting...The tank is actually slightly lighter...
At night when it's darker they will become inactive and sleep.
I keep a light on in the room all the time over my computer desk which provides indirect light to them even at night which doesn't seem to affect them.
TV I suspect doesn't present a problem as far as light goes, just the sound if it is near the tank. My hospitial tank is to the side of the TV so to keep the noise down for the tank I blocked the side of it with egg cartons and material to muffle the sound if any from the TV. Old days they used egg cartoons to muffle the noise from rooms bands practiced in and it seemed to work great.
Well from what I understand the water in rice paddies don't get too much light anyway so I guess on the dim side is probably better than on the bright side, correct?
Amount of light they get at night is very low light (less than moonlight), since other stuff blocks the direct light from getting to the tanks.
I also have caves they can go into to make a darker place to sleep if they want it.
Yes I'd say dim side should be all they are subject to since in the wild it's about as much as moonlight would be or totally dark also (cloud filled nights).
Also having a cave for them to get in if they want it darker is a good ideal. Currently I'm using $1 store coffee mugs, but as soon as I glue the holes in some terra cotta pots I've soaked I will replace the mugs since the mugs eventually might release junk. Terra cotta pots I've heard may raise the pH and with mine already high I'll be adding some driftwood that will release tannins and lower the pH.
Can tell you have a cave in your pic so just make the opening away from the light source. Castle in my pic was just for the picture, will use it with baby guppies later.
I'm no expert on that question.
People with plants have light on for the plants several hours a day, but the betta's have shade from the plants.
Others without plants only turn on lights to feed or clean (status I am in for now).
Most of my tanks get indirect light in the day from a window across the room, but one on that side of the room is blocked from getting any light from the window yet it is a hospital tank so low to no light is good to keep stress down in it.
Since ours are colorful unlike those in the wild, I'm not sure comparing the light needs of ours with those in the wild is valid. As far as most life needing a certain amount of sunlight for health reasons (convert it to vitamins, etc.) I have no ideal if fish fit into that catagory since they live in darker locations (ocean/lakes) and not come near the surface very often where they would get more light. Logically I would say dim during the day due to this would be fine, but like I said I'm no expert. Hopefully an expert will chime in if this is wrong for your sake and the sake of others wondering the same thing.
Yes they're fine in shadowed/dim areas as long as you've got a consistent water temp, I keep the natural light in my room diffused with blinds. Keep in mind that they come from a natural environment that floods, so they would have adapted to long periods where the water is murky due to being stirred up by heavy rains and washing dirt into streams and such. And they can survive in silty puddles in between floods for short stretches also. Monsoon rains can last for weeks and there are two rainy seasons per year in Thailand.
he'll be fine in ambient room light, but will show his best color and most activity with an overhead lamp, provided you give him proper day/night schedules.
Yes they're fine in shadowed/dim areas as long as you've got a consistent water temp, I keep the natural light in my room diffused with blinds. Keep in mind that they come from a natural environment that floods, so they would have adapted to long periods where the water is murky due to being stirred up by heavy rains and washing dirt into streams and such. And they can survive in silty puddles in between floods for short stretches also. Monsoon rains can last for weeks and there are two rainy seasons per year in Thailand.
This and they usually have heavy plant cover in their natural habitat, so I think it would be pretty dim...
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