Just how bad is flaring?

[3bangdoos]

Neptune is in a 2.5G tank with an aquarium light which is switched on the whole time(except at night), but my gripe is that we are constrained to keep the adjacent lights in the room switched on as well, lest he see his own reflection in the tank walls and start flaring.
I've observed this behavior the moments the lights in the room are shut and only the aquarium light is on. My wife jokes that with the kind of continuous flaring he does, his gills are soon gonna fall off

But seriously, how bad is flaring and does it stress them out? I can't move tank to any place else, so is there a way out of this conundrum?

[IonBaller07]

There is nothing wrong with them flaring, lots of people actually say flaring is good for the betta. I guess I could see all day flaring as a bad thing, what you could do to stop it is either leave it on all day and let him flare, he will probably tire of it and get bored the same way they do when you put their tank next to another betta. If that doesnt work you could but something like a tank background on the side where it would be making reflections. But he should be fine.

[3bangdoos]

Originally Posted by IonBaller07

There is nothing wrong with them flaring, lots of people actually say flaring is good for the betta. I guess I could see all day flaring as a bad thing, what you could do to stop it is either leave it on all day and let him flare, he will probably tire of it and get bored the same way they do when you put their tank next to another betta. If that doesnt work you could but something like a tank background on the side where it would be making reflections. But he should be fine.

Wow! Awesome suggestion on the tank background. Thanks IonBaller07!

[neenjar]

Flaring is good for them. I make Zeus flare daily in 10 minute doses by putting a mirror on the side of is tank. If they flare too often it is possible to damage gil tissue, but that takes some excessive flaring. If you are concerned it is too much then out a book on the side of the tank at night to block some light, or cover that side of the tank with a towel.

[MrVampire181]

All my jarred males are next to each other. I don't card them unless they're halfmoons. They flare all the time, very pretty site :)

[3bangdoos]

Originally Posted by neenjar

Flaring is good for them. I make Zeus flare daily in 10 minute doses by putting a mirror on the side of is tank. If they flare too often it is possible to damage gil tissue, but that takes some excessive flaring. If you are concerned it is too much then out a book on the side of the tank at night to block some light, or cover that side of the tank with a towel.

Makes sense. Thanks neenjar! I would err on the side of caution and say that the amount of flaring is not something I'm comfortable with. 'Betta' safe than sorry!

[3bangdoos]

Originally Posted by MrVampire181

All my jarred males are next to each other. I don't card them unless they're halfmoons. They flare all the time, very pretty site :)

Seriously? You must have one hell of a stomach to say that's 'pretty' Ouch! I feel the pain of those stretched gills right here. Ouch! My jaw hurts!!

[LiyahsGrandma]

my red one flares at the blue one. Its okay I think.

[LiyahsGrandma]

my red one flares more than my blue one. I think its okay and all.

[MrVampire181]

Originally Posted by 3bangdoos

Seriously? You must have one hell of a stomach to say that's 'pretty' Ouch! I feel the pain of those stretched gills right here. Ouch! My jaw hurts!!

It's perfectly fine, a lot of breeders do it.