He hates the light

[rb500]

So, i put the light for my tank on and turned it on and pheonix hid like i ran at his tank or something. he was really shocked by it. the tank looks a lot better in the light, you can actually see it, but he acts like this everytime i turn it on. he'll hide on the bottom and will stay there until i turn it off. i know some of you have lights on yours, and it doesn't seem like mine is any brighter. is this something he just needs to get used to?

[dramaqueen]

He probably needs time to get used to it.

[rb500]

So i should turn it on then? ok, thanks

[BakaMandy]

Yeah one of my females used to be like that. She's a bit better now but she still gets some stress stripes if she stays under direct light for too long. She'll eventually calm down if she hides in her castle for a little while.

Betta fish usually like to have a place to hide to get away from the light anyway :) so a little cave or something might help reduce the stress caused by the light.

[neenjar]

Mandy nailed it. Leave the light on but have a place where he can hide from it.

[Krys]

Hiding places are good. They like the shade as well. Maybe dimming the light a bit will help. Maybe a lower watt bulb.

[SlavetoImpulse]

Yeah, my boyfriend's Betta used to do the same thing, but with the light in his room, not the tank; every time he came into the room and turned the light on, Henry would dart into his castle and refuse to come out.

He got over it, though.