Pulling All-Nighters with Your Betta

997 Views 8 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Wallawoo, Jan 15, 2015

jewelqueen17

Discussion Starter · Jan 15, 2015

I've been pulling some all-nighters lately (which is why I keep posting at odd times when no one's up and about), or at least really-late-nighters, due to schoolwork and other extracurricular work I have to get done. The only light ever on during these wee hours is about six feet from my betta tank and is rather weak (your average night table lamp w/ lampshade), and blocked by my laptop, so the betta area is pretty dark but still gets a little bit of light. I was wondering if this will affect my boy negatively? No sleep is not good for humans (but no work done on time is also not good for humans :roll

, so it can't be good for bettas.
Most nights when I'm up late, he'll swim around a little but later during the night he will go float behind his filter, heater, and big plant where I presume the light can't get through and he can get a good night's sleep. Either that or the little cave decoration. I'm still worried that he's not getting enough sleep or something, like any good momma... but I'm not sure if it's a reasonable thought due to the fact that my "son" is a fish. In the mornings, he'd have no choice but to see the light coming in through my window, due to the fact that he has no eyelids (unlike me, who on the lucky free-morning days gets to sleep in)... Do you think I should move his tank somewhere else or something while I get my work done? The worst of it will be over in about two weeks, that's the deadline for my biggest project right now. Should I do something, or is this situation fine for now?

Sorry for the long post, I'm just an overly worried fish momma ;-)

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Polkadot

· #2 · Jan 15, 2015

That sounds fine.

I am always up late & have a lamp on my desk going (turned away so the light is just weak) plus the light from my computer,and all my little bettas are fine with it.They are always frisky in the morning so I think they are used to it.Plus they all have caves and plants in their tanks to get in or behind if they want to.

As long as it's not full on glaring lights shining right on their tank,I think a soft night light type glow in the room is ok.

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jato

· #3 · Jan 15, 2015

Lol my old betta used to do that too. I had to work in almost pitch black to get him to sleep. If he goes to sleep on his own it should be fine?

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Tress

· #4 · Jan 15, 2015

I wouldn't worry too much. You can always throw a towel over his tank to keep him dark.

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MikeG14

· #5 · Jan 15, 2015

Tress said:
I wouldn't worry too much. You can always throw a towel over his tank to keep him dark.

+1 Tress
I do this every night. I feel it's important to give them a day/night cycle.

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jewelqueen17

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 15, 2015

Okay, so just like any old towel over it at a certain "bedtime" for him so he gets used to the cycle?

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MikeG14

· #7 · Jan 15, 2015

I use black bath towels that I bought specifically for this purpose. I try to cover them the same time every night. I have blue moonlight LED's that I put on for them about 2 hours before lights out. I cover the tanks about 1 hour before the timer shuts the LEDs off to give them some alone time. I think they find the blue light very soothing because they seem to slow down and almost become serene.

I try to be careful when I remove the covers in the morning. I always make sure the room is dimly lit so they can wake up naturally.

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jewelqueen17

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jan 15, 2015

Black bath towels... I think I do have some. As for the moonlight, I don't have one... I wonder why they are so much slower and sleepier when it is turned on? I would never be able to sleep with a light on.

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Wallawoo

· #9 · Jan 15, 2015

+1 Mike & Tress, I also do the exact same thing with a black towel. I am on the opposite schedule as my boyfriend so the living room light is on way too long for my fish, and my snail won't come out unless it's dark. I don't have the moonlights, so all the other room lights are on for one hour before and after the tank lights go off or on to try and mimic a dusk and dawn thing and not startle them with too big of lighting change. I try to keep a natural schedule for the animals and I also believe plenty of rest is important to people and animals' health.

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