When I turn the lights off to my fish tank my serpae tetras go crazy , not just 1 though, its all 7 of them? any ideas? sensitive sight or something? I have no idea but they shoot across the tank?
2007-09-17 14:12:44 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
I have head and tail light tetras and they used to do the same thing. Now I try to turn lights off one a time in the rooms where I keep fish. For example, at 10:30 PM the aquarium light turns off (I use a timer), but I have a desk lamp on the other side of the room that I leave on for another hour or so.
That way, they aren't too startled by the darkness. If they're suddenly in the dark, they can get stressed out and dart around. It's made a big difference for my tetras!
2007-09-18 12:28:26 · answer #1 · answered by geigehenry19 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They're probably just reacting to the change from being able to see well to not. Do you turn the lights off the same time each day? If not, maybe getting a timer would help since they'll come to expect "day" and night" at regular times, and the change won't take them by surprise.
And if anyone thinks fish don't have an idea of "time", I had a group of sunfish in a 300 gallon native tank that would start chasing all other fish from the end with an automatic feeder at least 2 minutes before the feeder would release food, although they'd tolerate other at other times of the day. So much for the 3 minute memory!
2007-09-17 21:22:57 · answer #2 · answered by copperhead 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mine used to freak when I turned the light off and when I turned it on. I had an oscar once that I could NOT turn the light out or he'd try to go through the glass he got so scared, so we actually got him a night light, lol!! It was the ONLY way to keep him calm. So I don't know exactly why this happens, but it does. My community tank fish (platys, black skirt tetras, mollies) used to freak out, now they are ok.
Remember though, if they freak when you turn the light ON in the morning/whenever, fish don't have eyelids. If it's dark in the room when you turn the light on, it is the equivalent of being in a closet and someone shining a flashlight in your eyes all of a sudden, or something like that. So be sure to try to turn another light on to get light in the room before you turn the lights on, just to be nice to your little guys!!
Sorry I cannot be of more help, but I at least wanted to let you know that you don't have the only fish that do that! Good luck!! ;o)
2007-09-17 21:25:42 · answer #3 · answered by MrsCrabs 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
hahaha. My fish do the same thing and i have had them of over a year! I'm guessing that the tetras are nocturnal and they just get excited when the light turns off and more hyper.?
Eventually they calm down though. :P
2007-09-17 21:44:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
just scared of the noice, it is common for newer fishes to do this. and it seems to be a chain reaction as they are schooling, once one freaks they all will.
Again it should stop when they get use to you and it will go away with time.
2007-09-17 21:19:39 · answer #5 · answered by Coral Reef Forum 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋