Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Tanks and Equipment => Topic started by: Fiona on December 29, 2014, 05:30:35 PM

Title: Reflective tank sides question
Post by: Fiona on December 29, 2014, 05:30:35 PM
Our all our tanks have reflective glass on the sides and as we want to get a betta I'm assuming this will be a problem as the betta might start trying to fight itself. I've got backgrounds on the outside back of my tanks but I on't think they'd be suitable for the insides. Does anyone know of something I could use to cover the inside of the tank we want to put the betta in or an alternative solution to my problem. Buying another tank isnt an option.

Ta
Title: Re: Reflective tank sides question
Post by: Aquamaid on December 29, 2014, 06:17:08 PM
Hi Fiona, both my tanks have reflective sides, but only when water is in  :o, not good is it,  it makes for a very dissatisfied community who want to swim in the tanks beyond  :(
Title: Re: Reflective tank sides question
Post by: Sue on December 29, 2014, 07:17:45 PM
There are such things as backgrounds that go inside the tank, I think they are mainly the 3D type. I know that Juwel make them. But if I remember correctly, this is a small tank isn't it? These backgrounds can be quite thick and displace a fair amount of water.
I have heard of someone making a moss wall background using craft mesh as the base material but that would probably take a while to grow enough to look nice.
Sheets of coloured perspex?
Title: Re: Reflective tank sides question
Post by: nickyarthur on December 29, 2014, 08:24:26 PM
Our tank has reflective sides and we have a very happy male betta. He displayed a little bit when he first went in but soon chilled out  :) I guess it depends on the temperament of the individual fish and we've just been lucky to get a betta who's a big softie :)
Title: Re: Reflective tank sides question
Post by: Richard W on December 30, 2014, 07:56:35 AM
I painted the sides of my tanks (outside, of course) matt black so they don't reflect at all, but that may not appeal to most, though fish look great against a black background. I did try gluing black card to the outside, but that made the reflection stronger, more like a mirror.
Title: Re: Reflective tank sides question
Post by: Fiona on January 03, 2015, 05:59:28 PM
Thanks for all the advice and yes Sue the betta will go in the 50l tank with the endlers so a 3d background wouldn't be that great in there. I have actually considered making a moss wall for the inside of one of my tanks, it would indeed take a while before it would look nice and I'm nor sure java moss would be the best moss for the job as it gets very straggly and would need a lot of trimming up. I'll have a look at jewels website and see if I can find anything there.