Reflective stress

[India]

I dont like the fact that my fish have to deal with their reflections in the glass. I'm thinking that the stress will weigh on them...any thoughts about how to minimize reflection besides running metal halides in my house?!

 

[o2manyfish]

Stop wiping the glass

 

[v3ngence]

I dont like the fact that my fish have to deal with their reflections in the glass. I'm thinking that the stress will weigh on them...any thoughts about how to minimize reflection besides running metal halides in my house?!

It doesn't work like that, the glass only looks like a mirror when viewed at an angle.
Think about how you can look straight through your tank: the other side is crystal clear not a mirror, only the side glass at a sharp angle looks like a mirror.

 

[Wolverine]

It doesn't work like that, the glass only looks like a mirror when viewed at an angle.
Think about how you can look straight through your tank: the other side is crystal clear not a mirror, only the side glass at a sharp angle looks like a mirror.

This. The fish don't see their reflection. Look straight through the tank; do you see yourself reflected back at you? I'm betting you don't (assuming you don't have a mirror on the back of your tank)
If you still don't believe me, put on a snorkel mask and stick your head in your tank and look straight out.

 

[India]

Then why do the males flare at and attack their reflections?

 

[Wolverine]

Then why do the males flare at and attack their reflections?

They're not attacking their reflections, which they can't see, as noted above.

As for the psychology of fish, that's harder to predict. Put up a mirror and you'll see them REALLY go at it.

 

[disc1]

The fish can't see the glass. He doesn't know the rest of the room isn't full of water. He's mad cause he can't swim through the glass and around the rest of the house.

 

[Wolverine]

Could also be that he's trying to intimidate the giant creature walking right up to him.

 

[India]

Well that is a good point, and

Well that is a good point, and

The fish can't see the glass. He doesn't know the rest of the room isn't full of water. He's mad cause he can't swim through the glass and around the rest of the house.

Well that is a good point - I like the concept, and I will watch the yellow watchman to see if that can explain his behavior - problem is that his behavior includes posturing and threatening darts that do not seem consistent with frustration, but seem completely consistant with threatening an interloper. BUT the purple firefish stays just outside his shrimp goby's hole and, when the light shifts at sunset, he flares towards his reflection in the glass to defend his territory - hard to explain that any other way.

 

[India]

Could also be that he's trying to intimidate the giant creature walking right up to him.

Thank you...I have considered that. I sneak up from the side and slip into a chair from where I can see from his vantage - I see him flaring at his reflection. If it is only for an hour or three between sunset and lights out, maybe that's OK - a bit of emotional and physical exersize is probably good.- I was more worried about the new yellow watchman who seemed to be eschewing food for fight...

 

[India]

But then, yellow watchman does seem to be settling in - mellow during the day, more of his threats and posturing at sunset...

 

[jm23]

Unlike what was said above...think of the glass the same way you do a window facing outside
If it is light outside and dark inside = no reflection. If it is dark outside and light inside = big reflection. So for the tank the brighter it is in the tank and the darker it is in the room the more reflection. I think most fish eventually learn that their reflection isn't a threat.

 

[India]

Unlike what was said above...think of the glass the same way you do a window facing outside
If it is light outside and dark inside = no reflection. If it is dark outside and light inside = big reflection. So for the tank the brighter it is in the tank and the darker it is in the room the more reflection. I think most fish eventually learn that their reflection isn't a threat.

That is how it seems...and thank you, good to be reminded they get used to it...

 

[Wolverine]

Unlike what was said above...think of the glass the same way you do a window facing outside
If it is light outside and dark inside = no reflection. If it is dark outside and light inside = big reflection. So for the tank the brighter it is in the tank and the darker it is in the room the more reflection. I think most fish eventually learn that their reflection isn't a threat.

Try the trick I mentioned above, see if that's true.

 

[jm23]

Try the trick I mentioned above, see if that's true.

I have and the physics behind what I posted above is still true. Also as was said above viewing the glass from an angle does increase the reflection. Try turning all the lights on in the tank and all the lights off in the room and see if you can see anything reflecting in the glass.

 

[BigPurp]

I still like the idea of snorkeling in my tank. I've always wondered what the outside world looks like to them. I might try it.

 

[Wolverine]

I have and the physics behind what I posted above is still true. Also as was said above viewing the glass from an angle does increase the reflection. Try turning all the lights on in the tank and all the lights off in the room and see if you can see anything reflecting in the glass.

When I look directly through the tank, with room lights off and tank lights on, I do not see myself reflected back (which, from the physics point of view will work the same as looking from the inside, which I have also done, apparently to different effect).

Also, if this were the effect, you would expect to see this be more of an issue when a room is dark than what it is bright (I haven't seen any difference there in my tanks). You'd also expect to see the fish not flash when the tank lights are off and room lights are on, yet I've seen them do that in many tanks. Extra hard to argue they're attacking their reflection in that situation.