Are LED lights good for betta fish?

In this post, we will answer the question “Are LED lights good for betta fish?”. We will also discuss some of the betta fish lighting requirements and how to set lighting equipment properly.  

Are LED lights good for betta fish?

LED lights are neutral for betta fish. While aquarium lighting isn’t necessary for a betta, your betta mustn’t be kept in full darkness all of the time. 

Light is essential for the physical and mental well-being of most species on this planet, including humans. Just like any other animal, it anticipates the arrival of nighttime, allowing the lights to be turned off when you retire to bed. 

An aquarium fish should be exposed to 14 – 16 hours of light (at the very least) over a 24-hour day. You may purchase timers for the aquarium light to guarantee that it is kept under tight supervision. Some aquariums come with timers already installed, but if yours does not, you may always add one to the plug socket that regulates the aquarium’s lighting.

Do betta fish like light?

They will not appreciate anything too bright, but a basic aquarium light will suffice. Bettas are also fond of aquarium plants, which require the presence of an aquarium light to thrive and live.

Do betta fish need light at night?

At the time of the. Doing so is detrimental to one’s health. Bettas, like the majority of other animals, require both light and darkness to maintain physical and mental health. Fish do not necessarily ‘sleep’ when they are resting. When the night falls, they slumber and preserve their energy, although they still like it to be completely black.

Do bettas prefer natural light or artificial light?

Given that you’re likely to be keeping your betta in an aquarium, it’s not a good idea to expose your betta aquarium to direct sunlight. Sunlight is not harmful to fish at all; in fact, ultraviolet light is beneficial to your fish and any aquarium plants that are exposed to it. 

Direct sunlight, on the other hand, can raise the temperature of the aquarium and accelerate the growth of algae. This is why the majority of aquarium lights are made to seem like natural sunshine. However, artificial light does not cause temperature fluctuations or algae overgrowth, although it does promote nutritional advantages such as Vitamin D production. 

The majority of aquarium lights are LED, and they are excellent choices. Even though some big or professional aquariums utilise UVB or other types of lighting, if you’re going to maintain your betta in a simple aquarium with typical aquarium plants, LED lighting will be sufficient.

What happens to your betta if you leave the aquarium light on for an excessive amount of time or for an insufficient amount of time?

Too much light

If your betta is subjected to an excessive amount of artificial light, it may experience several health concerns. First and foremost, if your betta is exposed to excessive light, he may get overstimulated. Although bettas are known to take brief naps during the day, overstimulating them will lead your fish to become more active for a longer amount of time. That can lead to stress in the betta, which can lead to health problems and increased vulnerability to disease or parasite assault. 

Aside from that, too much light might cause your betta to get depressed and stop eating. Bettas are notoriously fussy eaters, and the stress of overstimulating them frequently results in a lack of appetite in these feisty creatures. 

It’s important to remember that betta fish are creatures of habit, feeding throughout the day and resting when the sun goes down. If your betta lives in a setting with constant daylight, his body clock may be unable to tell when it is time to eat, and he may eventually stop eating completely.

So, what happens if you deprive your betta of light?

A lighting system should be installed in your Betta tank in the same way that a filtration system and a heater are. You may notice that your betta’s stunning, brilliant colours have faded if he is maintained in extremely dim or gloomy surroundings.

If you are wanting to breed from your betta, you should be aware that spawning is far less likely to occur in a tank that is extremely dim in lighting.

Why not use natural sunlight instead of artificial light?

Your betta’s tank might be placed on a windowsill or in a location where it would receive plenty of direct sunlight, which you might believe would be an excellent answer to your lighting problem. 

Phytoplankton (algae) are aquatic creatures that produce the nutrients they require through photosynthesis. Although algae are a nuisance, these organisms do have some advantages in that they eliminate toxic compounds from the water in your fish tank, such as nitrates, which is beneficial for the health of your fish. In addition, any fish species, even bettas, will consume algae as part of their daily nutrition.

How much light does a betta tank need?

To give you a basic idea of what to expect, for LED lights, you should expect no more than 1 watt of light per gallon of water, and for fluorescent lighting, you should expect no more than 1.5 watts of light per gallon of water. 

A betta’s day is often shorter than ours in the wild. This is due to the extensive aquatic vegetation that exists in his habitat, which prevents him from receiving much natural sunlight. The light should be between eight and twelve hours per day, followed by 12 to 16 hours of darkness per day to simulate midnight to recreate that cycle in the confined setting.

What about coloured lights?

Several aquarium lights are equipped with a variety of built-in colour and special effect choices, which you may utilise to great effect when creating the appearance and feel of your betta tank. As long as you follow the day/night pattern, coloured lights do not affect your betta.

Conclusion 

In this post, we answered the question “Are LED lights good for betta fish?”. We also discussed some of the betta fish lighting requirements and how to set lighting equipment properly.  

If you have any thoughts or doubts, feel free to drop us a comment below!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Are LED lights good for betta fish?

Are LED lights beneficial to bettas? 

Your betta tank will not necessitate the use of a very strong light source. In general, you should strive for 1 watt per gallon or less for LED lights and 1.5-3 watts per gallon for fluorescent lights, according to an ancient rule of thumb. 

Do LED lights appeal to Betta? 

If you purchase after clicking on one of our affiliate links, we may receive a commission. The answer is yes, Betta fish enjoy light; however, the answer is no, Betta fish do not enjoy the light. 

Is it true that LED lights are harmful to fish? 

The Effects of Lighting on Fish. Fish, in contrast to plants, are not as reliant on light. While aquarium owners may generally use incandescent, fluorescent, or LED lighting for fish, they should be mindful of the heat difficulties that incandescent lights might produce in their aquariums. 

What is the greatest LED colour for betta fish to use? 

The most popular type of light used for betta fish is a 6500K full-spectrum light, which has a colour temperature of 6500K. In addition to providing the optimum perceived balance between brightness and colour rendition, this form of illumination will assist you in bringing out the colour in your betta’s fins, scales, and eyes. 

Do bettas enjoy being in artificial light? 

If you maintain your betta tank in a bright environment where it will receive lots of indirect natural light, it is possible that you will not need to use light within the tank. Regardless of whether the light in the tank is natural or artificial, bettas do not seem to mind as long as they are receiving the appropriate quantity of light. 

Is it necessary to turn off my betta’s light at night? 

Betta fish require 8 to 12 hours of light and 12 to 16 hours of darkness daily, so make it a practice to turn off the tank light before going to bed. If your Betta fish is exposed to an excessive amount of light, it may get overstimulated and anxious.

References 

Do Betta Fish Like Light And Should They Be On At Night? – https://www.tankarium.com/do-betta-fish-like-light/

Do Betta Fish Need Light? – https://www.bettaboxx.com/betta-tanks/lighting