Scared of the light ?????

[vanessa]

My son's axi "CHILLI" is wonderful, he has a great personality,loves to swim around and loves his dinner !! A little while ago the light bulbs went, knowing that lights are not so important i have been a little slack getting round to getting another put in. Well i finally got around to getting another light. When i turned it on he completely freaked out !! Chilli went swimming like mad and was banging into the glass. I immediately turned it off and he is fine, still being a character and eating very well. I would love to have the light on so we can enjoy watching him swim around, he is soo much fun to watch but i am afraid that he may be afraid of the light?? PLEASE CAN ANYONE HELP US WITH CHILLI TO NOT BE AFRAID OF THE LIGHT

 

[jarred]

Axolotls do not like bright light Vanessa and do not have eyelids to protect their eyes from it. I have had no problems using fluorescent bulbs but you could try giving him protection from the light by putting in floating plants and hiding spots.

 

[vanessa]

Thanks for the advice Jarred. He has a log that he hides in at night. I have heard of blue lights but they can also damage their eyes so i am going to look at getting a very low watt fluro tube. Fingers crossed.

 

[sarah]

I was givin advise that in summer time dont use a light as it may warm up the tank.

 

[sin]

One of my partner's axies has started to freak out from the light when she comes up for air, doesn't seem to worry his other one however.

 

[sharn]

yip axies prefer dim lighting... i find mine are quite active on the floor by my bed because its quite shaded... if you must use lights use lots of hiding spots and plants

 

[heather]

I cant ever have my light on, every single one of my axies hate the light.

I feel sorry for my axies because when Im not around, my mom will flick on the light so she can watch them. What she doesnt get is that they just hide when the light goes on, and that shes better off watching them in the natural light of the room.

My tank has a glass top so I think im just going to get rid of the light and get that little bit more of natural light in through the top. That will reduce the uh, light-trauma treatment therapy sessions.

 

[sharn]

if theyre super scared of the light paint the sides and back with dark paint and maybe the lids aswell, or you could just tape dark paper to it...?

 

[stipe]

Mine used to be like thatbut they got used to it, they stoped freaking out when the ligh would sudenly turn on.

WOuld any one know of a aquarium light that turns on slowly, like the light gets brighter little by little until its full on, because that'll shock the axies less.

 

[sharn]

could make one i spose... a timed dimmer switch?

 

[stipe]

Hmm...im going to check my local hardware shope, BUNNINGS! lol, "lowest prices are just the begging"

 

[alex]

my axolotls used to be affraid of the light, now they're just used to it and when i turn it on they just crawl into there cave calmly. hopefully your axies will get used to it.

 

[stipe]

No mine are used to it but i want to make it more natural with the light turnig on slowling like the sun rising.

 

[chris]

the lights in both my tanks i felt were far too bright for them,so i had a think about it and came up with the plan of putting light reflectors on both tubes upsidedown this deffintaly solves the light problem and also stops the lights heating the water as all the beam of the tube directs into the lids of the tanks in doing this its made the light in the tank very pretty looking as well a little like mood lighting, wink wink might get them all in the mood for romance lol

here is a picture of the upside down light reflector