Do Aquarium Fish Need Darkness. However it is recommended to turn off the aquarium light at night. A cold water aquarium with cold water fish and plants should ideally have 16 hours of darkness.
Betta fish typically need 12 to 16 hours of darkness per day. Presumably you have the tank lighting on for a period of hours each day for the plants. Just like humans fish need a certain amount of darkness every day to maintain good health.
I believe that all living things need a period of light and darkness.
Fish like land mammals need periods of darkness throughout the day. Like humans fish need to rest their bodies. Do Fish Sleep At The Bottom Of The Tank. As living beings fish need a period of light and darkness to maintain their natural sleep-wake cycle.