I was just wondering because, looking at my fish, they are not necessarily always moving, but always awake. I never see them asleep or resting. I was wondering if fish do sleep or only rest?
Sleeping Fish?
- Thread starter hendrixpujols11
- Start date
how do you define 'sleep' in fish? Sleep means different things to different forms of animal life. here's one definition. a period of rest during which volition and consciousness are in partial or complete abayance and the bodily functions partially suspended; a behavioral state marked by characteristic immobile posture and diminished but readily reversible sensitivity to external stimuli.
Most animals have some daily pattern of rest and activity, and in many species these daily cycles are similar to people running around during the day then lying down at night and doing nothing or sleeping. It is believed that fish are no different, although it is a controversial subject. Some fish keep very still, experiencing a quiet period (quiescence) that you might call sleep.
Tropical freshwater fish in home aquaria appear to be resting immediately after turning the lights on in a room that has been darkened for several hours. Unfortunately, fish have no eyelids so it is difficult to tell whether they are asleep or not.
Most animals have some daily pattern of rest and activity, and in many species these daily cycles are similar to people running around during the day then lying down at night and doing nothing or sleeping. It is believed that fish are no different, although it is a controversial subject. Some fish keep very still, experiencing a quiet period (quiescence) that you might call sleep.
Tropical freshwater fish in home aquaria appear to be resting immediately after turning the lights on in a room that has been darkened for several hours. Unfortunately, fish have no eyelids so it is difficult to tell whether they are asleep or not.
my black moor sleeps. . . pretty much whenever he's not eating. hovers just with his lower fins touching the gravel, and kinda sways back and forth. if he's awake then he begs for food. my boyfriend's big pleco does the same thing. last time i watched him carefully balance on a piece of wood. same gentle swaying motion. my rubberlip and bristlenoses will sometimes fall asleep, and end up on their backs in the substrate because they've fallen down from their driftwood spots.
I have been keeping my tank light off during the work day, turn it on when I get home. The tank gets a fair amount of natural, but not direct light during the day. If I know I'll be away until late I'll turn the light on before I leave-have to get a timer one of these days.
One night I got home much later than planned, the light had been off all day. I thought I'd turn the light on and enjoy the fish for an hour or two before I went to bed, give them a little to eat and then turn the light out again.
Scared me to death. All my congo tetras were lolling about near the bottom of the tank, upright, but resting on their bellies on the plants and rocks, one looked tangled in one of the tall plastic plants, breathing rather slowly. They didn't respond at all to the light. I quickly turned it out again, tested the water (which was fine and the temperature was normal), hoped they weren't all suddenly sick and went to bed. Next morning they were schooling as usual. Now if I get home late I just leave the lights out.
So congo tetras at least appear to go into a deep sleep and drift to the bottom of the tank.
Ellen
One night I got home much later than planned, the light had been off all day. I thought I'd turn the light on and enjoy the fish for an hour or two before I went to bed, give them a little to eat and then turn the light out again.
Scared me to death. All my congo tetras were lolling about near the bottom of the tank, upright, but resting on their bellies on the plants and rocks, one looked tangled in one of the tall plastic plants, breathing rather slowly. They didn't respond at all to the light. I quickly turned it out again, tested the water (which was fine and the temperature was normal), hoped they weren't all suddenly sick and went to bed. Next morning they were schooling as usual. Now if I get home late I just leave the lights out.
So congo tetras at least appear to go into a deep sleep and drift to the bottom of the tank.
Ellen
Yeah, I'd have to say that fish definitely shut down during the night (unless they're nocturnal, then they're more active). My rasboras all just kind of hang out in the middle of the tank in a group and don't move. My honey gouramies float at the surface and litterally bounce around with the current. If they bump into something, like a plant or the filter intake, they just stay there until they're pushed past it. So, I'm assuming they shut down at least partially during the night.