For many living beings on this planet, sleep is an essential part of life. It helps us rest and recharge as we continue our daily routines. If you own an aquarium, one question has probably come to your mind: do my fish sleep? How does it work? Do they need it as much as we […]
For many living beings on this planet, sleep is an essential part of life. It helps us rest and recharge as we continue our daily routines. If you own an aquarium, one question has probably come to your mind: do my fish sleep? How does it work? Do they need it as much as we do?
While it’s easy to see how sleep works for humans and other living beings, fish are a different story. For one, most fish species don’t have eyelids so we can’t tell if they’re ever “relaxing” in the way humans would.
We might not know everything about our fish’s sleeping patterns, but it’s safe to say that most species do get some shuteye. Read on to find out how sleep works for your pet fish, and how you can improve it.
When humans sleep, we typically close our eyes and relax our bodies. Our fish friends are the exact opposite. Most aquarium fish just hover or stay still with their eyes open. Of course, these habits vary between species. Some fish enjoy cozying into their environment, hiding away in corals or in the plants, during sleep. Their bodies, however, continue moving while they’re asleep.
Other fish lay down on the tank floor to rest or drift with the water. Even while asleep, most fish remain alert and aware of their surroundings. This helps them escape from potential dangers. There are some fish species like the Spanish hogfish that go into a deep slumber—you can even pick them up without waking them!
Aquarium fish are typically active during the day time and sleep at night. Fish rely on their eyes to eat, swim and be themselves so they need daylight to perform these activities.
Depending on the species of your fish, they may not sleep until they reach a certain age. They may also stop sleeping if there are changes to their environment. Most aquarium fish just sleep when you turn off the light at night.
Fish sleep for similar reasons as humans—to recover and rest their bodies. Without sufficient sleep, a fish can lose their ability to move and function as usual. While sleep also helps humans recharge mentally, the same cannot be said for fish. Fish do not contain a neocortex in their brains, which prevents them from having dreams.
Fish don’t exactly keep a Circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) the way people do. Their environment may experience changes often so they tend to be more flexible with their sleeping patterns. Not every fish enters a dream-like state of consciousness either. The amount of sleep and the way it appears for most fish highly depends on the species. It can also vary with water temperature, light intensity, and other factors.
As more research surfaces on fish sleeping habits, it’s important to be courteous to our little buddies in the tank. Before you head off to bed, make sure to switch off the lights in your aquarium. They may not exactly sleep just like us, but they will surely appreciate getting some beauty rest as the next day rolls in.
Curious about your fish’s feeding patterns? Check out our blog, What You Need to Know About Feeding Your Aquarium Fish to learn more about feeding your fish.
