# How much sleep for fish?



## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

Please do not start a debate that fish either "sleep" or just "rest". For simplicity's sake I will refer to it as Sleep. So how much sleep do fish need every night. I have a timer and currently have 13 hour days so that my plants stay green. Algae is not a problem, I have 3 growing albino bristlenose plecos eager to eat any that grows as well as their cucumbers. I cover my tank with towels so it becomes completely dark. How many hours do fish need of this darkness each night? If it helps, tank residents are tiger barbs, corys, odessa barbs.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

I don't think there's a problem with that light period. 









Loaches sleep. Don't know about other fish. I've seen false neons 'sleep' on the same rock making contact and not moving all night.. That may or may not be sleep. Loaches sleep for sure though. They become noticeably drowsy then flop over and don't move for a few hours. They appear to be unconscious when they do this.


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

Can I increase the daylight time even more? How much sleep is needed per night? Humans need 8 hours, how much do these fish need?


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

Think about their natural habitat. day and night. 12 light-12 dark, fine, 14 light-10 dark hours fine too.


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

I am no plant expert but I have been told by some people that keep really nice plant setups that there is a certain length of time that you should keep your lights on and anything after that your just wasting electricity.In the wild most fish never see that much light. they are always in the dark areas of the lake or stream. Plus the water in those lakes and streams are not as clear as your tank.


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

My plants do provide quite a bit of shade if the fish go between them but they are SUPER ACTIVE and chase each other around all day.


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

they're most likely tank bred


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## Joeee (Apr 3, 2010)

TBemba said:


> I am no plant expert but I have been told by some people that keep really nice plant setups that there is a certain length of time that you should keep your lights on and anything after that your just wasting electricity.In the wild most fish never see that much light. they are always in the dark areas of the lake or stream. Plus the water in those lakes and streams are not as clear as your tank.


Too much light doesn't just affect fish (if it does), at a certain point the plants will stop growing. I think this point is 14 hours from what I've heard, hopefully someone can bring shed some light on this.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

14 hours may be a bit too much, depending on how much light you have. In a high light tank, most people do not even exceed 8 hours for risk of algae.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Im pretty sure plants can't use more than 10. I remember hearing anything over 9 or 10 is totally pointless. I doubt you'll hurt them. Going over 12 seems totally unecessary and a waste of power.


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

Most tropical climates get more light hours than we do here but even here during the summer it is light out from 6am until 9ish pm which is 15 hours of light (of course, at varying intensities) My tank lights are on 12 - 14 hours a day depending on the situation and location. Day and night cycles can be important factors in breeding fish but rarely essential for just keeping them.


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