In the past two weeks our goldfish have started freaking out when I turn their light on. they never had a problem before. It has come to the point where I dont turn the light on anymore cause they go crazy and bump thier noses on the glass in thier frenzy. poor fishies. when the light is off,they are peaceful and happy. I guess I should just leave it off then? They get a fair amount of natural light.
Fish that hate the light on!!
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well one of the main points of an aquarium is for your pleasure as well as the fish's I would find a way to get the light on. One technique people use is flood the room around the tank with light before hand and allow the fish to get used to it then turn the light on. Another idea might be put something between the light and glass that would make it less intense.
missileman
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Floating plants help diffuse the light and have a pleasant effect in the tank.
thanks for the advice. Its just that they never had a problem with it before. Only in the past few weeks. I will try to get something to put between the light and the water and see if that helps. They freak out a little when I put their food in too. They seem hungry. I feed them twice a day (probably to much I know, but I really dont want them to be hungry!! and use the floating pellets and some dry, they seem to struggle to find the floating ones if I dont put the dry in. silly fishies. maybe Im just stressing out about nothing?
I see your confusion over this 'fish & light' problem.
I have the same problem. My fish did just fine for a year, then suddenly both my large pearl Gouramis became skitterish and so did my pair of black line Rasboras'. Doesn't make sense. I turn on the light now and the Rasboras' act like the sky is falling. If you walk by the tank sometimes my Gouramis' freak out. The main difference is that these fish are now over a year old. I'm wondering if that is significant? Same lighting, same rocks, same plants. - - But now that I look through some of the many pictures I've taken over the past year of my aquarium and fish I notice that I do not plant nowhere near as heavily as I used to and I've changed my tank background to a much lighter one. That might be a reason the fish are less 'comforable'. Are you providing places the goldfish can hide? Perhaps a rock cave or something similar? I've noticed my single male Kribensis actually comes out in the open far more than he used to, now that he has his own cave to fall back into.
What size is your goldfish aquarium? Does it have a background? Are the goldfish significantly larger, or older than before you had this problem? I've learned one thing since I've been in this hobby and read a lot about fish. They are similar to dogs and people in that no two are just alike or will they react the same, even given the same circumstances.
I have the same problem. My fish did just fine for a year, then suddenly both my large pearl Gouramis became skitterish and so did my pair of black line Rasboras'. Doesn't make sense. I turn on the light now and the Rasboras' act like the sky is falling. If you walk by the tank sometimes my Gouramis' freak out. The main difference is that these fish are now over a year old. I'm wondering if that is significant? Same lighting, same rocks, same plants. - - But now that I look through some of the many pictures I've taken over the past year of my aquarium and fish I notice that I do not plant nowhere near as heavily as I used to and I've changed my tank background to a much lighter one. That might be a reason the fish are less 'comforable'. Are you providing places the goldfish can hide? Perhaps a rock cave or something similar? I've noticed my single male Kribensis actually comes out in the open far more than he used to, now that he has his own cave to fall back into.
What size is your goldfish aquarium? Does it have a background? Are the goldfish significantly larger, or older than before you had this problem? I've learned one thing since I've been in this hobby and read a lot about fish. They are similar to dogs and people in that no two are just alike or will they react the same, even given the same circumstances.
WE did recently put a backdrop on the tank. Its 20 gallons I think and there are 4 fish. havent really changed the plants much, put in a little tree thingy (we dont have real plants, Im not sure how they will do, maybe I will try one and see how it goes..) they do hide between the rock and the tree a lot. maybe they dont like the new background? They are about a year and a half old. Its a mystery for sure. I just leave the light off now. Id rather it not be on and them be relaxed than them hurt themselves freaking out for it to look nice.
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jsoong
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sometimes the fish dart about madly when the lights are first turned on, but then they settle down pretty quickly. Most will learn that the light is nothing to worry about & settle down after a while. I have no idea why they would all of a sudden became afraid of the light.
Someways to simulate a more natural "sunrise": Turn the lights on only after the room light is on, or after the tank had gotten some natural light. If there are more than one light, turn one on first, then the others. Put a diffuser over the light so it is not so bright. I see you have single tailed golds, & in ponds, they like to have some overhang & shade when sleeping. Perhaps you can have a piece of plastic covering part of the tank to give some shade, or maybe a big piece of driftwood or something in the tank for the same effect. <The fish are sleeping in the dark & the light might just startles them into a disoriented wakefulness. If they have cover to sleep in, they can swim out into the light after they are fully awake.>
One other thought: Goldfish don't really like white background. <The wild type is dark brown & I guess they still try to blend in to dark background.> Maybe the new background, being shinny & bright, together with the white gravel is reflecting too much light for them to feel comfortable. You might want to experiment with a dark cloth as your background & see if they like it better.
Someways to simulate a more natural "sunrise": Turn the lights on only after the room light is on, or after the tank had gotten some natural light. If there are more than one light, turn one on first, then the others. Put a diffuser over the light so it is not so bright. I see you have single tailed golds, & in ponds, they like to have some overhang & shade when sleeping. Perhaps you can have a piece of plastic covering part of the tank to give some shade, or maybe a big piece of driftwood or something in the tank for the same effect. <The fish are sleeping in the dark & the light might just startles them into a disoriented wakefulness. If they have cover to sleep in, they can swim out into the light after they are fully awake.>
One other thought: Goldfish don't really like white background. <The wild type is dark brown & I guess they still try to blend in to dark background.> Maybe the new background, being shinny & bright, together with the white gravel is reflecting too much light for them to feel comfortable. You might want to experiment with a dark cloth as your background & see if they like it better.
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