Light too Bright for Fish??

[StevesPrettyCool]

hey everyone, happy 11/11/11! haha!! ok, lets get to the meat...

I been having some lighting issues concerning my tiger barbs in my 55g PLANTED tank. They are healthy, happy looking fish that have been in this tank for about two months, but when my lights come on, they dash for cover anywhere they can find it!

My lighting rig is as follows: (all are 36")
1 - 12,000k T6HO daylight (single bulb strip)
2 - 6500k T5HO (one dual bulb strip)
9 feet of LED lights (multi-color options, remote controlled)
Wattage Total = 117

Every time i put the LED lighting on the fish are happy as can be. As soon as i turn on the fluorescent lighting, they immediately dart to the bottom and hide under rocks, plants, wherever they can and act really shakey and nervous looking. I would just keep the LED's on and scratch the fluorescents, but i have many plants in my tank that need the lighting to survive. When I only had two 12000k's in there, the fish seemed much more calm, but when i took one out and added the two 6500k's i believe it started happening.

Any info or suggestions would help, even as im typing this they are freakin out hard, looking extremely frightened...

Edit: In addition I must add that there are 11 tiger barbs, and theres 7 baby synodontis petricola catfish (3/4"-1 1/2") and the catfish are perfectly fine no matter what light is on.

 

[new to the scene]

from what i have read i didn't think light affected them. i always thought light doesn't do anything to there eyes. maybe they are just scared when the light comes on. do you do a dusk/dawn effect? if not you should try to easy them into the light. Turn the leds, then 12k, then the 2 65k.

 

[jetajockey]

Try putting the lights on a timer so that they go on and off at the same time every day. They will get used to the routine.

 

[aqua_chem]

Some fish don't appreciate high light, but most don't care. Do they stay hidden until the light goes out?

 

[StevesPrettyCool]

thanks for the replies everyone, i dont have them on a timer. I usually have the LEDs on the dimmest setting and darkest blue at night, they love the LED no matter what color tho. Around 10-11am i turn all the fluorescent lights on at the same time. Literally as soon as the lights come on, they dart under every available hiding spot, and if they are out in the open they act very tweaked out and scared. They stay hidden all the time, wont even come out to eat and looked scared outta their minds. A couple of the Tigers black sptripes get very faded kinda quickly, but others have great color still. As soon as the light goes off tho, they start coming out and are instantly more active. The faded colors also return quickly...

I put my two large angels in there earlier (I have a divider through the middle currently) because my other tank is being rampaged by a hugeeeee snail infestation and I'm cleaning that tomorrow morning. The angels and the catfish dont mind it one bit, the cats are usually hidden but they are very active as usual, and the angels are scootin' around the tank perfectly fine.... Its really weird because when I had just two 12000k's they seemed to be great.

Soon these barbs are being taken out of this tank anyway, and put into another. I'll be sure they have a light they enjoy, but I'm planning on creating a cichlid community and I'm really hoping they do not act the same way...

Ya think a timers probably a good idea huh? Some times if I sleep late on weekends or leave super early, the schedule fluctuates so I'm sure a better routine would hel a little, but these little guys seem horrified...

 

[StevesPrettyCool]

yup today also, i had the LEDs on all night as usual, and they were happy as can be, turned only the 12000k on at 11,and they all went to hide, and havent come out of hiding for a full three hours since the light went on... it really weird, for sure one 12000k isn't too bright for them, I had two 12's in there before i got the 6500k's and they were fine....