Sleep & Fish

[Drake]

I have a calvus and a frontosa, and one morning before their lights came on I saw them both hiding in their usual hiding places. But what was unusual was that they both were lying on the bottom motionless like they were sleeping. I was wondering if fish actually do sleep.

Thanks

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Yes they do. Fish sleep just like humans do. Just by looking at them they appear to be "awake". But if you flip on the lights, it normally takes a few minutes before they wake up and start swimming around.

 

[Drake]

That's pretty much what happened after the lights came on.

 

[QTOFFER]

Fish definitely sleep. I've noticed the same motionlessness in my tetras a few hours after the lights go out.

The big question is; do fish dream?
Doga and cats certainly do, and there's some evidence that rodents may as well. But what about fish?

 

[An t-iasg]

Well, I'm sure my fish are dreaming about me!

I can tell when my bettas are sleeping. It's about the only time that they don't move their pectoral fins (the ones on the side of their head).

 

[Jchillin]

I recall the first time my wife observed one of the angels sleeping. She didn't realize the extent of the motionlessness and asked me to investigate what she thought was a sick fish.

Dreaming? Possible IMO, probably about mating and eating (not in that order). LOL.

 

[GouramiFanatic]

That's pretty interesting! My Corycats at home have been seen sleeping quite a bit. Normally they line up side by side in the 'darker' corner of the aquarium. I've never seen my Neon or Von Rio Tetras sleeping, or at least not to the point where it was obvious that's what they were doing.

The fish in my aquarium at work never seem to sleep either. Especially the Danios. They're to busy zipping from end to end and chasing each other. They're very active!

- Mandy

 

[Jasonanatal]

My girlfriend panicked the first time she saw our fish sleeping and immediately told me to help them. Took some time to explain the reason why they look awake yet are still sleeping but finally it sunk in. Also many people don't understand this but the most common mistake is that people leave their aquarium lights on throughout the night to keep their fish visible to them at all hours of the day. You try sleeping with the lights on and no eyelids to block it.

 

[DepotFish]

Depot sleeps at the bottom of her tank. It used to bug me. Sometimes fish sleep so soundly that you can life them out of the water before they notice.

 

[sudz]

If you wanna see panic, you should have seen me the first time my loach fell asleep on its side! Scared the crap outta me. My neons actually change color when they sleep. They turn almost entirely grey. Only once they are awake do they get the vibrant blue stripe. Anyone else find this?

 

[kyektulu]

I do believe fish dream, I think my fish dream of lots of daphnia and bloodworm!

 

[sudz]

I think my Cherry barb dreams too. He'll be sleeping, then DART across the tank... and stay there for an hour.

My loach is comical when he sleeps... he'll be resting in a hole in my new driftwood (pictures to come) and then fall and float to the bottom, Wake up, swim for a bit, and fall asleep in another weird position.

 

[Mazdaman]

I've got my 75gal in my room, when I wake up in the middle of the night all the rainbows are still. not laying on anything though just "floating" still in one spot. They all seem to have their one section in the tank too. Pretty cool to see such active fish stay so still....