How Different Lights Affect Fish, The Circadian Cycle, Do Fish Sleep Like Humans?

Just like humans, fish have a circadian cycle that dictates their activities like spawning and feeding. This article will focus on the affects of fish tank lighting and other fish that aren’t dependent on lighting for survival. This information will point to studies conducted by individuals at the Department of Zoology from the University of Delhi and University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Basically their studies showed that if you fed a catfish at a certain time each day, it will affect their weight gain. In the same ways that human’s bodies do, feeding your fish at a certain time will affect their nutrient absorption. UoD’s study showed that catfish kept in normal lighting conditions with 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness ( 8am – 8pm ), didn’t gain extra weight, meaning that their bodies used up the food properly. Catfish kept on an alternated lighting schedule ( 8am – 8pm being darkness ) showed increased weight meaning their bodies stored the food as fat instead. This means that you need to do proper research on the diet that you need to feed your fish. Make sure that your fish stay on a schedule of a full 10 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness a day. They used aquarium lighting supplies at the UoD experiment.

Believe it or not, fish do need time at night to ”rest”. Fish do not rest like humans. Instead fish hide near something and remain lest active than the day, given they are not a nocturnal fish. Since fish do not have any eyelids, how can they close their eyes! When talking about resting, a t5 aquarium light may be what you need. We are unsure as to why exactly fish need to ‘rest’, but we are guessing it is restore energy and body resources. A fish resting seam to reduce their awareness but don’t become unconscious like humans. They are not really asleep and are alert. You can find some fish laying on their sides, and then jumping up very fast, as if they had been caught sleeping on the job. It is very important to know your fish’s proper nocturnal habits.

In the wild fish are used to a regular daylight schedule provided by the sun. This schedule should be accurately replicated in the aquarium environment to provide the fish a natural environment. This light cycle should also be kept in order to provide inhabitants with the proper amount of darkness for nocturnal activities. Keeping light consistent will benefit the feeding habits of fish. We suggest that you use a metal halide bulb to mimic the daylight cycles. We have found that fish and humans will similarly respond to getting fed at certain times of the day, as shown by studies performed by the University of Delhi and Minneapolis. There is tons of studies available for you to read up on the different affects of lighting on fishes and their circadian cycles.