Should I leave the light on?

Should an aqarium light stay on 24/7?
--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

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On Mon, 18 Jul 2005 17:13:47 GMT, Suzie-Q
wrote:

Should an aqarium light stay on 24/7?

If you mean 24 hours a day, all the time, no it shouldn't. The light
should be on about 12 hours a day, off the other 12 hours.

-Derek

"Suzie-Q" wrote in message
...
Should an aqarium light stay on 24/7?

Nope. Fish need to sleep too or else they get stressed out which after a
prolonged period of light can cause the fish to get sick and perhaps pass
away. I think my silver dollars have some kind of eyelid function but I will
never test it and most if not all other fish don't have eyelids or ways to
sleep with the light on although I have had an experience or too when I was
in late grade school where I had my betta tank lights on at night and he had
a lot of daylight during the day and I think that betta was able to sleep
with the light on but I am sure that was one thing that stressed him out and
killed him as you could imagine what it is like for a fish by keeping your
eyes open while trying to sleep. Use a timer - they are pretty cheap and
make the lighting easy. The only road block I can foresee for you is if your
light is an old fluorescent without a starter other than a special switch.
Good luck and later!


--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/
http://www.intergnat.com/pussygames/

Daniel Morrow wrote:
"Suzie-Q" wrote in message
...

Should an aqarium light stay on 24/7?


Nope. Fish need to sleep too or else they get stressed out which after a
prolonged period of light can cause the fish to get sick and perhaps pass
away. I think my silver dollars have some kind of eyelid function but I will
never test it and most if not all other fish don't have eyelids or ways to
sleep with the light on although I have had an experience or too when I was
in late grade school where I had my betta tank lights on at night and he had
a lot of daylight during the day and I think that betta was able to sleep
with the light on but I am sure that was one thing that stressed him out and
killed him as you could imagine what it is like for a fish by keeping your
eyes open while trying to sleep. Use a timer - they are pretty cheap and
make the lighting easy. The only road block I can foresee for you is if your
light is an old fluorescent without a starter other than a special switch.
Good luck and later!


Not only do the fish need a photoperiod, but you will tend to grow a lot
of algae with the lights on 24/7. Plant's can't use 24 hours of light
but algae sure can!

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

In article ,
"Daniel Morrow" wrote:

Fish need to sleep too or else they get stressed out which after a
prolonged period of light can cause the fish to get sick and perhaps pass
away.

I've always been curious how fish sleep, particularly if the current in
the tank is constant. My pleco, I can understand -- he just sucks onto
the log or the glass, and he's anchored.

The danios and tetras have no such luxury. I would imagine if they
became fully unconscious, they'd drift with the current and bump into
things.

How are they able to sleep without becoming fully motionless and thus
bumping into things?

--
Pete Stephenson
HeyPete.com

"Pete Stephenson" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"Daniel Morrow" wrote:

Fish need to sleep too or else they get stressed out which after a
prolonged period of light can cause the fish to get sick and perhaps
pass
away.

I've always been curious how fish sleep, particularly if the current in
the tank is constant. My pleco, I can understand -- he just sucks onto
the log or the glass, and he's anchored.

The danios and tetras have no such luxury. I would imagine if they
became fully unconscious, they'd drift with the current and bump into
things.

How are they able to sleep without becoming fully motionless and thus
bumping into things?

--
Pete Stephenson
HeyPete.com

Most of mine just seem to hang out at the back of the tank...the catfish
sleep on the bottom and the Clowns just sleep in one big heap - quite often
on their backs....

Try sneaking a look around half an hour after lights out.....

Gill

Pete Stephenson wrote:

In article ,
"Daniel Morrow" wrote:


Fish need to sleep too or else they get stressed out which after a
prolonged period of light can cause the fish to get sick and perhaps pass
away.


I've always been curious how fish sleep, particularly if the current in
the tank is constant. My pleco, I can understand -- he just sucks onto
the log or the glass, and he's anchored.

The danios and tetras have no such luxury. I would imagine if they
became fully unconscious, they'd drift with the current and bump into
things.

How are they able to sleep without becoming fully motionless and thus
bumping into things?


Recently, a 15 year old girl climbed to the top of a crane, walked
across a narrow beam and then curled up upon the concrete counterweight
while remaining fast asleep. Being fully unconscious doesn't seem like
a prerequisite for having a very good night's sleep. Humans are
constantly tossing and turning in the lighter phases of the sleep
pattern without being conscious.

I'd guess that the fish put themselves into some sort of autopilot mode.

Nikki

"Pete Stephenson" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"Daniel Morrow" wrote:

Fish need to sleep too or else they get stressed out which after a
prolonged period of light can cause the fish to get sick and perhaps pass
away.

I've always been curious how fish sleep, particularly if the current in
the tank is constant. My pleco, I can understand -- he just sucks onto
the log or the glass, and he's anchored.

The danios and tetras have no such luxury. I would imagine if they
became fully unconscious, they'd drift with the current and bump into
things.

In exactly the same way as you don't die at night because your body
automatically keeps you breathing. Watch a fish at night and the will
correct their position and move without volition. Their eyes are open and
they may still have some positional awareness at an sub not unconscious
level in the same way you breath.

In article ,
"Gill Passman" gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk wrote:

Try sneaking a look around half an hour after lights out.....

That's kinda hard without lights.

But thanks to you and all those who responded. Very informative, thank
you.

--
Pete Stephenson
HeyPete.com

Gill Passman wrote:
"Pete Stephenson" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"Daniel Morrow" wrote:


Fish need to sleep too or else they get stressed out which after a
prolonged period of light can cause the fish to get sick and perhaps

pass

away.

I've always been curious how fish sleep, particularly if the current in
the tank is constant. My pleco, I can understand -- he just sucks onto
the log or the glass, and he's anchored.

The danios and tetras have no such luxury. I would imagine if they
became fully unconscious, they'd drift with the current and bump into
things.

How are they able to sleep without becoming fully motionless and thus
bumping into things?

--
Pete Stephenson
HeyPete.com


Most of mine just seem to hang out at the back of the tank...the catfish
sleep on the bottom and the Clowns just sleep in one big heap - quite often
on their backs....

Try sneaking a look around half an hour after lights out.....

Gill


My guppies wedge themselves into the floating watersprite for the night.
Most of my other small fish also take shelter in thick plants where
leaves break the current.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com