# sleep schedule



## sirmo (Sep 9, 2008)

Whats the deal with these guys resting.

My typical procedure is

Light off during the day while at work.

Come home, turn light on and feed a little.

Feed another little bit later in the evening, turn light off and go to bed.

Light stays off all night and all day till I get back home.

ok....

I notice, that if I forget to turn the light on when I get home in the afternoon, they are all passed out by 9:00pm.

But if I turn the light on as soon as I get home, and they stay active till I go to bed, I notice if I get up in the middle of the night they are all active. I figured they would be sleeping.

So seems like they only like to sleep in the afternoon. So if I leave the light on during that time, it appears they don't get their rest. (again, they are always up in the middle of the night, and also if I come home for lunch.)

Am I overthinking this? They get rest with they need it?

or should I make an effort to light, and feed around what appears the be the schedule they want.

Thanks for input!!!!


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

The lights are really just for our veiwing pleasure. Think about fish in the wild. Sun up-they get up, Sun down they go to sleep. Also thing of the trees that overhang lakes a nd rivers, and the fact that fish seem to gather in the shadows. As long as they get some sore of day/night (doesn't need to be bright sun) they will be happy.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

sirmo said:


> They get rest with they need it?


Bingo... fish don't sleep... they just rest and they can rest lights on, or off...


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## jenandcoffee (May 3, 2008)

i do pretty much the same as you, and a couple of weeks ago i went away for the weekend (and left the lights off) when i came home i went to my tank and turned the light on and they were resting, i've never seen this before, they each had their own spot on the bottom of the tank, some were even huddled together, 2 were kinda leaning on the leaves of the fake plant in my tank . it freaked me out i thought omg my fish are dead... as normally when i turn the lights on they are all at the top & ready for me to feed them. This time nobody hardly even moved. so i checked all my water parameters and everything was fine.. it took them about 10 mins to be acting normal and swiming about.

usally at nite i hear them splashing about and in the morning when i get up to get ready for work i see them swiming around in the dark so i was wondering whats the deal, when are they resting as i 've never seen them do this until that 1 time.

am i doing something wrong? or are they resting at some point when i'm not around during the day or possibly they felt more comfortable because i was not there for 2 days..


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

When I first got my tank I left the light on 24/7, day and night, never turned it off :lol: It did make a nice night light for the livingroom :roll: Never occured to me they might want to rest or appreciate some dark :roll:

Once I was informed that I should at least turn it off when I go to bed, I now do. Sometimes here recently I don't even turn it on until afternoon. I really don't think it matters much to the fish though I'm sure they appreciate some darkness at night. =D>


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## lexi73 (May 2, 2008)

I've got both my tank lights on a timer... they are on every day from 4pm-10pm...my basic viewing time. Otherwise the light is off or at night the nightlight is on (very subtle).


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## natalie559 (Dec 6, 2007)

lexi73 said:


> I've got both my tank lights on a timer... they are on every day from 4pm-10pm...my basic viewing time.


Gotta love them timers!! I have my mbunas set the same as above and my planted goes for 12 hours, 11-11 b/c the plants need it. I like providing the fish with a lighting routine and not having to always remember when to turn lights on/off etc. is fabulous!


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## Matts_Cichlids (Jul 29, 2007)

jenandcoffee said:


> i do pretty much the same as you, and a couple of weeks ago i went away for the weekend (and left the lights off) when i came home i went to my tank and turned the light on and they were resting, i've never seen this before, they each had their own spot on the bottom of the tank, some were even huddled together, 2 were kinda leaning on the leaves of the fake plant in my tank . it freaked me out i thought omg my fish are dead... as normally when i turn the lights on they are all at the top & ready for me to feed them. This time nobody hardly even moved. so i checked all my water parameters and everything was fine.. it took them about 10 mins to be acting normal and swiming about.
> 
> usally at nite i hear them splashing about and in the morning when i get up to get ready for work i see them swiming around in the dark so i was wondering whats the deal, when are they resting as i 've never seen them do this until that 1 time.
> 
> am i doing something wrong? or are they resting at some point when i'm not around during the day or possibly they felt more comfortable because i was not there for 2 days..


Your not doing anything wrong. When I wake up in the morning and open the curtains my fish are all resting/sleeping and they all seem to have there own spots whether it be under a rock, on a rock or plant or just sitting on the sand somewhere. I always want to feed them before I go to work so I have to open the curtains at least 10 minutes before I leave to give them a chance to wake up and become active. Otherwise if I open the curtains and feed them straight away none of them seem too interested in the food and I dont blame them because I cant eat as soon as I wake up either lol.


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