Do Fish Sleep?

fishkid13

fishkid13

Active Member
Originally Posted by nuro
http:///forum/post/3124704
sleep is technically defined as when consciousness is suspended. like you and i sleep and are fairly unaware of our surrounding environment. fish rest in that they are in a state thats energy saving and or safe. "Sleep" is typically found in higher animals and theres been soem debate about ceph's dreaming becuase they actually enter a fairly sleep like state and twitch like vertebrates do when dreaming. But no, fish do not technically "sleep". HTH.
Good info. Do different fish react more to their surroundings when they are "asleep" then other fish do?
Thanks.
 
mantisman51

mantisman51

Active Member
I don't know that I buy into fish not sleeping. My lined puffer sleeps on the floor of the tank and I can reach in and pet him in the morning for a couple seconds before he wakes up and then shoots like a jet to the other side of the tank. If he ain't sleepin, he's resting mighty comfortably.
 
small triggers

small triggers

Active Member
I can certainly say my fish rest. all of my triggers lock themselves in place and my wrasse does not bury himslef rather he rests inbetween the sand a a piece of rock like a cave. My clowns rest in their anemones, and my kole tang by the clowns, and the hawkfish in a cave. NOW whenever i walk by the tank even in the middle of the night they are all up and moving because of the motion...
 
fishkid13

fishkid13

Active Member
Originally Posted by mantisman51
http:///forum/post/3125069
I don't know that I buy into fish not sleeping. My lined puffer sleeps on the floor of the tank and I can reach in and pet him in the morning for a couple seconds before he wakes up and then shoots like a jet to the other side of the tank. If he ain't sleepin, he's resting mighty comfortably.
That does sound like sleeping. Do some fish sleep and others don't?
Thanks.
 
fishkid13

fishkid13

Active Member
Originally Posted by small triggers
http:///forum/post/3125153
I can certainly say my fish rest. all of my triggers lock themselves in place and my wrasse does not bury himslef rather he rests inbetween the sand a a piece of rock like a cave. My clowns rest in their anemones, and my kole tang by the clowns, and the hawkfish in a cave. NOW whenever i walk by the tank even in the middle of the night they are all up and moving because of the motion...
It sounds like triggers like "sleeping" or "resting" in rockwork. Is their any certain explantion of why they do this? Cool, thanks for adding.
Thanks.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
They do, but you may not "recognize" it in the same way....as in closing eyes and tucking away. Many fish are resting but still must swim. Many are resting during the day (such as large jacks) but still cruise around. Others are a bit more "traditional" and wedge into rocks at night and rest. You may notice a change in color (actually called "pajama coloration" lol). So it is a complex thing, but yes fish do rest, even if they must remain swimming and active.
 
nuro

nuro

Member
Originally Posted by fishkid13
http:///forum/post/3124952
Good info. Do different fish react more to their surroundings when they are "asleep" then other fish do?
Thanks.

absolutely. some, like ophiura said stay more mobile then other, soem bury themselves in sand, others fidn a place to hide and create mucus shields
Originally Posted by fishkid13
http:///forum/post/3125430
That does sound like sleeping. Do some fish sleep and others don't?
Thanks.

as far as true sleeping goes, no, fish dont sleep, soem may be more dormant than others but its still not the same thing. I havnt found any great studies on fish, but there have been some on ceph's ive read. "sleeping" is us, and other mammals has alot to do with the way the brain reacts when in that dormant / resting phase. ive gotta go back and find it but i read a great study on octopuses sleeping habits comparitive to our own. its very insteresting.
 
rdub62

rdub62

Member
I am convinced that my File Fish does not sleep. Right now i can see his shadow going up and down my tank... When the lights come on he is a little more shy, swims around in the low flow areas. Unless eating with the rest of my fish.
But I never see it still or locked in anywhere...
I recently bought a large Diamond Back Goby though I know it sleeps. Makes a huge bed in the sand and sometimes will even carry a piece of agar over and lay on top of him. That's pretty amazing. Gonna have to get a pictue next chance i get.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Even though it does not stop, it may still be "resting" though again not in the human sense (which tends to be still). Many many fish and sharks must keep moving for various reasons...but also remember that many fish may be nocturnal and more active when we don't expect them. I bet if you see times when he hangs out and just drifts a bit, that may be when he is resting.
 
bla403

bla403

Member
My blue hippo hides and sleeps. The clownfish find calm places to swim really slowly in place. THe foxface picks a corner and gets all upset looking with the black spotting but when the lights come on hes happy again and swimming around.
 
fishkid13

fishkid13

Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3125510
They do, but you may not "recognize" it in the same way....as in closing eyes and tucking away. Many fish are resting but still must swim. Many are resting during the day (such as large jacks) but still cruise around. Others are a bit more "traditional" and wedge into rocks at night and rest. You may notice a change in color (actually called "pajama coloration" lol). So it is a complex thing, but yes fish do rest, even if they must remain swimming and active.
Good info Ophiura. Do the fish that move when they "sleep" have to or is it just a waste of energy?
Thanks.
 
fishkid13

fishkid13

Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3125513
And get insomnia!
Zebrafish sleep
That is wicked.
Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by nuro
http:///forum/post/3125653
absolutely. some, like ophiura said stay more mobile then other, soem bury themselves in sand, others fidn a place to hide and create mucus shields
as far as true sleeping goes, no, fish dont sleep, soem may be more dormant than others but its still not the same thing. I havnt found any great studies on fish, but there have been some on ceph's ive read. "sleeping" is us, and other mammals has alot to do with the way the brain reacts when in that dormant / resting phase. ive gotta go back and find it but i read a great study on octopuses sleeping habits comparitive to our own. its very insteresting.
Cool. Does this mucus sheild help them stay healthy. What I mean is when they does off it creates a time were their body can recharge like ours, in this cause mucus and what ever else?...
More good info, Thanks.
 
fishkid13

fishkid13

Active Member
Originally Posted by Rdub62
http:///forum/post/3125655
I am convinced that my File Fish does not sleep. Right now i can see his shadow going up and down my tank... When the lights come on he is a little more shy, swims around in the low flow areas. Unless eating with the rest of my fish.
But I never see it still or locked in anywhere...
I recently bought a large Diamond Back Goby though I know it sleeps. Makes a huge bed in the sand and sometimes will even carry a piece of agar over and lay on top of him. That's pretty amazing. Gonna have to get a pictue next chance i get.
Hmmm, that is interesting. Pic please!
Thanks.
 
fishkid13

fishkid13

Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3126063
Even though it does not stop, it may still be "resting" though again not in the human sense (which tends to be still). Many many fish and sharks must keep moving for various reasons...but also remember that many fish may be nocturnal and more active when we don't expect them. I bet if you see times when he hangs out and just drifts a bit, that may be when he is resting.
So how can you tell if they are in a state of "rest" or not besides color and such. Because some fish seem it would be hard to tell.
Thanks.
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
my clowns sleep. The snuggle down in a little patch of algea on thier sides. I always have to look to see they arent dead.
T
 
fishkid13

fishkid13

Active Member
Originally Posted by Bla403
http:///forum/post/3126100
My blue hippo hides and sleeps. The clownfish find calm places to swim really slowly in place. THe foxface picks a corner and gets all upset looking with the black spotting but when the lights come on hes happy again and swimming around.
I notice my dads foxface gets are stress looking too at night. Is this to blend in nature, or what?
Thanks for adding.

Originally Posted by mantisman51
http:///forum/post/3126159
http://www.wonderquest.com/fish-sleep.htm
I agree with this answer, but it doesn't give any sources.
That is really good info. So how is the brain wave pattern different when the fish is awake then when it is in "sleep" or "rest"?
Thanks.
 
fishkid13

fishkid13

Active Member
Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/3126725
my clowns sleep. The snuggle down in a little patch of algea on thier sides. I always have to look to see they arent dead.
T
So they ARE sleeping not just snozing?
Thanks for sharing.
 
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