As an aquarist, you may discover your fish staying stable at the tank’s bottom when turning off the aquarium lights. Such behavior of goldfish might make you wonder that do they sleep? So, do your goldfish sleep? Let us find out.
Goldfish sleep at the tank’s bottom with their eyes open and heads pointed slightly downward. Your fish prefer to sleep when it’s quiet and dark, usually at night. Consider turning off the tank lights during the night to let your goldfish sleep, as lack of sleep can lead to stress in your fish.
The below article will discuss your goldfish’s sleeping behavior. In addition, we will also learn about the difference between a sick and a sleeping goldfish.
Contents
Goldfish sleeping behavior
Goldfish are diurnal that rely upon an alternation between the day and the nighttime.
Likewise, human goldfish are active during the daytime and require rest at night.
It will be advisable to turn off the aquarium lights during the night to let your goldfish sleep, as lack of sleep can lead to significant health issues like stress in your fish.
Goldfish are bottom dwellers that prefer to rest at the tank’s bottom with their heads pointed slightly downward.
If your goldfish is motionless and moving slowly in the aquarium at nighttime, it is sleeping.
Your goldfish takes slow breaths while sleeping, and you will also discover the color of your fish fading while they are sleeping.
It is normal as they change their color to protect themselves from predators while asleep. Your goldfish will get back to their usual color once awake.
However, your goldfish brainwaves do not change when they fall asleep and don’t enter deep sleep periods as we do.
Do goldfish sleep with their eyes open?
As goldfish do not have eyelids, they sleep with their eyes open. Once you switch off the aquarium lights in the tank, your goldfish will go to the rest mode.
It will be advisable not to make sudden movements near the tank during the nighttime or switch on the aquarium light as it can shock your goldfish leading to stress in your fish.
Excessive stress further can also lead to the passing away of your fish.
When do goldfish sleep?
Goldfish are diurnal that require a healthy alternation between the day and nighttime.
Your goldfish prefer to rest when you turn off the aquarium lights. They like to sleep when it’s quiet and dark, usually during the night.
It will be advisable to keep your aquarium lights off for 12-13 hours so that your goldfish can get a good sleep.
Lack of sleep can weaken the immune system of your goldfish, making them weak and prone to several diseases and parasites.
In addition, you should also not make any noises near the tank when your fish is sleeping, as sudden noise can shock your goldfish leading to stress in your fish.
You should turn off the aquarium lights at night as that time is the best due to very few movements in the surroundings.
Turning off the light during the daytime can provide a darker environment for your fish, but the noises from the surroundings can disturb your fish while they are sleeping.
Also read: Can Goldfish See In The Dark?
How to differentiate between a sick and sleeping goldfish?
Here are the ways to distinguish between a sick and a sleeping goldfish.
| Sick Goldfish | Sleeping Goldfish |
|---|---|
| Your goldfish floating upside down or leaning to one side indicates swim bladder disease in your goldfish. | Your goldfish resting at the tank’s bottom with it’s head pointed slightly downward indicates that your fish is sleeping. |
| If you discover your goldfish laying at the bottom of the tank during the daytime when the aquarium lights are on ,your fish is not sleeping. | Goldfish prefer to sleep when it’s dark and quiet, usually during the night. |
| If your goldfish is motionless and floating in the aquarium during the daytime, it is a matter of concern as your fish might be suffering from some health issues. | If you discover your goldfish is less active than usual along with a slight fade in their color when it’s dark and quiet, it indicates that your goldfish is having a snooze. |
| In the above cases, your goldfish is not sleeping and requires immediate action for such unusual behavior for their well-being. | It will be advisable not to make noises near the aquarium when your goldfish is sleeping as it can lead to shock in your fish. |
What happens if your goldfish does not get enough sleep?
Your goldfish require a proper amount of sleep to stay active and regain energy in their body system.
Lack of sleep can weaken the immune system of your goldfish, making them weak and prone to several diseases and parasites.
Not getting enough sleep can also lead to extreme stress in your fish, eventually leading to its passing away.
You should always maintain a healthy alternation between the light and the dark periods in the tank so that your goldfish can get a good amount of sleep.
In addition, avoid making any noises near the aquarium while your fish is sleeping, as it can shock your fish further, leading to extreme stress in your goldfish.
Why is my goldfish sleeping more than usual?
Your goldfish sleeping more than usual is a concern that requires immediate action for their well-being. So here are the reasons behind your goldfish sleeping more than usual.
- Inadequate water parameters
- Overcrowded tank
- Poor water conditions
Inadequate water parameters
Inadequate water parameters in the tank can make your goldfish sleep more than usual.
If you keep your goldfish in too cold or too warm water, your fish can lose their appetite, making your goldfish weak and sleep more than usual.
Your goldfish sleeping more than usual can lower the metabolism and weaken the immune system of your goldfish.
| Particular | Goldfish |
|---|---|
| Water Temperature | 68-74°F |
| Ph Level | 7.5 |
| Ammonia Level | 0-0.25ppm |
| Nitrite Level | 0ppm |
| Nitrate Level | Below 40ppm |
| TDS Level | 170-250ppm |
Therefore, you should always provide adequate water parameters in your goldfish tank for the well-being of your fish.
Overcrowded tank
Placing your goldfish in an overcrowded tank can also make your goldfish sleep more than usual.
An overcrowded tank provides no room for your goldfish to swim, eventually leading to stress in your fish and making them sleep more than usual.
In addition, placing your goldfish in an overcrowded tank can also make them aggressive, leading to severe physical injuries in your fish.
Therefore, you should always place your goldfish in a big-size tank to prevent such issues and for their adequate growth.
Also read: What Happens When You Overstock Goldfish Tank?
Poor water conditions
Poor water conditions in the tank can make your goldfish lose their appetite and sleep more than usual.
Contaminated water in the tank can also spike the tank’s ammonia level, making your goldfish suffer from ammonia poisoning.
Poor water quality can also lead to a drop in the tank’s oxygen level, making your goldfish gasp for air at the top of the tank’s water surface.
Your goldfish constantly yawing or gasping for air at the tank’s surface indicates a lack of oxygen in the tank.
It will be advisable to perform a 30% water change weekly to maintain the tank’s water quality.
You should also add a water filter to your goldfish tank as it helps to eliminate the toxic chemicals from the water and maintain the tank’s water quality.
We recommend using Fluval High Performance Aquarium as it helps to eliminate harmful bacteria.
You can buy it from Amazon Fluval High Performance Aquarium Filter
Also, read: Do Goldfish Need Filters?
It would be best to keep eyeing the tank’s ammonia level, as excessive ammonia in the tank can lead to ammonia poisoning in your goldfish, eventually making them pass away.
We recommend using an API test kit to check the tank’s ammonia level as it provides accurate results.
You can buy it from Amazon API TEST KIT.
Also, read Ammonia Poisoning In Goldfish.
Therefore, you should always provide good water conditions in your goldfish tank to prevent such unusual behavior of your fish and for their well-being.
Also read: Can Goldfish Live In Dirty Water?
Conclusion:
- Goldfish are bottom dwellers that prefer to rest at the tank’s bottom with their heads pointed slightly downward.
- As goldfish do not have eyelids, they sleep with their eyes open. Once you switch off the aquarium lights in the tank, your goldfish will go to the rest mode.
- Your goldfish prefer to rest when you turn off the aquarium lights. They like to sleep when it’s quiet and dark, usually during the night.
- Inadequate water parameters, overcrowded tanks, and poor water conditions are why your goldfish sleeps more than usual.
- Avoid making noises near the aquarium while your fish is sleeping, as it can shock your fish.