PET ARTICLES BLOG

Just like humans, fish have a circadian cycle that dictates their activities like spawning and feeding. This article will outline the affects of using different lighting set ups on fish. This information will point to studies conducted by individuals at the Department of Zoology from the University of Delhi and University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

As a preview their study has shown that feeding catfish during certain times of day will increase weight gain by fish. Nutrient utilization is affected by timing of fish feeding, just like how humans do. UoD’s study showed that catfish kept in normal lighting conditions with 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness ( 8am – 8pm ), ended up with no excess weight because the food was used correctly in their bodies. Catfish that were kept on an alternated lighting schedule ( 8am – 8pm being darkness ), increased weight, meaning their bodies stored the food as fat. This suggests that proper research of the fish you want to keep will provide you with diet and nutrient info for them. Make sure to give your fish a full 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness a day. They used something similar to aquarium lighting supplies when they did the UoD experiment.

Believe it or not, fish do need time at night to "rest". A fish does not sleep like a human. Most fish tend to hide near something and remain less active during the day. Since fish weren't gifted with eyelids, they can't close their eyes at all! 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 can safely assume it is because they are like humans and need to conserve and restore their energy. A fish that is resting will just reduce its awareness, not lose consciousness like a human. They are still alert but not quite asleep. You might find some fish asleep on their sides, and then they jump up quickly as if they had been caught sleeping on the job. You will need to do some research to find out what the proper night habits are for your fish.

In nature fish are accustomed to normal daylight schedule provided by the sun. You should mimic this schedule in your tank. 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 always recommend using a metal halide light to imitate daylight cycles. Fish and humans alike respond differently to food at different times of the day as shown by studies performed by the University of Delhi and Minneapolis. You can find tons of material about fish lighting and their circadian cycles.