How Do Cichlids Sleep?

[fishnovice]

I;m sitting in dim light at my laptop. Just glanced at my cichlid tank and they are all hovering motionless in mid tank (3 species). In the community tank, my livebearers are all actively seeking food swimming all over the tank but the angelfish is also hovering motionless. Do cichlids sleep by hoveing when it gets dark?

 

[england]

They sleep with one eye open, gripping there pillows tight....

But no, i think they go if into some type of trance,my oscars just lay on the bottom, you can wave you hand at them etc, nothing at all, no activity,then suddenly its like they go ping,

 

[fishnovice]

That;s it exactly. Look like they;ve been hynotised,motionless for a few minutes then move a few inches and freeze again. Weird

 

[snowflake311]

Sounds like they are sleeping to me. My fish do that too.

 

[Wills]

yeah mine do it I hate seeing it cos it freaks me out thinking there is something wrong haha

 

[kaivalagi]

I got home the other night after a couple of drinks, all the lights were out, I turned them on and I freaked out 'cause I thought my new tapajos were sick or something, they'd gone to sleep in a little sand trench next to the rocks they'd dug out...I ended up doing an ammonia test at midnight for no reason, alcohol aye

At least I know it's normal now...

 

[Suri]

That's so weird this just happened to me as well! I nearly had a heart attack when I came in and turned the room lights on to find all three bolivians laying in the sand. Several frantic minutes of googling the behavior and I arrived at the sleeping fish conclusion as well. And thus decided sleeping fish = cutest thing ever.

 

[SBL]

My baby HRps, at .5" - 1" will claim a spot, and they will sit there really pale looking until they are either A.) hungry or B.) notice the light.
They darken real quick though.