Should fish be in the dark 24/7?

[yhbae]

Has anybody experimented with leaving fish without light for extended periods?

Not experimented as such, but I did have a tank with no lights once for about six months. The only light was from the window.

The fish lost all their colour, took to sulking in the corners and eventually started dying.

I spoke to a ventinary friend who explained about the relationship between light and vitamin D synthesis in creature's skins.

Keeping any animal in the dark (except for those who evolved for it) is bad for their health. Get a timer.

Now that is an interesting fact! I have to admit, the longest I went without lights is about 3 weeks so far, and absolutely nothing happened to the fishes. I guess lack of light does affect them in the long run though...

 

[TorPeteO]

my fish are in a house that i and only i visit once a day. Between visits, the lights are off: room lights and tank lights. Is doing that to my fish bad, or do they need some sort of "day and night"? the reason i don't leave any lights on is simple-lower electricity bill. But if leaving the lights on is best, then i can leave them on.

Must be nice to have an extra house that only you go to, only once a day. Just curious, though, what's the point of having a fish tank in this house, if you're never there to enjoy it?

That question aside, however, someone who can afford an extra house for once-a-day visits should be able to afford a timer for less than 10 quid (I'm just joking, by the way...I don't judge).

So, while it may not seem like it's bad for them (although what SirMinion has said has disproven that), it's not natural, so you might as well try a timer for your light, or place the tank near a window.

I plan to leave it over weekends (though may look into auto-feeder). I was planning on leaving a lamp on beside the tank friday nite - just in case they wanted to snuggle up and read poetry to each other.

I would advise against leaving a lamp beside the tank - I've read that fish judge which way is 'up' by gauging what direction light is coming from. If you leave this lamp shining into the tank from an angle, it could confuse or stress out the fish (not to mention make them look really, really funny). If you can, place them near a window to simulate the tank's light (which is, in turn, simulated sunlight...so I guess it's not simulating at all...whoa, my brain hurts). If not, pitch for a timer.

 

[robbrouse]

if anyone reads down this far I have a question. My 29 gallon tanks seems fine leaving the lights on all day. The temp maybe goes up to 77 from 76, but my 10 gallon if I leave the lights on all day (2 15 watts) it will send the temp from 76 to 80 or 82. From 7:00 AM untill 6:00 Pm when I get home. I have always figured that was too much of a incress in temp, so I have started leaving the lights off and turning them on at 6:00 when I get home and turning them off at night. I have not seem lights lower than 15 watts. Do you think this will be enough lighing for my fish?

The lights on on about 4 hours a night.

 

[wesa]

i got my bigger tank on timers now since my bigger angel has stopped eating. Maybe he just needs light?

 

[wesa]

Must be nice to have an extra house that only you go to, only once a day. Just curious, though, what's the point of having a fish tank in this house, if you're never there to enjoy it?

That question aside, however, someone who can afford an extra house for once-a-day visits should be able to afford a timer for less than 10 quid (I'm just joking, by the way...I don't judge).

yeah im sure you're just kidding. If you were, why'd you even say it? Im not rich by the way, i work all day. (ha, i rhymed )