Should I Turn My Fish Aquarium Light Off at Night?

Your fish aquarium has many different pieces. The light at the top serves important purposes. It warms the water slightly, and it also allows you to control the amount of light in the fish tank. Also, an aquarium light gives you a better look at the fish in the aquarium.

  1. Fish Day and Night

    • Most fish need to have a day and night. Fish aquariums have lights in them so they can provide a daytime and a nighttime. Think about fish in natural situations, such as lakes and oceans. The sun rises, and the sun sets. Therefore, when your aquarium comes with a light at the top, you should turn it off at night.

    Fish Feeding

    • Fish should feed only when it is light out. It is important to have a light in your aquarium because fish need a daytime in which they can feed and swim around. Fish will not usually eat in the dark, so if your aquarium light is broken, bring a lamp near the aquarium to use temporarily.

    Dark Dwellers

    • Goldfish, tetras and other typical home aquarium fish need to have a nighttime. Some fish, however, like plecostomus, need to have dark periods because they do not like the light and will not come out in it. If you have a plecostomus, it is imperative for his health that you provide him with a nighttime in which he can come out from hiding and feed.

    Considerations

    • If you are going away for a vacation and want to make sure all of your fish are happy, consider having the fish aquarium near a window that allows for a natural day and night. During the day, when sun is shining in the window, the fish will have a daytime and will eat from the self-feeders. As the sun sets, it will become nighttime in the aquarium, and the dark-dwelling fish can enjoy their own time. Make considerations as well if you live in a place like Alaska that has periods of extended daytime and nighttime. Use your fish aquarium light to provide your fish with days and nights, even if you don't have them yourself.

    Time Frame

    • A good period of darkness for a fish aquarium should be comparable to the hours of darkness in the area in which you live. Fish are able to adapt to the seasons, and should be fine with more hours of darkness some nights than others. Therefore, turning off the light when you go to sleep, and turning it back on when you wake up is a good idea. If you don't have a regular sleep schedule, or work nights, a timer can help you remember to create a nighttime for the fish.