Do Goldfish Need Light?

If you are just getting into owning fish and are setting up your first aquarium, owning goldfish can be a good place to start. Goldfish needs are not complicated, and with proper care, remain a hardy fish that can live 10 to 20 years. Improper care often cuts this to just five years. Proper and adequate lighting is important to good goldfish care.

  1. Goldfish Need Light to Live

    • You need to provide light for your goldfish, and you also need to provide periods of darkness. Goldfish actually do sleep and since they have no eyelids to close their eyes, they need a respite from light in order to rest. Twelve-hour rotations of light and dark offer them plenty of both.

    Light and Water Temperature

    • Goldfish need a moderate water temperature with nominal fluctuation.

      Your goldfish will appreciate an optimum water temperature, which in general is between 65 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit. You can choose artificial light or natural light, but you need a method of controlling whether your light source affects your water temperature, and by how much.

    Fluorescent Light Is Best

    • The best light source for your goldfish is fluorescent lighting. You can control the hours of light available and it does not heat the water. It will also help you grow live plants in your goldfish living environment. Incandescent light can raise the water's temperature to a level that's detrimental to your goldfish.

    Sunlight Can Harm

    • Have your light-controlled goldfish tank set up before you bring it home.

      If you are thinking of putting your goldfish under a window to take advantage of the sunlight, think again: Not only will sunlight heat the water too much, but also it can promote fast algae growth. A little algae is okay but you do not want to accelerate unsightly algae growth that can also harm your goldfish. Monitoring your algae can help you monitor the health of your water before it becomes a problem.