Dont Panic

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Pyramid_Party

Pyramid_Party

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Aug 6, 2008
4,916
4
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Monterey, CA
Something really weird happened today in my tank. I had to leave somewhere early today and forgot to turn the lights on for my fish and feed them. Got home around 5pm. Came into the room and it was picth dark, so I turned the lights on then the tank lights. Then I notice all my cichlids laying on the ground, they were upright though. I thought this was really weird cause they didnt move either. My JD was under a piece of driftwood and slightly tilted to the left and wasnt moving at all. My other 2 cichlids were barely moving but it was if they had be paralyzed or something. So I thought something was wrong, why werent they swimming?

I noticed the danios in the tank were swimming around normally. So I was about to go into a panic cause I thought they were all dead or dying. But before I did that, I started looking at everything, checking the filters and checking the lights and heater and making sure everything was working. I even started to think they got zapped by the heater, maybe the heater screwed up? I didnt wanna put my hand in incase I might get elecrocuted. But before that I start to see all the fish snap out of it. Now they are fine and swimming around. I dont know why they were like that. My guess is, they were only sleeping. But it seemed weird cause I never seen them sleep like that, and also the lights had been on for several minutes, I would have thought they would of woke. I guess they were all in a really deep sleep. I dont know, it was weird. Im just relieved none of them were actually hurt.

I guess my lesson is, dont panic. Take your time, remain calm and check out everything before you dive in.
 
Haha, exact same thing happened last week to me. Left for work and it was dark out because it was raining. Got home and it was dark out and turned on my tank and my big GT was against a piece of driftwood on the bottom. Same thoughts ran through my head that ran through yours.
 
It was weird though, never seen them sleep like that. Even at night when its their bedtime and hours later I look inside they arent even sleeping like that.
 
Pyramid_Party;3630559; said:
It was weird though, never seen them sleep like that. Even at night when its their bedtime and hours later I look inside they arent even sleeping like that.
Click to expand...
get some discus opening lights during the day time scare them
 
Yeah when I turn the lights on with my shrimp tank they all get spooked sometimes. I guess the fish took the opporunity to sleep the way they did since it was so dark in the room. They were all found in unusual spots too and my Sajica was really dark as well. First time I ever seen something like this.
 
I read that fish like Oscars do interrupt the visual signals to the brain, when they are sleeping.
They do this cuz they can't close their eyes, and they can't actually see at the moment they sleep.
That's why your fish may hurt themselves when spooked when they are sleeping.
 
I am the only one that thought this might have had a Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy reference?
 
I work nights and see this "phenomenon" every morning when I get home from work. It freaked me out at first, but I've grown used to it.
 
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