Tank light 24/7?
- Thread starter Buphy
- Start date
Is this inquiry just a question in relation to discus breeding or breeding in general? Or is this just a topic for discussion with curiosity as motive? I don't think any fishkeeper intentionally leaves the lights on 24/7 without a specific effect in mind. And just because our limited knowledge of alost every walking, crawling and swimming animal we have observed, we in our arrogance believe we are doing no harm....really? Maybe not readily apparent, but I think if we could pick an animal and be that animal for a day or two, we probably wouldn't like a lot of things that we as humans have observed as "non detrimental". Now, I'm no tree hugger, but I just don't understand the thrust of the question. It should be common sense as to why we turn the lights off.
Agreed.
I don't know any discus breeders that leave their fish room lights on 24/7, but I suspect those that do this, do so in the hope of increased growth periods. That doesn't mean that it isn't stressful to the fish, or ideal for long term health. Also, most large scale breeders light the room, not the individual tanks so leaving a "room" light on 24/7 is a lot different than having the sun in your face 24/7. I leave a small LED night light on in the corner of my fish room at night, to help avoid accidental close encounters in the dark. If anything it would simulate the glimmer of moon light at night.
Exactly!
What documented research are you seeking, Buphy? There are thousands of different species of fish kept in captivity, there is no way in hell that the vast majority of them have been involved in studies such as what you are enquiring about. Think about it. Different hunting/feeding strategies, different natural depths of water, the turbidity or clarity of that water, different eye sizes, etc would all play a role in how sunlight affects their day to day living. A bull trout living in a shallow mountain stream has eyes that are naturally well geared towards bright intense light, a clown loach on the other hand spends the majority of its life in turbid dark murky water, and would naturally be more sensitive to light.
IME, most fish kept in captivity, seem to do best if their "natural" parameters, as experienced in nature, are adhered to. Water temps, GH, pH, etc, which also includes a natural dark/light period. Diurnal fish that are active during the day should be offered an escape from daylight, as in a dark aquarium at night for the exact same reasons as all other animals from this group. This allows a sleep mechanism pattern, which is key to long term health.
Stress is the #1 cause of health issues in fish, and I think that most experts would agree that 24/7 lighting would for many fish, become stressful if not immediately, certainly over time.
The quote below is from Fred Davis, Professor and Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs, Northeastern University. His credentials are:
Ph.D., Zoology, University of Texas, Austin
M.Sc., Biological Sciences, Stanford University
B.Sc., Biological Sciences, Stanford University
Area(s) of Expertise
Circadian Rhythms; Developmental Biology; Behavioral Neurobiology
"Evolution on a planet with highly predictable 24 hour cycles in light and dark and in temperature has had a profound impact on life. Twenty-four-hour periodicity is stamped into the DNA of every group of organisms and nearly every cell of your body. Organisms isolated from external daily cues, continue to show regular 24-hour rhythms in processes from gene expression in bacteria to the timing of sleep and wakefulness in humans. The myriad 24-hour, or circadian, rhythms observed at all levels of organization are manifestations of internal circadian programs driven by feedback loops involving “clock” genes and proteins. Circadian programs can be disrupted by genetics, disease, and by the environment, increasingly so in a 24/7 society with light at night and the ability to rapidly travel across times zones. "
A single example of how lighting can affect the feeding/growth and survival of a juvenile fish. In this case 24/7 didn't fair so well.....
http://pubs.iclarm.net/Naga/23-2/aq3.pdf
Hey, I don't have time to read everyone's responses right now, have to head out to work, but I think some people are misunderstanding. My intention isn't breeding or lengthening growth cycles. More of a curiosity "what if...?" And has there been any research on it. I personally turn my lights off every night.
You didn't read what you quoted...He said he does turn his lights off.All your fish will die because you don't love them enough to turn off their lights
I kind of do the opposite. I leave the light(not lights) on at night and off during the day. I'm up alot at night and my wife is a 5 minute lights on light off person(meaning she will turn a light off even if she knows she will need it again in 5 minutes). So going from total darkness to lights on many times throughout the night around the tank doesn't go for me.
I'm not totally mean though. I put the light on one end of the tank and due to plastic plants and other objects, the non lite side gets surprisingly dark. Some fish will retreat to it. The pleco does the opposite and hangs out under the light. He hides in his cave during daylight.
