Yesterday I was feeling very tired because I didn’t have enough.
So I went to sleep very early last night, and when I was about to switch off the lights of my Goldfish aquarium I wondered how long do a Goldfish sleep? and how much they should sleep?
So I did some research and found out that Goldfish sleep about 8 to 12 hours a day. Actually it really depends on the fish some Goldfish take nap in the afternoons and others don’t sleep until night.
Also, Goldfish sleep in a dark and quiet environment so you should not keep your aquarium lights on more than 12 hours.
Ideally, you should turn off aquarium lights at night so your Goldfish’s sleeping cycle will match with yours. They will sleep at night and stay active during the day.
Also, you should make sure that there is no sound source near the aquarium at night.
Table of Contents
How many hours a day a Goldfish should sleep?
Goldfish should sleep 8 to 12 hours every day. Goldfish sleep when there is dark and quiet so usually they sleep at night when there is dark and quiet.
Some Goldfish take a nap in the afternoon so they may not sleep a lot during the night but some Goldfish don’t sleep until night.
What if my Goldfish sleeping a lot? (more than 12 hours)
If you found your Goldfish sleeping a lot then it maybe because it is not getting a healthy environment in your aquarium that can also affect the growth of your Goldfish.
High Water Temperature
If the water temperature of your aquarium is too high then it is not good for your fish and it causes nerve damage. So you should maintain a low water temperature. The ideal temperature for Goldfish is between 16 and 22 degrees Celsius.
How to reduce the water temperature in your aquarium?
There are several things you can do to reduce the temperature in your aquarium.
- Firstly you should turn off the aquarium lights.
- Take some ice cubes in a closed bag and hang it inside the aquarium.
- Remove the lead from the aquarium.
- Place a table fan near the aquarium in such a way that the air will blow above the surface of the water or you can also use cooling fans specially designed for aquariums.
- You should also make sure that your aquarium is not directly exposed to the sunrays. better yet you should keep your aquarium in the room where there is no sunlight. Because it can raise the temperature of the room and aquarium
High water temperature not only causes nerve damage in your Goldfish but also reduces the oxygen levels in your aquarium because high-temperature water holds less oxygen than the low-temperature water.
Small Tank Size
Another reason your Goldfish would be sleeping a lot is that it is placed in a very small tank.
Goldfish produces a lot of waste and when a Goldfish is kept in a small tank then the tank water gets too concentrated with ammonia due to the waste which causes stress in Goldfish.
So you should use a big tank for a Goldfish because it will dilute the ammonia in the water.
20 gallon per Goldfish is a good rule of thumb.
How to check the ammonia level in your aquarium?
The simplest and cheapest way to check ammonia levels in your aquarium is by using Seachem Ammonia Alert stripe.
It will continuously keep track the ammonia levels of your aquarium.
Ideally, your tank should not contain any ammonia but if your tank contains more than 0.2 mg ammonia then it is very harmful to your Goldfish.
How to reduce or get rid of ammonia in your tank?
If you noticed a high ammonia level in your aquarium then there are few things you can do to reduce ammonia in your tank
- The simplest way is to do a water change of up to 50%.
- If you noticed any uneaten food on the surface of the tank or at the bottom of the tank then you should remove them because it produces ammonia. Also, you should cut down on feeding your fish.
- You should also remove any dead or rotting plants from your aquarium.
- If you noticed any dead fish then you should remove it immediately from the aquarium.
- You should also check if your filter is clogged. Filter is very important equipment for your aquarium because this is the place where beneficial bacteria grows which helps to reduce the ammonia in the tank. So if you noticed the water isn’t flowing freely from your aquarium filter then you should unclog your filter.
- You can use some chemicals like Seachem AmGuard to reduce ammonia from your aquarium.
Low oxygen level
low oxygen level could also be the reason your Goldfish is sleeping a lot and is inactive.
There are several reasons that can cause a low oxygen level in your fish tank
Reasons for low oxygen level in your fish tank
- Overstocking– It is a very common reason for low oxygen level in your fish tank because if you are putting many goldfish in relatively small tank then there will be shortage of oxygen in your tank. Single Goldfish require a 20-gallon aquarium.
- High water temperature- Goldfish is a cold-water fish so it requires low water temperature. If the water temperature of your tank is high then it causes a low oxygen level in your aquarium because high-temperature water holds relatively low oxygen than low-temperature water.
- Lack of water moment– If there is very low water movement in your aquarium then this could be the reason that your aquarium does not have sufficient oxygen because it is the movement of the water that helps to aerate the aquarium.
- Low lighting– If your aquarium contains live plants and it’s not getting sufficient amount of light then instead of producing oxygen it will start producing carbon dioxide in the aquarium which reduces the oxygen level in the aquarium.
- Chemicals and medications– If you are using any chemicals or medications in a high amount then it also reduces the oxygen levels in your aquarium.
Ways to increase oxygen level in your aquarium
If you found low oxygen in your aquarium then here are some ways to increase oxygen.
- Pouring water from some height– The simplest way to oxygenate an aquarium in an emergency is simply pouring down the water of your aquarium using a jar or pitcher from some height.
- Large water change– To oxygenate fish tank immediately, you can perform a large water change up to 50% of the water.
- Use an air pump– Using an air pump is the most reliable and convenient way to increase oxygen in your aquarium. Check out our recommended Air Pump
- Use ice cubes- If the oxygen levels in your aquarium are low due to the high temperature of the water then to reduce the temperature of water you can use ice cubes. Just put some ice cubes in a zipped packed bag and hang it inside the aquarium.
- Use a battery-powered air pump- If you are noticing low oxygen levels during power cuts then you can use a battery-powered air pump to keep up your aquarium oxygenated during power cuts.
When do Goldfish sleep?
Goldfish like to sleep when there is dark and quiet. Goldfish usually sleep at night when there is dark and quiet.
So you should turn off the light at night when you go to sleep this way your Goldfish can also sleep at night.
Also, you should make sure that you are not keeping your aquarium lights on more than 12 hours a day.
How can you tell if a Goldfish is sleeping?
Goldfish don’t sleep like humans lying on the surface.
They usually hover over about 1 inch from the bottom of the aquarium when they are asleep.
The fun fact is Goldfish do not have eyelids so their eyes are open when they are sleeping.
Also, their color fades slightly when they are in sleep this is the natural behavior that protects them in their natural habitat when they are asleep.
When Goldfish are in sleep their mouth is a bit downside and they are stable in one place hovering near the bottom of the tank.
They usually sleep near the decorations of the tank or near the corner.
Watch Goldfish Sleeping!
What happens if Goldfish don’t get enough sleep?
Like humans when Goldfish don’t get enough sleep they become less active.
Their metabolism slows down and their immunity is also reduced which causes danger of causing any bacterial infection in them.
How to know when a fish is sick and not sleeping?
If your fish is leaning on one side and floating sideways then it is a symptom of a bacterial infection.
If you noticed your fish is lying on the bottom of the tank then this could be a symptom of swim bladder disease.
Conclusion
So how long do Goldfish sleep? Goldfish usually sleeps about 8 to 12 hours a day but it really depends on the fish.
Some Goldfish take naps in the afternoon and others don’t sleep until night.
If you noticed your Goldfish is sleeping a lot then there would be several reasons like low oxygen level, high water temperature or high ammonia level that can cause your Goldfish to sleep a lot.
Goldfish usually sleep at night because they like to sleep in the dark and in a quiet environment.
If you noticed your Goldfish is less active and hovering near the bottom of your aquarium and there is a slight fade in their color then you can say that your Goldfish is sleeping.
The fun fact is Goldfish do not have eyelids so their eyes are open when they are asleep.
