Can fish see well in the dark?

[Gatling]

Hi guys, this is more of a discussion question but my damsel always knows where to go when the lights go out (under my rock) and when he sleeps, he just stays there all night (ive checked with the lights on before).

So how does he know how to stay under the rock all night? It's pitch black in my room at night so I'm not sure if he's navigating with feel or what.. what do you guys think?

I know many fish hunt at night and see well (i.e walleye )

 

[Dsnakes]

I would imagine they see fairly well. I have a school of 7 Red Stoplight Cardinalfish in my tank. I did not realize they’re nocturnal when I bought them. Very pretty fish but only seen at night with a flashlight ;Facepalm

 

[Doglips56]

I would imagine they see fairly well. I have a school of 7 Red Stoplight Cardinalfish in my tank. I did not realize they’re nocturnal when I bought them. Very pretty fish but only seen at night with a flashlight ;Facepalm

I just asked my lfs about ordering me a school of Red Stoplight Cardinalfish but haven’t seen any references to them being nocturnal. There are really only 2 good hiding places behind rocks but they’re already claimed. My hippo tang has the crevice between my largest rock and overflow and the fire shrimp has the other area that you cannot easily see. 1 have a 125g, doyouthinktheyd do ok in there or not worth the money/bioload?
Thanks.

 

[NS Mike D]

I think a number of them know where their hiding place is at all times. During the day, they need to get to it in a hurry if a predator is detected and they will defend it from any squatters.

But I fish at night from the beach and I am positive that their eye sight is pretty sensitive, and they use that with their sense of smell and feel of vibrations in the water. Plus I think is not as dark as we think it is. Humans eye don't adjust that quickly. Again, when I arrive at walk from under the parking lot lights, I'm blind. But after a while my eyes adjust and I can see a whole lot from just the moon light.

 

[Paul B]

All fish are not particularly well adapted to see in the dark and they don't rely on their eyes much. If they lose an eye it doesn't hardly affect them as they navigate using their lateral line. Some fish, like blind cave fish don't even have eyes and most of the sea is below where any light travels.

I Wish I Were a Fish—with a Lateral Line System!

Everything about fish is amazing and fascinating. To me, the most fascinating thing about fish (beside their taste) is their lateral line system. The lateral line is the most important thing fish p…

www.saltwatersmarts.com

 

[Phildago]

All fish are not particularly well adapted to see in the dark and they don't rely on their eyes much. If they lose an eye it doesn't hardly affect them as they navigate using their lateral line. Some fish, like blind cave fish don't even have eyes and most of the sea is below where any light travels.

I Wish I Were a Fish—with a Lateral Line System!

Everything about fish is amazing and fascinating. To me, the most fascinating thing about fish (beside their taste) is their lateral line system. The lateral line is the most important thing fish p…

www.saltwatersmarts.com

Their lateral line is great, but although they may not need their eyes it doesn't necessarily mean that their eyesight isn't great.

I don't know off hand if all fish have great eyesight, or the number of fish adapted to seeing in the dark.. What I do know is that their eye is much better adapted than land animals. On land light is passing through air, then bends as it enters the vitreous fluid of the eye. Fish do not have this issue, light is in aqueous water then enters the eye unchanged.

Also, land animals have an optic nerve that sits in front on the retina, partially obscuring our visions AND creating a blind spot. Fish do not have this issue either. Light receptors sit at the front most part of the retina allowing optimal interaction and perception of light.

Theoretically all fish should have better vision than all land animals. This is not necessarily the case though. There are always exceptions.

 

[NS Mike D]

lateral line doesn't account for the fish circling the top of the tank when I have their dinner.

Maybe the can smell my BO


Interestingly, when fishing false albacore, the old salts will tell you to get the lure to keep popping out of the water as they have keen eyesight and can better tell it's a piece of metal when it's below the surface and less likely to strike. I'm not sure how true that is, as I think it could be they can ambush the running bait as it re-enters the water.