My spotted puffer won't sleep?

Eel Steve · Oct 4, 2015

Hello all,

I have a 72 gallon w/ sump, skimmer, a bunch of liverock and substrate.

The puffer in question is a spotted puffer - Canthigaster jactator. I got him exactly a week ago.

I also have in the tank presently, 2 damsels, a melanarus, and diamond goby. Bunch of small snails and hermits.

It's 3am. The moonlights are in full moon mode by 11. (I have the lights set to like pacific time cuz i stay up late eastern heh) currently there are NO lights on. Some room luights on the far other side of the apartment and my TV, for other noise / light pollution info.

I seriously have only seen him asleep one night.

He's swimming around and constantly looking at stuff.

Is he just gonna like. Die from fatigue? Can I give him like, fish benadryl? lol.

Tahoe61 · Oct 4, 2015

He is probably thinking the same thing about you.

eatbreakfast · Oct 4, 2015

Fish don't sleep like we consider sleep, they are always, at least semi-aware, even those that go under the sand, they are just waiting out the night, which in the wild this is when all the big time predators come out. There may be a need to escape a predator or find a more secure hiding spot or find resources that are less available during the day. I wouldn't worry about it.

Tahoe61 · Oct 4, 2015

eatbreakfast said:
Fish don't sleep like we consider sleep, they are always, at least semi-aware, even those that go under the sand, they are just waiting out the night, which in the wild this is when all the big time predators come out. There may be a need to escape a predator or find a more secure hiding spot or find resources that are less available during the day. I wouldn't worry about it.

I thought about this, and I do think some fish do indeed sleep much like other animals. Wrasses that make a cocoon. I know my clown fish sleep because they take a while to wake up if not on schedule. My Rabbit Fish is sleeping, Tangs wedge themselves in crevices. Humans also probably originated sleeping at night because of predators and lack of illumination. Now Cats do not sleep at night, I can testify to that.

eatbreakfast · Oct 5, 2015

Fish don't sleep like mammals and birds do. They go into a slower mode, but not fully shut down.

Wrasses that make cocoons and fish that wedge themselves in crevices aren't fully asleep. If you have ever taken a red light to your tank you can observe the eyes of these fish looking around, still paying attention to a certain degree to their surroundings.

As far as the 'sleepy' clownfish, going from very dark conditions to very bright conditions unexpectedly is very disorienting.