Do betta fish Sleep? – How Can You Tell If They Are?

Betta fishes are one of the most beautiful marine creatures, and people love to keep them as a pet at home. If you have a betta fish at home, you might have observed it stays hyperactive all day long.

That is why many people are curious to know about the sleep habits of the betta fishes.

Betta fish owners often keep on asking whether these fishes sleep or not? How to make sure that they get enough sleep and many other interesting facts about these creatures.

Well, below we have provided answers to all such questions in your mind. Go through the article and soon you will be able to get more information about the sleeping cycle of your pet fish.

See Also:

• Can Betta Fish Eat Goldfish Food
• Color Vision in Betta

Do betta fish Sleep?

Yes, like most other fishes, bettas also need rest. As they stay active most of the time in the day, they too need absolute sleep to maintain their health. Even they cannot survive without taking enough sleep.

But it is important to mention that they don’t sleep like humans. When they sleep, they may become totally inactive, or the frequency of gill and mouth movements get considerably reduced.

The chances are that you may observe that floating in place, or they simply get a secured spot on the rock to take rest. This energy-saving state helps them to restore functions the same as human beings.

When does a betta fish go to sleep?

You might have heard that nocturnal fishes hunt during the night hours and sleep during the day.

But as we already told you that bettas stay active in the day hours; so naturally, they go to sleep at night. Preferably, they sleep when the lights are turned off, or it goes dark outside.

It is important to mention that betta fishes are very light sleepers because they have to keep an eye on predators all the time.

Betta fishes are capable enough to sense some unusual movements around, even when they are sleeping. So, in case if you are interested in watching them sleeping, prefer to turn off all the lights first and then watch them silently.

Make sure you turn off lights in the tank also at a regular interval because these fishes require dark to get healthy sleep. Some people prefer to install an automatic timer for lights so that they get automatically turned off at night at a specific time.

Also, when lights in the tank stay on for a longer duration, they may change the water temperature and the atmosphere as well. These fishes are not able to feel relaxed at a high temperature. So, it is better to use the right type of lights in the tank; they should not create a heating effect.

How do I make sure that my pet betta fish gets enough sleep and stays healthy?

Bettas follow a sleep cycle the same as humans. When they get regular sleep, they can naturally stay healthy and happy. Most of the betta fishes stay moving and active in the morning, but in case if your fish is resting in this duration, the chances are that it has gone sick.

Bettas are tropical fishes, so the temperature of the water in the tank where they are living must be somewhere between 75 to 82-degree F. When the water is colder than this, betta fishes may become lethargic and will keep lying towards one side. At the same time, in order to keep betta fish healthy, the owners need to maintain perfect quality of food and water as well. Unhygienic conditions may make your betta fish die.

You can also get a betta hammock to create a special resting space for your fish. They are easily available in the market. Some people prefer to get a big tank for betta fish in which they can have enough rocks and plants. Betta fishes can sleep on these elements.

The signs of a healthy and happy betta fish are easy to recognize. A relaxed betta fish has vibrant and strong colors. The fins stay open so that they can float well in the water. When they are healthy, they keep on doing some activities in the light hours.

In order to keep them healthy, you should also follow adequate routine to feed them. The best idea is to feed them once in the morning when they wake up and then in the night, before turning off the lights.

How Do Bettas Sleep?

Most of the time, people are not able to tell if their betta fish is sleeping or not. It is just because betta fishes do not have eyelids; hence, their eyes stay open even when they are sleeping.

In order to sleep, they look for a comfortable spot on the bottom of the tank. When they go to sleep, they become motionless and do not move until they are not disturbed by something. If you turn on light, the fish may wake up. These fishes appear pale when they go to sleep.

When you have a betta fish at your home, it may often find a sleep spot behind the filter in the tank. Or it may even sleep on the top portion of a plant in the tank.

Many times, these fishes prefer to stay closer to the tank surface while sleeping. Betta fishes are better known as labyrinth fishes, and they are capable enough to breathe oxygen directly via air. These fishes take oxygen via their gills, and they are capable enough to survive for a while when taken out of water.

When they feel sufficiently moist, they can also inhale air from the surrounding environment. Betta fish owners need to ensure that water is healthy and clean so that their pet can survive well.

How to Tell When Your Betta Is Sleeping

So, now you are aware of the fact that betta fishes also need enough sleep. But the next question in your mind might be how you can identify if the fish is sleeping or awake. Well, this is a very genuine question because these fishes sleep with open eyes, so people may find it difficult to recognize their actual state.

Well, it is important to understand that betta fishes may get an opportunity to sleep whenever it goes dark around. It can happen right when you turn off the lights of the betta tank in the evening. It takes just a few minutes to locate a comfortable spot to take rest and will get inactive very soon. They will not wake up until the light turns on or something disturbs them.

You will be excited to know that bettas can also take short naps in the day hours. Sometimes, you may observe that the betta fish is just lying on the tank bottom, and it is doing nothing special; the chances are that it is sleeping. You may even observe them hanging motionless on the tank top when they want to take some rest.

Many times, pet owners get worried when they see their Betta in this position; but there is actually a great difference between a sleeping and dead Betta. These fishes can take many infrequent naps all day long, and to do this, they try to find a secure spot in the tank.

Their favorite place may be behind the filter or on the rocks. If you want to create an ideal sleeping space for your betta fish, prefer to add some bushy plants to the aquarium.

How to Tell the Difference Between a Sleeping and a Dead Betta Fish

Betta fish owners need to learn the difference between a sleeping betta and dead Betta. As sleeping bettas are often observed to float on the top of the tank, or they may be lying motionlessly on the bottom, people may misinterpret them as dead. But there are few clear signs that you should know to make sure that your fish is fine and resting in the tank.

If the betta fish is dead, you may observe the following signs:

• If you feel your betta fish is more lethargic from few days, and it either stays on the bottom of the tank or behind the filter without making any movement, you may have to feel worried about it.
• When betta fish is dead, it may swim oddly, or you may observe it off balance.
• The color of a dead betta fish appears less vibrant as compared to the live fish.
• The eyes may seem bigger and moving out of their body; this position is called popeye.
• The fins may also look unhealthy and ragged. Or, in some cases, they are pressed against the fish’s body instead of flowing out.
• The dead betta fish fins look discolored; you may observe some white spots on their body. They may even have some shiny metallic spots that can be identified with a flashlight.
• In case if the scales of the fish appear raised unnecessarily and they are pointing away from the body, the fish may be dead.
• The dead fish can also be recognized from its swollen belly.
• When your fish shows no interest in the food, the chances are that it is dead.

If you observe such signs for a few days or weeks, the fish may be dead. When sleeping, these fishes may get into motion as soon as they observe some activity around. But the dead fish stay motionless no matter what happens around. 

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