Spending time observing the clownfish in your saltwater tank will be a very good way to relax. Many people love winding down in the evening and gazing at the fish tank.
Sometimes you might notice your clownfish being less active at certain times of the day. This could make you wonder whether clownfish ever truly sleep.
Do clownfish sleep or is that simply something that they never do? In some ways, it will depend on how you define the term sleep.
Continue reading to learn about whether or not clownfish sleep. This will help you to understand exactly how clownfish rest.
Clownfish Do Sleep
Clownfish do sleep, but sometimes it isn’t easy to tell if the fish is sleeping or not. You see, the fish don’t have eyelids, so they aren’t going to be closing their eyes when they sleep.
That means that you might have observed the clownfish sleeping without even realizing it. Clownfish are similar to many other types of fish since they sleep to get rest.
You might see your clownfish sleeping at night, but it could also take naps at certain times as well. Now that you know that clownfish do sleep, it’s going to be interesting to learn more about how they sleep.
This can help you to better appreciate the needs of the clownfish. You want to do your best to take care of them in your fish tank, after all.
How Do Clownfish Sleep?
You’ll often find clownfish sleeping at the bottom of the fish tank. Generally, clownfish are going to lie motionless while they sleep.
However, the clownfish don’t always sleep at the bottom of the tank. Sometimes the fish will simply float while they’re sleeping.
This can look a little bit funny, but it isn’t that unusual to spot a clownfish sleeping this way. It’s possible that the clownfish won’t feel comfortable sleeping out in the open, though.
Many clownfish choose to hide when they want to sleep. In the wild, clownfish will often sleep while hiding in an anemone.
As you might know, clownfish and anemones have symbiotic relationships. They help each other out, and having an anemone in the tank will make the clownfish feel more at ease.
If you have an anemone in your fish tank, then it’s very likely that the fish will start sleeping in the anemone. There is a possibility that the clownfish won’t bond with the anemone and accept it as a host, but things should go well if you choose the right type of anemone.
When no anemone is present, you might find clownfish looking for other spots to sleep. In the wild, sometimes clownfish will sleep in hollow shells as a way to hide from predators.
In an aquarium, it’s possible that you might find clownfish sleeping in rocks or near aquatic plants of some sort. They might like feeling hidden because it makes them feel safer.
Why Do Clownfish Need Sleep?
Clownfish need sleep just the same as other living creatures do. Humans need to sleep at night so that they will have enough energy to get through the day.
Your body goes into a state of rest so that it can “recharge,” so to speak. While fish don’t sleep the same way that humans do, they’re still going to need to sleep to regain energy.
Some people say that what fish do shouldn’t technically be considered to be sleeping. However, this is really just semantics, and sleeping is really the easiest way to describe the way that fish rest at night.
Fish don’t enter REM sleep like humans and some animals do. They’re still going to be in a resting state, but they won’t be sleeping deeply.
Clownfish and other types of fish experience a different type of “sleep” than humans. It’s still a period of rest, and it makes sense to refer to it as sleep for the sake of convenience.
When Do Clownfish Sleep?
You have a better idea of how clownfish sleep, but when do these fish like to sleep? Are they nocturnal or diurnal?
Clownfish are considered to be diurnal fish because they like to sleep at night. During the day, clownfish will be more active, swimming around and eating.
Once the light starts to fade, the clownfish will become more sluggish. Once night has fallen, the clownfish will go to wherever they want to sleep and start resting.
Of course, sometimes the rest will be intermittent. Clownfish might go in and out of “trance-like” sleep states.
The thing to keep in mind is that these fish will get sleepy when it starts to get dark. To keep the fish in your tank on a normal schedule, it’s best to keep tank lights on during the day.
Each day, you’ll be able to turn the tank lights off when it gets closer to evening time. This will tell the fish that it’s time for them to go to sleep.
You should have a fairly easy time replicating a standard day-and-night cycle with a normal aquarium lighting setup. Your fish will be able to rest easily, and you won’t have to worry about them.
It is worth mentioning that you’ll have an easier time keeping clownfish with other diurnal fish. If you keep nocturnal fish in the tank with the clownfish, then you might have to worry about some of the fish trying to eat the clownfish while they’re sleeping.
While it is possible for nocturnal and diurnal fish to be kept in the same tank, it’s usually easier to just stick to caring for diurnal fish. It makes it so that you have less to worry about overall.
How Long Do Clownfish Sleep?
How long will the clownfish sleep once they start sleeping? Will they stay asleep for a set number of hours or are they going to wake up whenever the lights come back on?
Clownfish should have twelve hours of darkness at night. During this time, they will be in a sleep state.
The fish will start to wake up when you turn the lights back on in the morning. This is why it’s good to keep a set schedule so that the fish can have a normal day-and-night cycle.
You should be turning the fish tank lights off at the same time each evening. Wake up each morning to turn the lights on at around the same time each day.
Doing so ensures that the fish will get enough sleep. The fish will be healthier if they can enjoy an uninterrupted darkness cycle such as this.
Clownfish are going to sleep during the night, but they can tire themselves out during the day. You might also notice clownfish sleeping during the day sometimes if they’re really tired, but this will just involve them napping.
When a clownfish naps, it might float around slowly. Sometimes this is worrying because you might think that the fish looks as if it’s dead during this time.
It can be hard to tell the difference between a sleeping clownfish and a dead clownfish sometimes. One idea is to try to stimulate the fish and see if it moves.
Add some food to the top of the tank to see if the fish wakes up and goes for the food. If the clownfish doesn’t go for it, then there’s a good chance that it’s sleeping.
Eventually, you’ll learn to recognize how the clownfish looks when it’s sleeping. This should help to set your mind at ease so that you won’t worry as much about whether the clownfish is dead.
Do Clownfish Sleep on Their Sides?
No, clownfish do not sleep on their sides or their backs. It would not be normal to see a clownfish sleeping on its side during the night.
If the clownfish is in such a position, then it might be injured or dead. Clownfish normally sleep at the bottom of the tank in an upright position.
You’ll also find clownfish sleeping while hiding in an anemone. The fish could be sleeping in a rocky decoration of some sort or inside of hollowed shells.
It’s not going to be sleeping at the bottom of the tank on its side. You might find a clownfish sleeping while floating in the water while it’s napping, though.
Can Clownfish Sleep Without Having an Anemone Present?
Some people might have told you that clownfish need to have an anemone present to be able to sleep. While it is true that clownfish might have an easier time sleeping if an anemone is in the tank with them, it isn’t a necessity.
Clownfish will be able to sleep just fine whether there is an anemone in the tank or not. In the wild, having an anemone present will be pretty important for the sake of protection.
There are many different predator fish that clownfish will need to worry about in the wild. If you did a good job of picking out tank mates for the clownfish, then they won’t need to be afraid of getting eaten in the tank.
In the wild, the clownfish are the only type of fish that can survive while living in an anemone. Other fish will get stung and killed by the anemone.
The aggressive behavior of the anemone actually helps to keep the clownfish safe. Any fish that would try to eat the clownfish won’t be able to get past the anemone.
Small fish that would try to eat or attack the anemone will be scared off by the aggressive behavior of the clownfish. They help to protect each other.
It’s a unique and intriguing relationship. Having an anemone in the fish tank for the clownfish does make a lot of sense.
That being said, the clownfish don’t absolutely need the anemone when living in captivity. They will be just fine and should be able to sleep normally without having an anemone to live in.
Sick Clownfish
If you’re still fairly new to caring for clownfish, then you should know that clownfish can get sick. All fish have the potential to get sick, but clownfish will have to worry about various diseases.
When clownfish start to get sick, one of the first signs will be general sluggishness. These fish are normally active swimmers that will move around quite a bit.
If the fish starts to get sick, then it might not move much at all. The fish might start staying in just one spot, or it could move a lot slower than it usually does.
The problem with this is that it can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between a sick fish and one that is sleeping. When clownfish are sleeping, they’re going to be floating slowly sometimes.
The best thing to do is to try to get used to the normal sleeping patterns of the fish. This will help you to differentiate sickness issues from normal sleeping.
You’ll also want to observe the fish closely so that you can note any changes. For example, you might notice coloration changes if the clownfish is sick in some way.
When a clownfish isn’t moving much and its color seems to fade, that’s a big indicator that something is wrong. Your fish is very likely sick, and you’re going to want to take action as soon as you can.
Clownfish who have been infected with ich might wind up developing white spots. A sick fish might also produce more mucus than usual, and it could look slimier than normal as a result.
If you do your best to pay attention to the fish, then you’ll likely be able to figure out if it’s napping or if it’s looking sick. As always, you should keep an eye on the water parameters to ensure that everything is in the right range.
Remember that the pH balance of the tank should stay between 8.1 and 8.4 when caring for clownfish. You want the temperature of the water to be between 73 degrees Fahrenheit and 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
Of particular interest will be the ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels. If these levels get too high, then your fish could very easily get sick.
The levels should always read 0 ppm or else something is amiss in your tank. Remember to change out 15% of the water on a weekly basis so that you can keep the tank clean.
Speak to an Exotic Veterinarian
Speaking to an exotic veterinarian can be very helpful if you’d like to learn more about fish diseases. You love your clownfish and you want to be able to take care of them to the best of your ability.
As someone who is still fairly new to the hobby, you likely don’t have a lot of knowledge yet. It’s possible to learn, but trying to figure out what’s wrong with a sick fish can be more difficult than you might expect.
Sometimes what’s wrong with the fish will be obvious, but it won’t always be so easy. If you want to have an easier time diagnosing a problem, then going to an exotic veterinarian for help will be a sensible choice.
These experts can examine the fish and see what’s going on. This will allow you to get specific advice about what you need to be doing to get the fish back to looking healthy again.
Hopefully, there isn’t anything wrong with your fish at all. Perhaps you’re just not able to recognize when a fish is sleeping yet, but it’s still good to have a veterinarian you can turn to in an emergency.
If you care about keeping your fish in good health, then this will be great advice. You’ll always know that you’re using the right medicine to solve a problem, and you’ll have specific instructions on how to do things.
Final Thoughts
You’ve learned a lot about clownfish and how they sleep now. It should make it a lot simpler for you to understand how these fish operate.
Clownfish are diurnal fish that are going to sleep during the night. You’re going to want to turn the fish tank lights off during the evening so that the fish can have twelve hours of darkness.
Often, you’ll find clownfish sleeping at the bottom of the fish tank. They don’t sleep on their sides or backs, though.
If an anemone is present, then the clownfish will likely sleep inside of it. Sometimes clownfish will find other hiding spots to sleep in, too, because it will make them feel safe.
It’s also going to be good to get used to what the clownfish look like when they’re napping. Sometimes clownfish will “doze off” during the day if they’re tired.
They’ll float around during this time, and it can be hard to tell that they’re sleeping. You want to be able to differentiate between a sleeping fish and a sick fish that is sluggish.
If you’re worried that your fish is sick, then it’ll be best to take action fast. You can quarantine the fish and try to treat it so that it can get back to normal.
Quarantining a sick fish is wise because you can try to keep the sick fish from infecting other fish in the tank. Hopefully, there isn’t anything wrong with the fish and it’s simply sleeping.
Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his family’s fish tank. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything he’s learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium.