Guppies do sleep. Sleep is an essential activity for all animals, including guppies. While they don’t burrow under the covers and close their eyes, they do sleep.
To give your guppy the best night’s sleep, we’ll take a look at their preferences and unique ways that they get some Z’s.
How To Know When a Guppy is Sleeping?
Guppies usually will only sleep when it’s dark, so that’s a key indicator. When they sleep, they will be still, just sort of floating in the water. They do not close their eyes when sleeping, so they sort of just look frozen in place.
You may notice your guppy is still motionless when you turn the lights on, as it takes them a bit to wake up. If it takes them a bit to adjust to the light and start moving, they could just be waking up and stretching.
Where Do Guppies Like to Sleep?
Guppies like to sleep near the bottom of the tank. If you don’t spot them, they may have nestled into a corner or into one of your tank decorations for protection. You’ll mostly find them near the bottom floating above with their eyes open when they’re resting.
You may also find them floating near the top of the tank, simply sitting still with their eyes open. Both are normal and it will just depend on how they interact with other fish in your tank. They will decide their sleeping arrangement based on the conditions of your tank and other fish that are living with them.
Helping your Guppies Get Better Quality Sleep
Guppies need a good night’s rest just like you do. Luckily, there are some things that you can do to help them get a better night’s sleep and live a long and healthy life.
Create A Comfy Environment
Guppies prefer to sleep when the sun is down and rise when the sun is up. For that reason, you should get in the habit of switching the lights on and off depending on the time of day. Follow their sleep schedule instead.
Add Some Hiding Places
Instinctually, guppies sleep in places where they’re hidden from predators. They like to do the same things in their tank, tucking themselves away behind plants, rocks, and other decorations. Adding more of these to their tanks will help them feel more comfortable and cozier, allowing them to sleep peacefully.
Fixing Tank Conditions
All fish need optimal temperatures and pH levels in order to survive. Guppies thrive in water that’s around 72°F and pH levels around 6.8 to 7.8. You want to check on these conditions often, ensuring that they have what they need.
Apart from keeping the conditions around their preferences, you also want to be sure to give them plenty of space to swim around. Guppies love to swim around a large tank, so be sure they have enough room to explore.
Consider their Tank Mates
Guppies are beautiful but, so are many other fish. You may want to have a full collection in your tank, which is fine, as long as you consider how they interact with one another. Choose tank mates that are not aggressive toward guppies, allowing them to swim and sleep without being bothered.
Some of the best tank mates include female betta fish and cardinal tetras.
Check Lighting
Because guppies are sensitive to lighting, you need to watch out for placement. Don’t add any lights that will shine on them directly and make sure that there are no lights coming from the windows that will hit them directly.
Go for lights that you can easily switch on and off and provide even light all around them.
Guppies Needs Sleep Too
You might not have known that your guppies need the same amount of sleep you do. They love for their tank to be dark and to have a place to hide between for their best night’s rest. Make sure that your tank is providing all the conditions your guppy needs to get some sleep.
Without 6 to 8 hours regularly, guppies could become unhealthy and eventually die. It’s for that reason that you should always check the conditions of your tank, ensuring that they have all they need to live their best life. Always shut off the tank lights and turn them on in the morning so your guppies can wake up and go.
Do Guppies Need Light at Night?
Guppies are fish that do not need light when night comes. They need darkness to sleep, taking the change with brightness as a signal that it’s time to get some rest. Keeping your tank lights on throughout the night could lead to restless nights for your guppy, causing sickness and eventually death.
How Much Sleep Do Guppies Need?
Surprisingly, guppies need just about the same amount of sleep as we do, doing well when they get a full 6 to 8 hours. They are diurnal fish, so they follow the same sleep schedule that most of us do. That makes it the perfect fish for your tank, as they enjoy lights off when you do.
After 6 to 8 hours, you should turn on the tank light and give them some food, letting them stretch their fins and get their day started.
Is My Guppy Asleep or Dead?
Guppies typically float in their tank, either hanging out at the bottom or floating near the top. If you’ve turned on your lights and still don’t see your guppy moving around, you may be wondering whether it not it’s dead. Guppies, like many fish, are sensitive to changes and may die without any signs.
One sign that your guppy is dead is if they are floating upside down. When guppies sleep, they do so normally and do not turn belly up. If your guppy is right-side up and still not moving, they may still be sleeping. You can try and fish them out to see if they move, ensuring that they are still alive.