Sea Life

How Long do Betta Fish Sleep

How Long do Betta Fish Sleep

Most living things or creatures on creatures sleep and they need sleep to carry on with their daily routines. The sleeping patterns and the time durations of different species of fish and animals may be different from each other. Betta fish also sleep like other fish in the water at a certain place in the water that they find comfortable. Similarly, pet betta fish also sleep in the water tank. Let’s now discuss the time durations and the patterns of their sleep.

How Much do Betta Fish Sleep?

Betta fish normally sleep for about “twelve to fourteen hours” a day including their naps. It is scientifically believed that this amount of sleep is enough for them to stay happy and carry out their daily routine. When the betta fish stops moving, it must be sleeping.

How do Betta Fish Sleep?

Like all the other fish, betta fish also sleep with their eyes open. This is because they do not have eyelids. So, for many people it may be difficult to point out whether the fish is sleeping or is awake. Betta fish sleep in different patterns. They sometimes sleep being curled like a cat or by horizontally lying on one side and even sometimes vertically lying on their head. It is also believed that they sometimes lose their color while sleeping in order to protect themselves from other fish and animals in the water. Sometimes, betta fish keep their fins slowly moving which can confuse people whether the fish is sleeping or not.

Betta fish sleep so lightly and can wake up so easily even because of slighter distractions. In the case of pet betta fish, it is advised to not tap the water tank because it can irritate the sleeping fish.

How to Help Betta Fish Sleep?

Betta fish sleep on their own usually at night exactly like human beings but there are some recommendations for the betta fish owners to maintain a sleeping pattern for their betta fish. As we know that betta fish sleep with open eyes so bright light makes it uncomfortable for them to sleep peacefully. So, it is a good idea to turn the lights off when you know your betta fish is about to sleep. 

Moreover, placing some decoration pieces nearby or adding sea life elements in the water makes it more relaxing for the betta fish as they can have naps during the day time in the shades of the elements even if the lights are turned on.

The Bottom-Line

Betta fish sleep for almost ten to fourteen hours a day with their eyes open like all the other fish species. One can identify that the betta fish is sleeping if it is not moving or if it is moving its fins slowly. While sleeping, betta fish feel more comfortable in the dark. So, turning the lights off is recommended for the people who own betta fish as their pets.

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Talha