Different fish sleeping patterns?

[SAChichlidLover]

Hey everyone,
Heres a big question I have to something Im really interested in, I’m watching my fish at night right now and some seem to be sleeping on the bottom or being quite still, others seem to be still quite active and my fire mouths and rams have caught me watching them and are begging me for food again hahaha! My question is why some fish who are somewhat closely related stay active 24/7 and others like to rest one way or another? I feel like I’m being really stupid and should already know the answer to this I won’t lie haha.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I have defiantly noticed different behaviors in my fish. My Betta for example will "stay up late" and cruise around the tank, while my Harliquens and Neons just drift aimlessly around the tank.

My Glass Bloodfins are the most active at night, and they swim around like crazy. My Pleco also stays up late.

 

[SAChichlidLover]

I have defiantly noticed different behaviors in my fish. My Betta for example will "stay up late" and cruise around the tank, while my Harliquens and Neons just drift aimlessly around the tank.

My Glass Bloodfins are the most active at night, and they swim around like crazy. My Pleco also stays up late.

Haha I'm shocked your neons and harliquens actually sleep lol! My rosy tetras are most active at night at the same time as the big synodontis which is weird ? My rams on the other hand drift around almost in a complete trance and are completely out of it haha but then my firemouths are still very active and I was watching them a few minutes ago and they were still begging me to feed them like it was the morning greedy sods!

Plecos seem to be super active at night mines the same in my community, see her the most in the dark but I mean for a nocturnal catfish she seems to be awake all day and night hahaha

 

[Colin_T]

Most catfish (including plecos), eels and loaches are nocturnal, so spend most of the day sleeping and come out after dark.

Most diurnal (out during the day time) fish will sleep when it's dark but if there is a full moon or bright street lights, they might stay awake for a bit longer.

Fish that are prey items (small bait fish) tend to be half asleep at night and part of their brain rests while the other part remains awake and watches for predators.

Some cichlids and other ambush predators will use dusk or darkness to hunt other fish.

Fish know when there are predators around and if they are in an aquarium with no predators, they will be more relaxed and more likely to sleep through the night. If you have predatory fish in the tank with smaller fish, the smaller fish will sleep with one eye open, so to speak.