Sideways Light = Sideways Swimmer?

[snowflake311]

I was talking to my father inlaw about fish. He told me that some fresh water fish will swim sideways if you put your aquarium light on the side of the tank. He has seen it. Not all kinds do it.

Has anyone heard of this or have you tried it?

It basicaly tricks the fish they think were ever the light / sun is would be up so they swim with the dorsal fin pointing near the light.

 

[Truck]

Yes it is true, some fish do orientate themselves with light, when my light is off on the tank and the room light is on, my ember tetras will swim with the dorsal fin pointing towards the light, not totally horizantal, just slightly.

I know endlers do this too.

 

[OldMan47]

Common angels orient to the light. When my tank lights go off in the evening and only the room lights are on, the angels take on a funny angle that looks strange until you think about the angle the room light is striking them.

 

[SBL]

Pretty interesting thing. Never noticed it with my HRPs.

 

[Curiosity101]

Makes sense seeing as gravity doesn't affect them in the same way it does us.
Light would normally = up

Bet that's funny to watch, I've not noticed it with mine.

 

[snowflake311]

Yeah I thought it was funny too you could even some how put the light under the tank and they would be kind of upside down.

 

[meguro]

My angelfish and some of my tetras do this. My blue acara sort of does it too, but it tends to sleep on the substrate when the tank lights are off. So while it angles itself according to the room lights, the substrate is still flat.

 

[fatheadminnow]

My buddies gold fish do the same thing.

-FHM

 

[mini_matt]

thats crazy i have never tried this but think I will now lol like the idea of lighting from below