Lights too bright?

Hiya, and thanks to Rich for soeting out my username - I am Tardis again!!

daft question again , but I am bothered in case my fish are frightened of the lights and dark! Every time I turn the lights off in the tank the Harlequins swim round the tank as though they are being chased! The even bang into the sides of the tanka t times! They do th same when I turn them off at night.

I am worried in case they hurt themselves or get stressed by this and am not sure what to do about it. Could the change of light be giving them a fright?

I know what you mean about this tardis! One of my goldfish - the blockmoor, goes crazy if I switch the lights on too quicklt and darts about the tank like it's frantic.

I dont know what sort of tank you have, but on the Goldies tank I have two lights in the lid, and each light can be switched on independently.

I jusy switch one light on first so the tank isn't too bright, and then after a while do the other one too. That seems to help.

On the tropical tank, my Harlies too go mad, mainly when I turn the lights off. I make sure now that the main living room lights are on when I turn the tank lights off, so they are not plunged into total darkness.

I think some people put a night bulp in their tank set up - I think Mart has one in one of her tanks - that may be an idea for you.

Our Cardinals go nuts when we turn the tank lights off. As Diana has said.. I make sure the room light is on before I switch the tank lights off. In the morning I don't turn them back on until the natural daylight fills the room

If you havent had the fish long, they will get used to it all, i have timed my lights so that they go off an hour before sunset, so there is some natural light in theroom the tank is in, so when the lihts go off, the fish can tell whats going on and settle into dusk mode before night mode, the same applies for lights on, they come on an hourt after sunrise

I have noticed this means my noght time fish sort of lurk with intent at dusk, its nothing to do with food as they get fed much later, I think it suits their bodyclocks better than a sudden lights on/off

Another tip, if your tank is in a room where the room lights go on n off frequently ie a bedroom, put the room lights on a dimmer switch so that the sudden lights on/off isnt so much of a shock (bear in mind some fish do have excellent night vision and a sudden lights on is a fright, goldfish are classic examples of this)

I have the lights on from 4-11pm daily and the room lights are usually on at the same time that the lights go on and off so I've never noticed any skittish behaviour from the fish in the main tanks. The only exception being the Q tank which is in the utility room and I have noticed that the cherry barbs "jump" a bit when the lights come on.

Thanks everyone, I wouldn't have thought that switching the light on would have had such an effect. I am now making sure that the main room lights are onwheI switch the tank off.

it's quite good actually to see them seimming round in a darkened tank.

If you think about i, it sort of makes sense anyway, fish don have 'eyelids' so cant blink when the lights come on, its a similar reason they cant feed themselves, they dont have thumbs :lol:

Well I knw how I feel when I put the lights on first thing in the morning, eyelids or no eyelids, I just want to !