Most fish do not have eyelids, so they can not close their eyes.But does this mean that they do not sleep?The question, whether the fish are sleeping, it is easy to confound even experienced aquarium owners, not like an ordinary person.Most often, this time for children, curious pochemuchek.So, how do fish sleep and sleep at all?
Oh, those stereotypes
person familiar that it is necessary to sleep close your eyes.So come and animals.It is desirable to be in the dark in a reclining, relaxed position, although overworked people just "off" at any position.But sleeping with open eyes - is extremely difficult to imagine.Therefore triggered stereotype: if it is impossible to close your eyes, then, and sleep a creature can not.
However, the inhabitants of the underwater world it is not so.Eyelids people and animals need in order to protect the eyeball from drying out.Fish is in the water, so this danger for them does not exist.Water hydrates and cleanses the eyes of these creatures.
As the fish sleep?
Understand that fish drifted off to sleep, you can on the following grounds: it stopped in a thicket or other secluded place, hung in the water column.Some may even lie down, and some species prefer to rest on its side.
Most species prefer to sleep at night, so if you go to the aquarium and turn on the light, you can see how its inhabitants back to the waking state, wake up.But there are those who are resting in the afternoon.This predatory fish such as catfish.
However, fish sleep - it's not the state that is meant by the word people.As the fish sleep?For them it is not a state of total relaxation and unconsciousness, as we have with you, but rather the process of slowing down vital functions.This allows you to quickly activate the fishes, if there arose something dangerous or edible.
phase of deep sleep, which is almost complete loss of contact with reality, there is no fish.However, during sleep there is a restoration of the nervous system and other body functions.
Do all fish sleep the same way?
hang in the water and drift during sleep can only fish that belong to the type of bone.Do they succeed thanks to the swim bladder filled with air.The volume of air in this particular body determines at what height in the aquarium will be a fish.The less it is, the deeper it will sink into the water column.Most of the inhabitants of home aquariums refers to the bone.
Stingrays and sharks - cartilaginous fish swim bladder they do not.As the fish are sleeping, if they can hang in the water?They are placed on the bottom or rest while driving.Suitable for the content in the aquarium cartilaginous fish considered Ancistrus and Botia.
There are also underwater inhabitants who sleep it is necessary to hide in a cave.Very unusual sleeping parrot fish - virtually under a blanket.Just as they use a mucus that is produced through the fish's mouth.Mucus coats the carcass, creating a protective cocoon, where you can rest easy and nothing to fear.In the morning the fish leaves the "blanket."
Why do you need to know about the features of sleep in fish?
As the fish are sleeping, it is important to know not only to satisfy their own curiosity, but also to provide a comfortable living fishes.Like people, they do not like, if they violate the regime may suffer from insomnia, so:
- necessarily extinguish the light in the aquarium at night;
- Pick up the fish so that they slept in the same time of day.
Please note that there are species which prefer to sleep during the day and for this thicket.If you settle these in your aquarium, in the daytime it will look empty and uninteresting.
