is the fish sleeping?

@bombshell (11256)
Germany
May 28, 2009 2:15pm CST
my little girl got an Aquarium from her dad for her five birthday and while watching the fish,i ask to my self is the fish sleeping? and if how?...any idea?
2 people like this
10 responses
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
28 May 09
HI, I think it does... you see, when the sun goes down they just calm down a little bit and stay down (the bottom of the tank) and when you turn off the light, they just stay calm. I never see them closing their eyes but I think they do sleep sometimes.
@bombshell (11256)
• Germany
28 May 09
first of all i would like to say you have a very nice numbers ,i mean the points looks like its a lucky number.well about the fish i never seen that they are calm but i will have a look tomorrow but how do they sleep?
@flaky03 (225)
• Philippines
12 Jun 09
Yes fishes do sleep. It just to happen that we dont normally see them closing their eyes. But here in the Philippines we have a so called culture where we can make them sleep. Technically they are being tranquilized for the purpose of exportation or importation.
@stvasile (7306)
• Romania
7 Jun 09
From what I know, the answer is YES, fish sleep. Every vertebrate needs sleep to rest its brain. There are, however, some creatures that use the two halves of the brain alternately, such as the dolphins. The fish sleep while swimming, I guess... Not every animal needs to lie down or be completely immobile while sleeping: the albatross sleeps while flying, and elephants sleep on foot. Just like the muscles allowing us to breathe function during sleep, the fish's swimming muscles function during sleep.
• Philippines
29 May 09
I also have asked the same question from a friend before, he said that fishes also sleeps that's why he turns off the lights at the fish aquarium so that the fishes can sleep... they don't move at all when they sleep but they still look awake... of course they don't get drowned
@kaguvkov (1305)
• Davao, Philippines
11 Jun 09
Yes, fish also sleeps but humans like us cannot determine whether they are asleep or awake. If they are on a steady position without moving they can be sleeping. You cannot determine it because their eyes have a protection which is like a plastic that protects their eyes.
@jheLaichie (4438)
• Philippines
6 Jun 09
hhmmm., i got the same question like the one you are asking right now my friend. but i guess they do sleep. because they are sometimes on the bottom of the tank sometimes. maybe that's the time they slept. though they didn't close their eyes but i know and i think that they do sleep and rest... thanks friend jhelai
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
29 May 09
not sure if they sleep but they do look like the rest but if they are floating on side they are gone!
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
28 May 09
yes they do but they dont sleep with shut eyes. they sleep with open eyes. when you see the fish is just steady on on place not moving then he is asleep. it is kind of wierd to see for fish sleeps with eyes wide open and they dont have a specific place to lay on they just sleep where ever the wanted to sleep.
@thezone (9394)
• Ireland
28 May 09
Hi Bombshell, From what i have read about fish, they do sleep. The will usually just be motionless in the fish tank when they sleep but they can not close their eyes as they have no eyelids.
• Indonesia
28 May 09
i think no...