Sleeping Purple Tang

[Z06-Hec]

Every morning before running out for work I Peek into the tank and count for everyone there....
This morning I saw my Purple tang (5-6") and he was in one of the caves, and he literally was on the sand leaning against one of the rocks and his fin not moving at all.
I got scared and thought something happened and he died. So as I am dressed up for work I couldn't stick my arm in, woke my wife up and had her go in the tank and check...
He literally turned around and looked at us like why are you disturbing my sleep... and was definitely alive and well....

I've never seen a fish sleep like that.... Anyone?
He looked dead... leaned over against the rock fin not moving.... I couldn't see if it was breathing cause only his back side was showing until we moved him.

 

[Z06-Hec]

No one?
So I'm at work and the wife is reporting the purple is its normal jerk self... Chasing the other fish, swimming back and forth, hogging all the food...

I have never seen a fish sleep like that....

 

[3Twinklets]

Most of my fish go to bed at night. It is difficult to tell if they are actually sleeping or not, isn't it. My Bangaii Cardinal is the only one who cruises the tank at night.
Shame on you guys for waking him up!! Lol!

 

[saltyphish]

My clownfish likes to get sucked up next to the tank overflow grate when he sleeps. Makes it look like he died during the might and got put there by the current. U til the lights brighten up then he swims and plays like normal. Scared me the first time I saw him do this. But he does it every night

 

[Z06-Hec]

Wow really....
I always thought fish even while sleeping still move... Sort of like not a deep sleep but a resting state...
All my other fish look like they continue to move.. sway their fins to stay in place...

I would get scared if i say my fish stuck on the overflow, LOL...

 

[DaniSLOelle]

I used to have a tang who would slip in between the rocks and lie on its side totally still at night. I have been told this is the easiest way to catch them if you ever need to...makes perfect sense. But I don't think I'd ever get used to one sucked up near the overflow!

 

[Unknown]

My clown will lay against the glass and dig out a little hole in the sand and sleep there all night. Maybe it is time I get a Nem ;)

 

[Z06-Hec]

Thats cool....
Why is your name Unknown, lol

 

[saltyphish]

It took me about 2 weeks to get used to it. Until then I would come home from work (3rd shift) when the lights are still out and freak seeing him sucked up against the grate like that. I thought he was dying. But as soon as the lights kick on he apparently wakes up and swims around like normal. Been 3 mths of that now so I am more comfortable.

 

[Rob&Gab]

Out blotched Anthias do that but they sleep upside down hugging the rock work . I'll get a picture one night it's pretty cool.

 

[jokerman826]

When I used to have Blue Hippo's they did it all the time

 

[JenB]

My blue hippo used to sleep in a shell every single night - always thought she was dead lol. But it was her bed I guess!

 

[MeginGA]

Before I got my timers on lights I turned them on to see my mandarin dragonet almost totally white. I panicked. I though he was dead. After a few minutes of the lights back on he returned to normal color. Biggest scare yet.

 

[tyler1503]

My puffer used to snuggle up to a certain crevice in the rocks. Facing out wards like he was watching over the room. He did this every night for over a year. Then I had to re aquascape the tank and he hasn't found a new bed yet. Almost every night now for a few months he's in a new place or a in new position. I feel bad for ruining his perfect little bed.

 

[lawnman]

My clown use to lay flat in a brain coral all night sleeping before I got a BTA.

 

[fishroomlady]

^^ that's precious

 

[h2pvnus]

Fishes are learning what hunan do lol

 

[Desperado]

I've heard 6 line wrasses, and I'm sure others do as well will bury in the sand and sometimes have a bubble cocoon around them. I bet that really looks like dead and decomposing if you didn't know what you were looking at