Aquarium gives a lively feels to a place with colorful and variety of fish swimming elegantly through all tank ornaments. Aquarium enthusiasts have great inclination towards keeping fishes like goldfish, bettas, swordfish, and angelfish amongst others.
However, the ever so popular variety selected for a fish tank is albeit bettas or goldfish. Goldfish may not be as clean as bettas. Nonetheless, their shiny appearance adds glamour to the tank.
Here are few things to know about goldfish.
How Much Light Do Goldfish Need
In natural environment, goldfish live in cool waters like rivers, lakes and streams. They do not require ultraviolet light for their survival. However, since they get sufficient quantity of natural light through the day, it is essential that the pattern is replicated in captivity too. Thus, make sure that the goldfish get at least 12 to 13 hours supply of bright but not hot light. Remember to turn off the lights for at least 8 to 12 hours. During captivity, it is essential to regulate this on / off pattern so that the fish gets adjusted to day and night time routine.
Do Goldfish Need Light at Night, or only During the Day?
Placing a light in the aquarium is to make sure that the fish gets the same light effect through the day that it was used to in the wild. Since goldfish live in cooler atmosphere and waters in the natural habitat, they are accustomed to bright but not very hot light during the day. Keeping the light on in the aquarium during the day ascertains that the fish gets the feel of daytime and adjusts to it accordingly with reference to its sleeping or eating schedule.
Nevertheless, if the light is kept on at night too, then it is bound to confuse the fish and make it difficult to distinguish between day and night. This will automatically disturb its daily routine and that is not advisable if you wish to have a healthy fish in the tank.
Just like humans, all living beings adopt a cycle of sleeping, waking and eating pattern. Having a regularized timing for each is essential for overall well-being of all living creatures. Hence, after subjecting them to the artificial daylight feel for around 12-13 hours, make sure that they get the night time feel in darkness and therefore turn off the tank lights at night. This will ensure that the fish follow a normal wake and sleep routine and remain healthy.
What Kind Of Light Do Goldfish Need?
Unlike other amphibians and reptiles that need light and warmth for survival, goldfish are quite happy with their daily dose of bright light. They do not need warm or hot light. On the contrary, being cool water fish, goldfish prefer similar cooler tank temperature.
The owner can regulate the lighting and heat by selecting appropriate lights for the aquarium. The simplest lighting solution is to opt for built-in lights in the tank hood. This not only ensures even spread of light in the tank, but also prevents fish from making fatal jumps out of the tank and keeps them secure. Lights with timer is advisable so that the on/off cycle is maintained without problem and fish get perfect tuning to their daytime and night time routine.
Compact light: This is similar to traditional fluorescent light but in a compact form. Thus, instead of a single light there are two or more fluorescent bulbs that give the same illumination equivalent to two fluorescent tubes. This is an easy to operate option that gives bright light without much heat and is suitable for goldfish tank.
More number of bulbs ascertains greater amount of light is emitted and the tank is properly illuminated. An advantage of this compact light is that it occupies minimal space with same utility as typical light and it is low-cost item.
Standard Fluorescent Lighting: This is typical tube light that is easy to operate and has low maintenance. This type of lighting is suitable for freshwater as well as salt water tanks. Besides being low heat, these lights are energy-efficient and ideal for goldfish tank.
There is wide variety of fluorescent bulbs / tubes available in the market and you can select what suits best for your tank. The standard lighting can be placed in the tube holder shade above the tank.
LED lighting: Nothing can be better for your goldfish aquarium than a set of LED lighting. This is by far the most cost-effective and longer lasting mode of lighting. Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) values of LED bulbs in aquarium lighting facilitate photosynthesis for plants and these specially designed bulbs help in encouraging growth of live plants in tank.
Actinic bulbs: These bulbs emit the wavelengths of light necessary for the photosynthesis process in marine plants and have a good penetrating capacity even for deeper tanks. The light is given out from the blue end of the spectrum and thus gives a cold blue hue to the tank water. Nevertheless, it is necessary to balance it off with a red light at other end to maintain the natural light effect. Actinic bulbs are mostly used for saltwater tanks having live coral and plants and are not essential for freshwater or goldfish tanks. Besides, these lights are unnecessarily costly and not recommended for beginner aquarists.
Full-spectrum lighting: As the term suggests, the light has all the hues – green, blue, red and yellow. This is ideal for freshwater tank and gives a natural look to the aquarium. There is no blue tint of standard fluorescent or red tint of incandescent light. The entire lighting effect is like natural light and thus gives true color perception of the fish, plants and tank ornaments.
Is Sunlight Better Than Artificial Light For a Goldfish Tank?
This is certainly not true. In fact, goldfish prefer living in cooler waters and a tank subjected to direct sunlight is bound to heat up the water. It is necessary to maintain tank temperature to 65-75 degrees and keep the fish safe and healthy.
Artificial light can be controlled by timers and that facilitates adequate time of light and darkness. This is crucial for the fish to adjust to daytime and night time pattern, for channelizing their sleeping, waking and eating habits as well as adjusts to other activities. Amongst artificial lights, fluorescent lights are recommended over incandescent lights as they do not heat up the water but just give bright light.
Many aquariums are decorated with various ornaments and artificial and live plants. Another disadvantage of direct sunlight is that since it warms up the tank water, there are chances of rapid growth of algae that can ruin the water quality and be harmful for fish. Maintenance of tank becomes cumbersome if there is regular growth of moss and other vegetation on the tank bed. This not only spoils the water quality, but can prove toxic for fish due to reduced levels of oxygen.
How Many Watts Do You Need For The Size of Your Goldfish?
The amount of light needed in the tank depends on multiple factors. It relates to the size of the tank, the number of goldfish or other fish you wish to keep and use of artificial or live plants in decorating the tank.
If you have artificial plants in the tank, 1 to 2 watts per gallon of water is more than sufficient. However, if there are live plants, then they need more light for photosynthesis and growth. Therefore, a range of 2 to 5 watts per gallon of water is best suited for such tanks.
As far as only goldfish tanks are concerned, the ideal calculation is 2 to 2.5 watts per gallon of water. Normally, a goldfish lives best in minimum 20 gallons of water, as it gives it ample space for movement and growth. Thus, approximately 40-45 watts of light is enough for a tank of 20 gallons capacity. Use of energy saving, fluorescent light is advisable as against hot, incandescent bulbs that consume more electricity. Fluorescent lighting also assist in maintaining the temperature of the tank and keep the water comparatively cool.
Ensure that you opt for tank hood lighting as it ascertains even distribution of light.
What Happens If Your Goldfish Gets Too Much Light (Or Not Enough)?
Goldfish are cooler water fish and they are mainly found in rivers, lakes and streams. They are subjected to daily dose of natural light penetrating the water. This is enough to keep them healthy and happy.
However, when the goldfish is confined to a tank indoors, they need light that is regulated to mimic the natural environment. Just like humans, goldfish too have a wake/sleep cycle that is combined with eating and activity time. There should be almost equal distribution of light and darkness in the tank so that the fish can adapt to the daytime and night time routine.
Light is essential to keep the fish active and healthy and maintain the shine of the scales. Nonetheless, too much light cannot be good for goldfish. The simple reason being that constant light will not help the fish in accessing the time of the day and will make it confused. If the day and night cycle is not followed properly, it affects the sleeping and eating habits of the fish, resulting in ill health.
Over exposure to light may damage the pigmentation and the bright, shiny appearance will vanish. Instead, the fish will look dull and lifeless. The same holds true if the fish do not get enough light.
Remember that along with fish you could be having live plants in the tank for decoration. Under such cases, too much light could create havoc in the tank and disrupt its ecosystem. This is because plants need photosynthesis for their growth and survival. The more the light they get, the faster they grow. Same applies to the algae and the parasites thriving on them. Rapid spread of algae is detrimental to the health of the fish tank as the water gets contaminated and proves harmful for the fish.
Too little light in the tank can again confuse the fish, making them believe it is night time for an extended period. This can again disrupt the sleeping and waking cycle, invariably affecting the eating schedule. Inadequate light has a strong influence on the fish and their well-being as it makes them turn pale, almost white. The pigmentation is damaged and the fish lose the luster and shine on their scales and body. Gloomy darkness can make the fish depressed and inactive. It can lose its appetite and that can seriously take toll on its health.
It is vital to note that in order to maintain healthy tank mates the owner should take efforts in maintaining everything in right proportion. Decent amount of quality light with programmed on and off cycle of 8-12 hours each, a good sized tank that is longer but not too deep ensure that your fish are happy and healthy. Everything should be in moderation and one should avoid too much or too little of any element.
Tips for Lighting Your Aquarium
Lights in the aquarium serve two purposes – firstly, to introduce the fish to indoor, artificial daylight system and secondly, to help us see the fish better.
Goldfish need a large tank with around 20 gallons capacity for a comfortable living. The aquarium selected should be long but not too deep. In deeper tanks the light does not pass easily till the bottom and hence the living plants do not get proper warmth and light for photosynthesis and growth.
As per the thumb rule, the watts required per gallon of water are 1 to 2 with artificial plants and 2 to 5 in case of live plants. The intensity also depends upon the number of mates in the tank. Nonetheless, here are some guidelines for selecting lighting for the tank.
- Avoid using incandescent bulbs. These are a strict no-no for a good aquarium. These lights heat up the water too much due to high heat and that is not favorable for cool water loving goldfish.
- Select standard fluorescent lighting since this is suitable for all tank types. It is economical, does not give out much heat and helps maintain water temperature. However, since they are not too deep penetrating, it is not useful for heavily planted aquarium.
- Even though you have weak lighting system installed, make sure that you do not leave it on at all times. Install a timer in the system to regulate the on/off cycle with 12-16 hours of light through the day and 8-12 hours of darkness. This cycle is essential to adjust the goldfish to wake / sleep routine and understanding the daytime / nighttime pattern for regulating eating pattern and other activities.
- Do not wait for the bulb to die down before replacement. Keep a watch on the illuminating power of the bulb and when you find it weakening, immediately change it. This will prevent the fish from getting disrupted from their set schedule and arrests the deteriorating condition of the spectrum that may confuse the fish. If the fish are subjected to a uniform dispersal of light at all times, they get easily settled and adopt the routine.
- Fluorescent bulbs have a typical life span of around a year before they blow out. However, their illuminating capacity reduces considerably over time. Hence, it is best to change the bulb at nine months mark. LED bulbs have better life than fluorescent and certainly last for a longer period.
- Lunar lighting is a best bet so that you can keep the lights on at night too, without disturbing the sleeping cycle of the fish. These are usually blue, weak LED lamps that simulate moonlight. They enable us to see the fish clearly even at night, without causing any harm to the aquatic routine.
Recommended lights for tank with artificial plants and one or two gold fish
A tank that has just a couple of goldfish and some rocks and artificial plants is relatively easy to maintain. Since there is enough open room for the light to spread, it need not be of high intensity. A normal fluorescent lighting is quite sufficient for such a tank. Apart from fluorescent bulbs, a better option still would be LED lights.
Lights with blue spectrum give that coldish and calm tone to the water. Along with this, a couple of yellow or red spectrum bulbs help to maintain the balance of natural lighting effect. Fluorescent lights are available in Normal Output, High Output and Very High Output (NO, HO and VHO). It entirely depends upon you to choose the intensity as per the tank size and number of tank mates.
Recommended lights for tank with goldfish and live plants
Unlike tank with artificial plants, where there is no need of heavy lighting, the aquarium with live plants needs extra care. Live plants require high strength and good illuminating lights to facilitate photosynthesis.
Fluorescent lighting with full spectrum is essential and use of multiple bulbs is recommended. For a smaller tank, High Output bulbs are ideal. Nonetheless, lager aquariums need Very High Output bulbs for sufficient energy.
Metal Halide bulbs are good yet expensive option and since the safety requirement is high, it is not advisable to use them.
Lighting terminology guide for aquarium owners
Now that the fact is ascertained that goldfish do need light for their well-being, it is for every aquarist to get familiar with the terms associated with purchase of lights. This will certainly give a clear picture about the type of bulbs to look out for and how to select them.
Watts: The term stands for the input of the bulb and denotes the energy consumed to light the bulb. This translates into the consumption of electric supply that you will have to pay. The selection of any bulb is always done by considering the wattage and varies as per the size of the tank. Wattage rating implies more to the heat given out and not the light, especially in incandescent bulbs.
Lumens: A lumen is the actual amount of light generated from the bulb that is visible to the eye. This is the output of the bulb and is a far more accurate measurement than the watts.
A 5W LED light will give the same light as 25W incandescent bulb. However, the incandescent bulbs energy generates more heat and the LED bulb remains comparatively cool.
It is a wrong notion that higher wattage bulb means more light. On the contrary, the 5W LED and 25W incandescent could have the same lumen rating – that is the illuminating power is the same in both. Nonetheless, LED purchase makes more sense since it is energy saving and cost effective.
The intensity of light is decided by the number of lumens rated. The higher the lumens, brighter the light emitted.
Kelvin rating: This is the measure for the color temperature of the bulb. A higher Kelvin rating of 6000K+ indicates cool light with blue end of spectrum. The yellowish-red bulbs have a rating of less than 3000k and are considered warm.
Freshwater tanks with live plants work best on high Kelvin rating lights. However, a full-spectrum containing some yellow and red can be equally useful.
Benefits of artificial light
Since the fish is moved from their natural environment and kept indoors in tanks, they need to understand the likeness of the natural environment and the closed one. Therefore, it is necessary to provide them with a similar living condition that they were accustomed to, in order to safeguard their well-being.
Outdoor, natural light cannot be controlled and its intensity cannot be monitored. On the other hand, indoor, artificial light can be used in accordance to the need of the fish and other marine life in the tank.
A guided lighting schedule helps the fish to adapt easily to the natural mimicked pattern of day and night. The temperature of water can also be controlled with the right choice of lights.
The length of days and nights vary according to seasons. Sometimes the days are longer and other times the nights. No doubt that the living creatures in natural environment adapt quickly to these changes. However, in a protected tank environment, in the company of artificial light, the fish get trained to a particular routine of day/night cycle. The pattern of 12 hours light and 12 hours of darkness sets their day and night cycle and regularizes waking and sleeping time. Besides, they find it easy to adjust to their feeding schedule and indulge in playful activities later.
Lights help to beautify the tank and enhance the colors of the vibrant fish. All the plants and ornaments put in the tank look appealing under the focus of the light. We can see the lovely, playful pets clearly and keep a watch on their movements and behavior.
Proper lighting helps check the algae growth and ensures healthy growth of live plants.
Summary
We have learnt from the above mentioned information that goldfish indeed require light for their well-being.
Just like humans and other living creatures, this aquatic life needs a regularized daytime and nighttime cycle to facilitate proper sleeping, waking and eating habits. Every living creature has a pre-designed biological clock that tells exactly when to follow what activity. The channelizing of hours only assists in following the regime in a proper manner. Likewise, a 12 hours routine of day and night cycle enables the goldfish to discipline its system to sleeping, waking and eating. Other times, it can enjoy some great time in activities with other tank mates.
There are various types of aquarium lighting options available. It is up to each individual tank owner to decide what is best for his set up, as the lighting depends upon factors like size of tank, contents of the tank (plants and ornaments) and types of fish selected. Choice of a longer tank makes more sense than having a deeper tank, because deeper tank need more powerful lighting that may not suit the cool temperature loving goldfish.
Goldfish live happily and healthily in proper light allotment. Make sure that you consider all the factors carefully before finalizing the lighting and do include a timer for easy operation.
CONCLUSION
Elegantly swimming fish add a charm to the aquarium. Fish like goldfish add vibrancy to the tank with their shiny scales and fluorescent color. They are at par with bettas in beautifying the tank.
Goldfish are like any other living creatures and need air and light for survival. They too follow the natural cycle of day and night.
Light not only helps them to see and enjoy the surrounding, but also aids in developing their color and lend it vibrancy. Darkness destroys the pigmentation and makes them pale and white.
Following the on and off pattern of light keeps the goldfish tuned with their natural environment habits and results in healthy growth and happy fish.
Select the right lights for your goldfish tank and add brightness and liveliness to the aquarium.
