Lights for Damselfish

[jordan2213]

So I have 3 tanks at work that I am cycling and have Fiji Blue Devil Damsels and Lemon Damels. Every day I turn the lights on around 7:00am and turn them off around 3:00-4:00pm when I go home. Every morning when I come in they look really sickly with different colors (Fiji's are usually purple and Lemons are usually clearish) and they act really sickly. Staying in the corner not swimming much (one was at the top of the tank seeming to breathe really hard). As soon as I feed them and turn the lights on about an hour later they are happy as clams, swimming and brightly colored. Is this normal? Am I not leaving the lights on enough? :wavehand:

 

[Cliving1]

What size tank is it? Do you have enough surface agitation? Just made me think when you said that they are having difficulty breathing. On the other hand, when my light turns on my fish look like they have been blinded and hide for a bit to adjust. May not be anything to worry about.

 

[mcgyvr]

AFAIK NO fish need light

 

[sde1500]

So I have 3 tanks at work that I am cycling and have Fiji Blue Devil Damsels and Lemon Damels.

I'd say them being in a tank that is cycling is a more likely cause of them not looking great.

Though fish can get spooked by sudden light changes. Isn't natural, that is why I love that programmable lights that brighten and dim over time.

Edit to say now I'm confused because your other post said you were done. Temporarily storing my pitchfork.

 

[jordan2213]

My tank is done cycling after almost 2 months (just to be safe). All parameters look fine. The tank is 55 gallons with crushed coral as a substrate and 30 pounds of live rock because I am intending on it being a reef tank. The fish don't look bad at all after about an hour of turning on the lights and feeding them. It's just right when I turn on the lights so maybe they are just surprised by the sudden change in lights.

 

[sde1500]

Ok good, just worded the post wrong.

So, yea sounds like they get frightened by the light turning on. Anyway to turn it on dimly first then later turn it up? Its similar to us lounging in low light then suddenly a lot of light is turned on. Rather shocking.

 

[billdogg]

Many "daytime" fish will get a little pale/change colors somewhat at night. I'm guessing it is just normal nocturnal coloration for them.

 

[tjm9331]

Many "daytime" fish will get a little pale/change colors somewhat at night. I'm guessing it is just normal nocturnal coloration for them.

+1 some fish change color during the night to help hide from nocturnal predators