Change in fish behavior with light upgrade

Susan Lohrer · 01/24/2013, 10:03 AM

I started out with one 18,000K T8 bulb over my 65-gallon tank (FOWLR at the moment). My clowns and their lawnmower Blenny seemed happy enough but didn't do anything too exciting.

Then I got a 120W TaoTronics LED fixture. The blues are on for an hour, then both blue and white for seven hours, then an hour of just blue.

The clowns hid for a few minutes the first morning. The Blenny zoomed straight to the front of the sand bed and lay there propped up on his elbow like he was sunbathing or showing off or something, which made me turn off the light for a while in case I'd scared him half to death, but he didn't repeat that behavior when I turned the light back on, so I don't know what it was about.

By the end of the first day, all three fish were cruising all over the tank. The Blenny is constantly out in the open, eating things off the rock and the equipment. He was never thin, but he's plumper now.

I got the light so I could eventually get corals, and I wasn't expecting the fish to become so much more outgoing. They seem to love the brighter light. It was a wonderful surprise.

I've read that fish don't need much light, but now I'm starting to wonder. In the ocean, their light would be fairly bright, right? Maybe they feel depressed in the dark just like we do.

dobly_1999 · 02/21/2014, 03:24 PM

Hello. Can you provide an update on your use if the Taotronics LED? Thanks

mkoop · 02/21/2014, 06:07 PM

Hi Susan, I noticed a similar trend when I upgrade from my previous lighting (which was pretty poor) to good LEDs. Fish were significantly more active, explored more and would go higher in the water column more often. I dont have any information into this but I did have a similar observation.

maddmaxx · 02/21/2014, 06:19 PM

most likely the brighter lights indicates mid day to them with the sun being over head. so to them its mid day time for activities lol...

tanked37 · 02/21/2014, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maddmaxx

most likely the brighter lights indicates mid day to them with the sun being over head. so to them its mid day time for activities lol...

+1 - saltwater fish are generally very cautious in low light

Susan Lohrer · 03/25/2014, 02:35 PM

Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I've been writing and working like a fiend.

The Taotronics LED is performing the same as it ever did, I think.

I have a persistent diatom issue and a cyano issue. I don't know whether that's because of the LED fixture or a general husbandry issue, since I've been doing smaller water changes for the last several months. Using GFO doesn't seem to make a dent in it.

The fish (two clowns, a lawnmower Blenny, and now a handful of mollies) are perky and active. The torch coral has made a couple of new heads. And the RBTA just split a week or two ago.

01/24/2013, 10:03 AM	#1
Susan Lohrer Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 97	Change in fish behavior with light upgrade I started out with one 18,000K T8 bulb over my 65-gallon tank (FOWLR at the moment). My clowns and their lawnmower Blenny seemed happy enough but didn't do anything too exciting. Then I got a 120W TaoTronics LED fixture. The blues are on for an hour, then both blue and white for seven hours, then an hour of just blue. The clowns hid for a few minutes the first morning. The Blenny zoomed straight to the front of the sand bed and lay there propped up on his elbow like he was sunbathing or showing off or something, which made me turn off the light for a while in case I'd scared him half to death, but he didn't repeat that behavior when I turned the light back on, so I don't know what it was about. By the end of the first day, all three fish were cruising all over the tank. The Blenny is constantly out in the open, eating things off the rock and the equipment. He was never thin, but he's plumper now. I got the light so I could eventually get corals, and I wasn't expecting the fish to become so much more outgoing. They seem to love the brighter light. It was a wonderful surprise. I've read that fish don't need much light, but now I'm starting to wonder. In the ocean, their light would be fairly bright, right? Maybe they feel depressed in the dark just like we do.

02/21/2014, 03:24 PM	#2
dobly_1999 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Fort Luaderdale, FL Posts: 784	Hello. Can you provide an update on your use if the Taotronics LED? Thanks __________________ All I want is a cube of the ocean in my home. Current Tank Info: Marineland 18x18x19 25g reef ready, sump, Euphotica 16 LED lights, SPS

02/21/2014, 06:19 PM	#4
maddmaxx Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Jersey Shore Posts: 3,003	most likely the brighter lights indicates mid day to them with the sun being over head. so to them its mid day time for activities lol... __________________ One Life One Shot Current Tank Info: 40B Mixed reef

03/25/2014, 02:35 PM	#6
Susan Lohrer Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 97	Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I've been writing and working like a fiend. The Taotronics LED is performing the same as it ever did, I think. I have a persistent diatom issue and a cyano issue. I don't know whether that's because of the LED fixture or a general husbandry issue, since I've been doing smaller water changes for the last several months. Using GFO doesn't seem to make a dent in it. The fish (two clowns, a lawnmower Blenny, and now a handful of mollies) are perky and active. The torch coral has made a couple of new heads. And the RBTA just split a week or two ago. __________________ Susan Current Tank Info: 65-gallon reef tank, 120W TaoTronics LED, Seaclone 100 skimmer

02/21/2014, 06:07 PM	#3
mkoop Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Madison WI Posts: 387	Hi Susan, I noticed a similar trend when I upgrade from my previous lighting (which was pretty poor) to good LEDs. Fish were significantly more active, explored more and would go higher in the water column more often. I dont have any information into this but I did have a similar observation.