How Much Light Do Clownfish Need? {What Is A Healthy Amount?}

Are you wondering how much light a clownfish needs to be healthy? Will artificial light hurt clownfish? It looks like we need to shine a light on this topic in this article.

How much light do clownfish need? Clownfish will enjoy 12 hours of light, but they also don’t need artificial lighting. Too much light could harm their reproduction. 

It’s important to mention that there isn’t a consensus on this topic. There is no exact science that measures the amount of light that clownfish need.

The information we have gathered come from multiple reports and studies, but we cannot obtain a clear consensus for everyone (including the clownfish) to agree.

How Many Hours of Light Do Clownfish Need?

Clownfish don’t need to be placed under direct sunlight. The position of the aquarium should capture indirect light from a window nearby if possible. Otherwise, artificial light will be tolerated.

Clownfish may not actually need light at all. This is an opinion shared by professionals, but not by fish keepers. The fact is that people who buy clownfish want to see them. If there is no light, the beautiful bright colors of a clownfish will go unnoticed.

12 hours in a room with light and 12 hours without light will most likely suffice. Clownfish will nestle up in their anemone, coral or any space they call their own and relax for the night.

Can Clownfish See In The Dark?

No. Clownfish don’t see in the dark. They won’t be able do much at night without being able to see. They will usually snuggle in the stinging tentacles of their host anemone or coral at night.

If they don’t have a host, they’ll look to hide out for the night because they can’t see anymore. There are cases of clownfish swimming around hysterically and bumping into the tank or trying to jump out. This is uncommon.

It’s best to provide enough safe spaces containing algae, plants, anemone or coral for the clownfish to rest and be still for the night.

YouTube video

What Color Light Do Clownfish Like?

Warm colors are best. The level of brightness is best when dim. Remember that clownfish don’t need light. The choice of color is up to us, but keep it low.

  1. Blue
  2. Yellow
  3. White
  4. Red

The warm blue lights are preferred for viewing. A dim white or yellow light will not stress clownfish. It’s important to choose a light that doesn’t disturb the reproduction process.

Do Clownfish Eggs Need Light?


Clownfish eggs hatch
at night. The best thing we can do is to keep the lights off or on very low. Clownfish are looking for protection when they spawn eggs. They don’t want the light to expose their location at night.

Some fish like to eat through the night. If the lights are shining, the clownfish will feel stressed by them. They will not be able to rest peacefully. They may stay in protection mode throughout the entire night.

Light pollution is a problem for reproduction. Clownfish need a cycle of light and dark in order to procreate. Studies show that when the artificial light sources are removed at night, the eggs resume hatching.

What Do Clownfish Do at Night?


Clownfish will sleep
! They will lay motionless at the bottom of the tank. It will be difficult to get them to move at this time.

In the wild, clownfish stick close to their anemone day and night. It isn’t uncommon to notice your clownfish hiding for the better portion of the day and night.

Since clownfish can’t see in the dark, they will look to hide and rest under the cover of tentacles, algae or anything you can provide as cover.

Conclusion

Although we can say that clownfish don’t need light, you may want it. You may want to see your beautiful clownfish and their bright colors. Warm blue lights exemplify and highlight their beauty.

Your opinion is valuable and your desire to keep clownfish healthy and happy is also admired. Clownfish may end up feeling stressed if a light is on all day and night. They may not be able to get sufficient rest that is necessary to keep their immunity levels high.

If you have a mated pair of clownfish, the eggs could be on the way. If the eggs are spawning, they may not be able to hatch under direct or indirect light.

If you want to keep a light on at night, try to keep it on in the room, but not directly on or in the tank. Your clownfish will be happy for the rest and reproduction.

 

Brian Arial

Brian Arial has kept fish for leisure and worked with fish stores for most of his life. He enjoys writing and caring for aquariums and ponds.

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