Most fish don't actually sleep. They go through a period of decreased activity that allows their body to regenerate, but they don't sleep.

On the other hand, many coral reef fish do sleep. The interesting part is that they sleep by standing on their tails or leaning on a rock. Isn't that cool?

My coworker's fish floats upside down all the time. When it first started doing it, they thought it was dead, but then it swam off after a bit. Seems it's a habit, now. She says that visitors always tell her that it's dead, so she has to go over and tap on the bowl to prove it's not. Problem is, it's now so used to her tapping that it doesn't always swim off or react immediately.

Why is this?!!! Any ideas? She's really puzzled about it, and I'd love to give her an answer. I think it's a goldfish, but I'm not positive.

Is it just "sleeping" (or having this decreased activity that you're talking about) maybe? Have you ever seen or heard of such a thing happening in a little fishy?

[This message has been edited by Linda1 (edited 03-15-2000).]

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Sandalwood's Cosmic Creations: Working with the magic of love....

Says he's not swimming. He's actually just (and I'll quote her) "hanging out upside down, going 'glup glup'" (she said this last part with her eyes rolled up and her mouth in an "O"). (I work with, ummmmm, interesting people!)