• Question: Do fish sleep?

    Asked by kateb to Chris on 20 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Christian Wirtz

      Christian Wirtz answered on 20 Nov 2013:

      Hi Kate,

      I don’t know to be honest. I have heard this question asked several times before but don’t know a definite answer.

      Going by the patterns exhibited by most vertebrates I think they will have to have some kind of rest phase similar to sleep. That would be necessary for muscle recovery and general energy conservation, especially for the more long-lived fish. Though I highly doubt they ever have a proper 8 hour sleep like we do.

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