CatladyDane

Other than for our own viewing pleasure, is lighting a tank actually necessary if one does not have live plants? So many fish seem to be either shy and/or nocturnal. I like my house warm, and in the summer I turn off the tank lights most of the time (10g, 20g, 40g) because they generate more heat, and cover the tanks with screen. (All tanks do have heaters in case it should get a little cooler.) My tanks do sit in a room where they get lots of indirect daylight (about 6am-9pm these days), as my window blinds are open from sunrise to dark and my windows are open any time weather allows, which is most of the year. Fish don't get the equivalent of our SAD (seasonal affective disorder) do they? Mine all seem to be doing fine under these conditions. I wondered about the lighting thing as I introduced my new Silver Dollars to their tank and found them to be calmer with the light off; so far they like having hiding places but are coming out to look around.

Red1313

Lighting is for our viewing pleasure. However a light dark cycle of some sort would probably be appreciated by the fish but it sounds like you have that already.

mare2009

Hi..fish need a natural environment so a cycle of sunrise-day-sunset-night, is necessary for them to be at their best I don't turn on my tank lights during the day as my tanks are next to windows, I allow the natural light to fall on the tanks and at night I like the lights. But I also turn off lights in the room in sequence of an artificial sunset lol instead of lights on then off into total darkness. ( it kinda freaks them out I think ).
Sounds to me you have wonderful happy tank with their best interest