Guppies are fascinating underwater creatures who can liven up your fish tank with their vibrant colors. But, once you get guppies, the most logical question to have is whether guppies need light.
Guppies do need light to grow and live a healthy life. The amount of light that they need in a fish tank is approximately the same as they would get in their natural habitat. This means that the light needs to be kept on for about 8 to 10 hours a day and should be switched off at night.
While this explains that guppies need light, there are still a lot of questions that come up regarding guppies and light. Let’s talk about each one of them now.
How Much Amount Of Light Is Good For Guppies?
As a general rule of thumb, you should only give as much light to your guppies as they are accustomed to in their natural habitat.
When guppies live in their natural habitat, they are used to the normal day and night cycle.
They get light during the day and don’t get it at night.
So you need to mimic this behavior in your fish tank.
Make sure that you switch on the light during the day, ideally for 8 to 10 hours, and then switch it off.
That way, your guppies will get enough light to grow, and at the same time, they will be able to relax once the light is off.
It is very important that you switch off the light because guppies need to rest too.
Exposing your guppies to too much light can kill your guppies.
So give light to your guppies for only about 8 to 10 hours a day and then switch it off.
Alright! That applies to guppies in general, but what about guppy fry?
Do Guppy Fry Need Light?
Just like grown-up guppies, guppy fry also need light. They need light so that they can grow fast and lead a healthy life.
Giving light for about 8 to 10 hours a day should be sufficient for guppy fry.
Don’t expose guppy fry to too much light; otherwise, they will die just like grown-up guppies.
Make sure that you turn off the light after 8 to 10 hours.
If you are not able to switch off the light consistently every day, then get a timer for the light so that the light can auto switch off after a fixed time.
You should be able to get a light timer easily in a local store, or in Walmart or Amazon.
Using such a timer is recommended because by using it, you can be sure that your guppies won’t be exposed to too much light.
Okay! Now that you know that guppies and guppy fry both need light for a few hours a day, the next question is when you should turn on the light? Can you turn it on at night?
Recommended Further Reading:
- What Do Guppies Eat – The Ultimate Food Guide For Guppy Owners
- Do Guppies Eat Each Other? And How To Stop Them?
Do Guppies Need Light At Night?
It is better to give light to guppies during the day and switch it off at night.
The reason for doing this is that this is how guppies are used to getting light in their natural environment.
Guppies need to rest, and night time is perfect for guppies to rest.
So exposing your guppies to light in the night might do them more harm than good.
Just turn off the light at night and let your guppies rest.
This way, they will get sufficient light as well as rest, which is very essential for their normal and healthy growth.
Fine! This clears a lot of things, but…
Do Guppies Like Light Or Darkness?
In general, all fish are accustomed to light and darkness. It is no different with guppies. They need light as well as darkness.
But, no one will be able to tell you whether guppies like light or darkness with certainty.
We can only guess.
So instead of worrying about whether guppies like light or darkness, worry about how you can take care of your guppies.
And the best way to take care of your guppies is to mimic their natural habitat in your fish tank.
Make sure that they get sufficient food and oxygen, their tank is clean, and they get enough light and darkness for them to grow properly.
Great! But which light should you use for your guppies?
Interesting Further Reading:
- Can Guppies Live In Saltwater? Here’s What We Found
- Do Frogs Eat Guppies? (Yes and No – Here’s Why)
- When Do Guppies Get Their Color? (Exact Facts And Figures)
Which Light Is Good For Your Guppies?
You can get LED lights for your guppies. You can also get fluorescent lamps or halogen light.
Just make sure that whatever lamp you get, it is able to replicate a typical day and night cycle for your guppies.
Don’t get lamps that are too bright or too dim.
Guppies need sufficient light to grow properly.
So too much of light or too little of it can be harmful to your guppies.
Just get regular lights that aren’t too bright or dim.
This way, you will give your guppies the best environment to live in.
Related Further Reading: Here’s Why Guppies Swim At The Top Of The Tank
Things To Keep In Mind
Guppies need light as well as darkness to grow properly.
Expose your guppies to light for about 8 to 10 hours a day so that they can lead a healthy life.
Do not keep your guppies under continuous light as that can prove fatal for your little ones.
Make sure that you switch on your light and switch it off in the same manner as you experience day and night.
Keeping these things in mind will make sure that your guppies will live a healthy life.
