The Effect of Light and Depth on the Nocturnal Feeding Behavior of Pelagic Fish

By. Amma - 21 Aug 2025

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lautnusantara.com Light and depth play a crucial role in influencing the nocturnal feeding behavior of pelagic fish. These fish often take advantage of changing environmental conditions at night to forage more effectively.

1. The Role of Light in Feeding Behavior
The influence of light is a major factor in determining where and when pelagic fish will forage.

  • Low Light: Most pelagic fish, such as sardines, anchovies, and mackerel, tend to rise to the surface at night. The primary reason is that the lack of sunlight makes them safer from larger, visual predators, such as dolphins and tuna.
  • Moonlight and Bioluminescence: Pelagic fish are highly sensitive to natural light sources at night, such as moonlight or the light emitted by marine organisms (bioluminescence). They often congregate in areas illuminated by these light sources, as plankton and other small prey are also attracted to them. Fishermen often exploit this phenomenon by using spotlights to attract pelagic fish.

2. The Effect of Depth on Feeding Behavior
The vertical movement of pelagic fish throughout the water column (called diurnal vertical migration) is directly related to their search for food.

  • Surface Migration: As the sun sets, many pelagic fish migrate to shallower water layers. In these areas, they find higher concentrations of zooplankton, their primary food source.
  • Dietary Vertical Migration: This movement of pelagic fish aligns with the movement of their prey. Zooplankton and other small organisms also migrate to the surface at night to search for food and avoid predators. Pelagic fish follow these movement patterns of their prey to maximize their chances of finding food.

Thus, the influence of light and depth is closely linked. Minimal light at the surface triggers vertical migration of pelagic fish to shallower depths, where they can find and prey on their food sources more safely and efficiently.

 

 

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