I have this male swordtail, which is acting odd. Its just floating in the top, back, left corner near the heater and airstone bubbles. Its funny, if i stick my head around there, he will come out and look at me, but then go back. He was fine yesterday morning. His fins all out, he was being chased by his sister thou, but it looked like they were playing. She would chase for short time, then stop and he would go back to her, and she would chase more. Then, he fin went down and started leaning to the side a bit (I know not good) and not moving much. She stopped chasing too. Now, hes still off to the side a bit, but just sitting in the corner. All the other fish are perfect, water quality is good. Hes only 9 months old. Is he sick? Could he have a stomach ache. I put a cucumber in yesterday, and he sure enjoyed it. Then I put in another treat. I gave them frozen brine shrimp. I put in way to much, they all ate till full, then got as much out as possible. After not to long, some were going back after the left overs. He might have been one, not sure. He looked perfect before and directly after this. I only noticed his odd behavior a hour later. What could it be?

Thanks

This post has been edited by shortymet55: Jun 12 2008, 11:27 PM

wot are the actuall water stats for the tank

amonia
nitrite
nitrate
PH

ammonia- 1 (tested after I posted. Shot up from yesterday, was 0)
nitrite- 0
Nitrate and PH i dont have tests for

I forgot to mention. Because I put too much food in and i couldn't get it all out, I did a 45% water change about 2 hrs ago, with siphoning the gravel.

He is actually moving around now. The fin on top is about half massed. But hes going around the tank. Even up to the girl swordtail, but then she chases him and he goes back into the corner for a second then tries again. I'm hoping he is just hiding from her in a time of breeding (Only for the fact its temporary and he would not be sick). Okay, i might want some little ones too

If he is actually sick ( i would count his behaviour as a reaction to the ammnoia), then he probably ownt make it. All the swordtails i've ever had have gotten sick , and then died, no matter what i treated them with, Even either fin rot! And i did frequent water changes and medicated it! They just have poor immune systems!

My swords have never been sick...my oldest one has been through two filter breakdowns and she hasn't even gotten sick (yet) and shes nearlly 2!
It does sound like ammonia poisoning though!

How ironic. I was thinking I was doing my fish a favor by giving them some frozen brine shrimp, when it turns out I actually made one sick!

Good change in behavior: He is in fact moving around the tank. I found him this morning laying on the gournd (I figured he died), but he got up and swam around. When he gets near the female, he does still go back in the corner. Im thinking since he is sick, he might not be in the mood to be chased to he hides.

Test readings today (fed last night, didnt feed this morning, wont until ammonia drops)
ammonia- 0.5
nitrite-0

Im guessing the 0.5, the scale on my liquid test is has .25 and 1, but nothing in between. It definitely was not close to the color for 1. Id say 0.5 is about accurate. The test color was alot lighter than yesterday, so thats a good sign. Lower ammonia, better fish behavior, i suspect a correlation between the two.

Get ahold of some daphnia- freeze dried or frozen. Swords adore it and it also is a good digestive system unclogger. Feed it once or twice a week. The problem wasnt that you fed the swords the brine, they are omnivored and will gladly eat brine shrimp. You just overfed is all, as you already know. You are also feeding them some veggies which is also good.

Normally male swords are about as randy as any fish I have kept.

Oddly enough, when I cycled my first tank many years ago, I did so with a pair or swords which both live long and prolific lives for a number of years. I

Ammonia is down to .025. Id say if i dont feed tonight, then only little bits for the next few days, itll be down to 0 is no time.
To bad the swordtail is getting chased by the female alot more now. He always runs to the same corner. Since when does the female chase the male??? My guy is a wimp.