My Catfish Is Acting Weird

[Snail_Apocalypse]

I've had a Julii Cory Catfish in my aquarium for about three months, and it was never problematic. Lately, though, I've noticed them freezing randomly. Like, totally freezing. It freaks me out because they aren't moving their fins or anything. They are just frozen. After a few moments they usually start moving again, but it's been happening without any reason. The only reason I'm worried about this is that they have never acted this way before. I'm planning to get another of the same species (the place where I get my fish from only had one of them, and they STILL haven't gotten another one, despite how long it's been) because I know that they like to live in groups. I do have other fish in my tank, but I don't know if that counts. Could it having to be solitary for all this time of caused their weird behavior. Or is it something else? If you have any ideas please respond!

 

[Colin_T]

Any chance of a video of the fish?
Upload videos to YouTube, then copy & paste the link here.
If you use a mobile phone to film the fish, hold the phone horizontally (landscape mode) so the footage fills the entire screen and doesn't leave black bars on each side.

 

[Colin_T]

can't watch the video, says it is private

 

[Snail_Apocalypse]

can't watch the video, says it is private

Oops, let me try to post it again.

 

[Snail_Apocalypse]

can't watch the video, says it is private

 

[Byron]

Corydoras have some defense strategies, the first and major being "safety in numbers." They live in groups of hundreds, all the same species. Being alone is undoubtedly causing it serious stress. [BTW, the species here is not Corydoras julii but Corydoras trilineatus, and the majority of "juli" cories in stores are this species. Makes no difference, still a lovely cory.] But he needs more. I understand you are having trouble getting more, so I would suggest another species, assuming you have room. They get along fine. It is best to have around five of each species, but the primary issue is just more cories.

Another defense strategy is "freezing." This too means stress.

But before you get any more, however, I think you should consider changing the substrate. This is almost inevitable to cause problems for cories. They need soft sand. They filter feed, and they cannot filter this gravel through their gills. Also, gravel is known to cause barbel erosion, not so much fro the roughness (though that is an issue) but because of bacteria from food that gets down. The cory naturally attempts to sift into the substrate, but he cannot, and this causes barbel damage. And the trapped food is a bacterial issue.

Any soft inert aquarium sand is fine, or since you are in California you could get a bag of Quikrete Play Sand from Lowe's or Home Depot. I have had this for many years, and it is just about the best substrate for not only cories but other fish, and plants grow very well in it.

 

[Colin_T]

It could also just be resting.

 

[Snail_Apocalypse]

Okay! Question: Should I replace the gravel with the sand, or just layer it on top of it?

 

[Colin_T]

Don't mix different substrates. they just end up mixed up together and it makes a mess.

If you have gravel and Corydoras, you can either swap the gravel for sand, or set up a sand pit for the catfish. A sand pit is simply a plastic container about 12 inches long x 6-10 inches wide x 2 inches high. You put some sand in the container and have that on the substrate so the Cories can play in it.

 

[Ellie11]

How is that fish now?

 

[Byron]

Colin's idea is one method, but not one I would recommend. Cories will dig into the gravel, sand pit or no sand pit, if gravel is there. And that is where the bacterial issue comes up again, wearing down their barbels.

And do not put sand on top of gravel, the sand being smaller-grain will sink to the bottom leaving the gravel on top. Now is the time to replace the gravel with soft inert sand, assuming you want cories.