Bn Catfish Hanging Out At Top Of Tank

[cblaxall]

Hi from Australia!
 
I have a relatively new tank, 5 weeks old.
I bought a Bristlenose Catfish yesterday from a trusted LFS. It is roughly 2" long and fairly chunky, healthy looking. Since putting in yesterday he hasn't done too much. Today he only wants to hang around the top of the tank at the corner where the heater is. He seems happy enough, no buoyancy problems and fins aren't clamped or anything. He hasn't eaten yet that I can see, I have tried with algae wafers, sinking bottom feeder pellets, blanched carrot and zucchini.
He has a nice piece of driftwood in there an the water parameters are as follows:
Tank: 25 Gal
p.h. 7.4
total ammonia: 0.25ppm
free ammonia: 0
nitrites: 0
nitrates: 5-10ppm
temperature: 80F
The ammonia was zero until I added a couple of extra fish this week, I use Seachem Prime as a conditioner, and yes, the tank is fully cycled.
Other fish in the tank are: 4 zebra danios, 2 pearl danios, 3 male guppys, 4 corys and 1 balloon ram.
All the other fish haven't paid any attention to the BN as yet. All other fish are doing great and were introduced bit by bit.
 
Does he just need time to settle in? Am I worrying for nothing? I acclimatized him properly and as far as I know, have done everything by the book.
 
Thanks in advance.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

First off, I'd like to ask, how did you cycle your tank?

If you're not sure what I mean by cycling, have a read of this :

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/

 

[Alasse]

BN tend to hang at the waterline if the water params arent right. Seeing you have ammonia showing up in the tests, that would be why its there at the least.
 
I would be doing a 50% WC and a substrate clean, there has to be something going on for the ammonia levels to appear

 

[cblaxall]

Tank was cycled with 4 danios and Seachem Stability. Not the way I would do it again, I was mislead with advise from a large chain pet shop that it was the right way to go. I was unaware of the ins and outs of the nitrogen cycle at the time and was told that you could just put fish straight in as long as they were fairly hardy (hence the danios). Whilst the Danios are fine, I will be going the fishless cycle route the next time.
I spend 3 weeks constantly on edge, checking the parameters twice daily and performing daily 30% water changes.

 

[Alasse]

Just noticed you're and Aussie. Welcome from a fellow Aussie. What part of Aus are you?

 

[cblaxall]

The ammonia is due to the recent addition of 3 guppies and the BN. As I have treated with Seachem Prime the ammonia is NH4, not NH3. This is confirmed as my Ammonia Alert shows 0, however the API test kit takes a while to show anything at all and even then is just showing the total ammonia.
Although I could be wrong, I really don't think it's due to the ammonia level.

Alasse> Brisbane
(Not actually an Aussie! I'm a Pom! I've been here for 4 years.)

Also, I did a 40% change with gravel vaccuum this arvo!

 

[Alasse]

Aussie enough lol I am not that far from you, Toowoomba
 
The only time my BN hang at the top is if something isnt right with the water, sends me into instant alert.

 

[cblaxall]

I'll be doing another water change then, it can't hurt. 

 

[Ch4rlie]

I'll be doing another water change then, it can't hurt. 

 
I'd encourage you to do water changes
 
I think water cahnges has far more benefits rather than using meds in many cases, especially if you do not know what you are treating for.

 

[Goggy]

Hi from Australia!
 
I have a relatively new tank, 5 weeks old.
I bought a Bristlenose Catfish yesterday from a trusted LFS. It is roughly 2" long and fairly chunky, healthy looking. Since putting in yesterday he hasn't done too much. Today he only wants to hang around the top of the tank at the corner where the heater is. He seems happy enough, no buoyancy problems and fins aren't clamped or anything. He hasn't eaten yet that I can see, I have tried with algae wafers, sinking bottom feeder pellets, blanched carrot and zucchini.
He has a nice piece of driftwood in there an the water parameters are as follows:
Tank: 25 Gal
p.h. 7.4
total ammonia: 0.25ppm
free ammonia: 0
nitrites: 0
nitrates: 5-10ppm
temperature: 80F
The ammonia was zero until I added a couple of extra fish this week, I use Seachem Prime as a conditioner, and yes, the tank is fully cycled.
Other fish in the tank are: 4 zebra danios, 2 pearl danios, 3 male guppys, 4 corys and 1 balloon ram.
All the other fish haven't paid any attention to the BN as yet. All other fish are doing great and were introduced bit by bit.
 
Does he just need time to settle in? Am I worrying for nothing? I acclimatized him properly and as far as I know, have done everything by the book.
 
Thanks in advance.

There is no such thing as a trusted LFS.