Danios floating in the middle of the tank...

[Oliviasdad]

Hi guys, pretty new here but here goes...
We have a 60 litre tank and we are just over 3 weeks into the cycle. Our readings as of last week were
Ph 7.4
Ammonia 1.0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0

Done a water change and the nitrites went up to 0.25. We have been using api stress coat, quick start and on the last water change we used the zyme.
We have
4 danios
6 guppy
1 platy
6 cherry barbs
1 small pleco.

Since the last water change, 3 of the danio are just floating around the middle of the tank together with the occasional dart around the tank. The other danio is hiding in the leafs of plant in the corner of the tank. Usually they are swimming around happily in the tank but I cant help but sense something has changed with their behaviour as they usually all swim together. I believe its 3 males and 1 female. One of the males is the one that is hiding.

Also, before the last water change, the tank was medicated as we noticed some cotton spots on some of the danios. The medication cleared it but I can still see some small bits of it on the same fish. We used esha2000 with the recommended dosage.

Is this behaviour normal or are these fish stressed? Thanks in advance folks!

 

[Slaphppy7]

Welcome to the forum.
Your tank is overstocked, which is probably causing the stress...also, if you have ANY ammonia in the tank, it is not cycled, and this too will cause the fish to be stressed....read about cycling here: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/

I'd rehome that pleco, and test daily using a liquid test kit, and do water changes as necessary...you'll be doing a fish-in cycle. Don't add any chemicals besides the water conditioner/dechlorinator.

 

[Oliviasdad]

OK that makes sense. So how many small fish can I get in to a tank that size?

I have also just been corrected, its not a pleco its an otocinclus

 

[Slaphppy7]

Use this tool to help with stocking amounts: http://www.aqadvisor.com/

Your first order of business should be getting the tank cycled, though...can you rehome some of the fish?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

May we please see pictures of the danios? It’s a big misconception that fish like Danios swim all the time; they don’t. They will dart when they are swimming together or when they are scared. They will mostly float and swim slowly when nothing is happening.

 

[Oliviasdad]

May we please see pictures of the danios? It’s a big misconception that fish like Danios swim all the time; they don’t. They will dart when they are swimming together or when they are scared. They will mostly float and swim slowly when nothing is happening.

Sure...

 

[Slaphppy7]

Zebra danios, WAY overbred, and prone to disease and deformity, unfortunately

 

[Colin_T]

The fish aren't happy.

Reduce feeding to once every couple of days until the tank has finished cycling.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate 4-8 hours after feeding. And do it any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.
Once the tank has cycled, you can do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate once a week.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Don't clean the filter for the first 2 months unless it slows right down. Don't replace any filter pads, cartridges during the first 2 months either.
When it comes time to clean the filter, wash the filter materials/ media in a bucket of tank water and re-use them. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the garden/ lawn.

Increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise oxygen levels in the water.

 

[Oliviasdad]

The fish aren't happy.

Reduce feeding to once every couple of days until the tank has finished cycling.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate 4-8 hours after feeding. And do it any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.
Once the tank has cycled, you can do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate once a week.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Don't clean the filter for the first 2 months unless it slows right down. Don't replace any filter pads, cartridges during the first 2 months either.
When it comes time to clean the filter, wash the filter materials/ media in a bucket of tank water and re-use them. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the garden/ lawn.

Increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise oxygen levels in the water.

Thank you four your help, much much appreciated. I have been feeding them twice a day but will now feed them less. Have literally started to clean daily but was doing 50% so thanks for the tip there also. As for the filter, this is where I have been quite concerned because I felt it wasn't working as it was at the start but again I will follow the advice. Thanks again

 

[Back in the fold]

I think the Zebes are high from all the chemicals you are adding. They'll come down when the chemicals wear off.

 

[Oliviasdad]

I think the Zebes are high from all the chemicals you are adding. They'll come down when the chemicals wear off.

Oh wow!! Fish can get high?? Thanks for your intelligence. I was none the wiser.

 

[Back in the fold]

Oh wow!! Fish can get high?? Thanks for your intelligence. I was none the wiser.

Why sure they can. Should us humans have all the fun ?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Why sure they can. Should us humans have all the fun ?

?