Fish Gathering At Surface In The Corner Of The Tank

[snazy]

Hi All,

I am out of ideas what's happening with my fish.

Yesterday, when I came back from work, I noticed my red wag tail platy hiding under the filter.
I tested the water for ammonia and nitrite and both were 0. So I thought she was just being awkward.
I fed the fish, all ate including the platy. After her dinner, the platy went down under the filter again(It's a Fluval U4).

I did notice then that the rest of the fish were staying at the surface in the corner. One of my teenage female guppy fry was born with a bent spine, and she normally sleeps every night at the front of the tank, hiding between the gravel. Yesterday, she was lying at the same spot at 5pm in the afternoon with full lights on. She is a weak skinny fish due to her not being born in the best of health.

I did a 20% water change and I left them be.

Today, same thing happening. The red wag tail platy spent her whole day under the filter. Her buddy, the yellow platy went down to check on her several times, then she gave up herself and was hanging at the surface of the tank.

I tested the ammonia twice today and it was 0, nitrite 0, nitrite about 30, Ph the usual 7.6.
I even switched off the air pump for a few hours, as after I messed with it a week or two ago trying to discrease the flow, one of the outputs isn't working as is making a horrible noise.

I am just after doing a 50% water change that doesnt seem to have made any difference. I fed the fish again to see if they'll eat and finally the platy came out, all eating.

I haven't changed anything, or added any fish. The only thing I can think of is that I moved the filter around a few days ago, so the output is blowing along the lengh of the tank rather than towards the width where the fish are gathering now in the video below. I just turned off the air pump again to see if maybe it's too turbulent for them to swim since the filter flow was moved, or I have no idea what's happening....

Turn off the volume!!!

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=587dHtk9TRA&feature=youtu.be


Edit: Red wag tail platy is under the filter and is impossible to capture. The teenage guppy fry lies at the bottom from time to time even after the water change.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

It looks like they're all watching something on the left side of the tank. You haven't left he TV on the fish-porn channel have you?

The only thing I can think of is to reposition the filter again and see what they do.

 

[Akasha72]

I've got similar problems Snazy and I'm the same as you - I've no idea. My wag tail has done the same as yours, my sunset platy is layed on the gravel in the opposite corner and both my tuxedo platies seem lethagic. My water is fine - no ammonia or nitrite. I am treating the tank for whitespot but I don't remember them being like this the last time I had to treat for whitespot and I'm using the same stuff. I just don't understand. It's a new tank yes, but surely a new tank (with the new filter full of my old mature media) wouldn't cause them to act if if they are sick ...

 

[Cazgar]

I have one female Mm platy that always hides.
She only comes out to feed, I think it's because the male chases her whenever he sees her....he has 3 other females, but always picks on this one.
Have you got an airstone as well as the filter? Maybe the current is too strong for them, or maybe they just like playing with it, they all look healthy enough

 

[snazy]

After I turned the air pump off, the platy came out and was gulping air at the surface with the rest of them, and even more of them had joined, so air pump is back on, the platy is back under the filter and the teenage guppy female is on the gravel.
There are smaller platy and guppy fry that seem to be fine, only the adults and the biggest guppy fry are doing it.

I kind of refuse to believe it is lack of oxygen. Could it be? There are no visible signs and I have not put any medication in this tank yet.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Are you injecting CO2?

Edit: forget that, it can't be CO2 related because your pH is too high.

If it's not lack of oxygen it could be elevated nitrite (the air stone would alleviate the symptoms somewhat by increasing oxygen level in the water), but then you say the nitrite is zero. Could your test be faulty?

 

[snazy]

I don't know if the nitrite test is faulty. I haven't detected any on any of the tanks since cycling these tanks and tap water is 0 too. It is sky blue colour. I doubt it though as I only bought the API test two months ago maybe. Why would it be elevated anyway if that's the cause, mini cycle?

I don't add any CO2. There is no aggression in the tank, it's just a female platy/guppy/corydoras tank with a few fry that if males, don't have gonopodiums yet.
Before I turned off the lights, the teenage female guppy was still lying on the gravel and the platy is still under the filter(how does she squeeze herself there I don't know as she is quite big)

If it is some disease, it will probably show up sooner or later.

I'll see tomorrow, and if still the same, I might have to try moving the filter back the way it was.

 

[Cazgar]

I found with my filter flow going lengthways my fish were quieter, since I turned it widthways, they seem happier

 

[snazy]

I am thinking, my air pump is only outputting half the flow for about a week, as the one of the outputs went bust. A similar thing happened a few weeks ago when I deliberately discreased the flow. I think I managed to damage the air pump in the process. I have a spare chinese one and another one for my third tank still in the box. I'll connect one tomorrow to the other air stone and see if it helps and if not, I'll probably move the filter the other way around towards the front the way it was.

 

[snazy]

I just connected the new eheim air pump I got, got sick looking at them gasping. And wow, it is super silent, like non existent.
Nothing more I can do tonight I guess. I'll see how it looks tomorrow.

 

[snazy]

The platy has been out all day, pooping around like her usual self together with her yellow platy friend

The young female guppy with the bent spine is alive and swimming around, she did "rest" on the gravel a couple of times though. I don't know if this is connected, or she is just weak.

I moved the filter flow the way it was as well, as it was blowing too much at one area together with the air pump.
I think it's all back to normal now. They seem to be buzzing around happily especially after some frozen brine shrimp.