Fish Swimming At Top Of Tank

[animalhouse512]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Ok, so here is the scoop. I have two guppys, one platy, one swordtail, and one albino catfish in a 10 gallon tank. We have all live plants. We have had this tank for over 5 months now, and recently I noticed some strange behavior from most of the fish in the tank (catfish excluded). They are all swimming in the top front left corner of the tank. We have an air filter with carbon insert due to prior pH issues (super acidic water in Austin,Tx apparently) and a bubbler that is constantly running. The air filter is in the back left corner of the tank and the bubbler is in the back right corner. The fish seem to be migrating to that front left area. Eveyone seems pretty happy, except maybe one guppy who has been changing colors from bright yellow to dull white. I thought maybe temp, but the thermometer reads at 75F. I checked levels with the "expensive kit" from petco with the droppers of chemicals and what not, all were ok except a 1 reading of ammonia. Any ideas friends?[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=10.5pt]Any help is awesome!!! [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=10.5pt]KB[/SIZE]

 

[EllieJellyEllie]

Well, with a reading of ammonia, your tank is in a cycle. it sounds like nitrite issues, which that and ammonia are poisonous, and nitrate is posionous in high levels. I would do a 75% water change immediatly.
 
Do you change the filter cartridges on a regular basis? If so, I would advise you to stop/ In the carbon and filter floss of a filter cartridge is where the bacteria lives to eat the ammonia and nitrites.
 
How often do you do water changes?

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Is it only the carbon cartridge in the filter? If it is, it would be best for you to get some proper filter media, like bioballs and/or filter sponge. Carbon is not good at holding the bacteria we need in our filters to convert ammonia to nitrite, and nitrite to nitrate.
 
Do you know how high your reading of ammonia was?
 
Do the fish appear to be breathing heavily?

 

[animalhouse512]

Ahhh. So i'm kind of a noob... and I guess I wasn't changing my filter fast enough, but nowI changed my filter. My fish seem much happier now! D 
 
KB

 

[eaglesaquarium]

NO!  Don't change the filter. 
 
 
The filter has the good bacteria that you want to deal with the ammonia and nitrite produced by the fish.  The filter will need to be rinsed from time to time in old tank water, but not replaced.  The media only needs to be 'replaced' when its literally falling apart.

 

[bluesword23516]

Also the temperature seems a little warm for them. If its safe for your catfish drop the temp. to about 72.

 

[westonsupermanc]

My Platys and Mollies all swim in one corner too mainly when they see me cos they think food is on the way hehe don't think you have anything to worry about fish get used to the hand that feeds

 

[bluesword23516]

If they are always there though there is something wrong. My fish think food when they see me but if they aren't fed they go about their normal business.

 

[FlyingFish78]

I know how you feel. My Zebra Danios have started hanging around in one corner of the tank, ever since I vigorously cleaned the front of the tank with a cloth. They began darting back and forth like crazy; clearly freaked out. I just thought nothing of it and carried on wiping the glass. Several hours later and they're all hudding in one corner and won't come out. Every time I go near the tank they see me coming and hide behind the spray bar. I hope this behaviour doesn't persist. Previously they used to swim to the surface for a feed when they saw me.