Funny Harlequin Rasbora

[emma_grace]

Hello all!

I have just set up my first little tank (10 gallon), it has been running for 10 days and I have cycled it like I was told in the specialist tropical fish shop, so I took a water sample to the shop and they said it was fine and I now have 4 happy little Harlequin Rasboras swimming around in my tank

One of them is behaving a little strangely though, he (or she, I'm not sure) will swim around with the others quite happily, but out of the corner of my eye I keep catching him swimming on the spot looking at me, he stays there for ages, but then when I lean in he swims off again. He seems happy enough (although a little paler than the rest) and they seem happy as a little group. I was just wondering if this was normal?

Any advice on this would be great!

 

[KittyKat]

I have just set up my first little tank (10 gallon), it has been running for 10 days and I have cycled it like I was told in the specialist tropical fish shop, so I took a water sample to the shop and they said it was fine and I now have 4 happy little Harlequin Rasboras swimming around in my tank

Hmm, sounds like they're acting like the worst of 'em. A cycle will take at least 4-6 weeks normally, not 10 days and requires the addition of ammonia to the aquarium. What exactly did you do? Also you need to get the LFS to write down the exact readings for you. I have seen them say "water is great" when it was toxic enough to kill fish within days.

One of them is behaving a little strangely though, he (or she, I'm not sure) will swim around with the others quite happily, but out of the corner of my eye I keep catching him swimming on the spot looking at me, he stays there for ages, but then when I lean in he swims off again. He seems happy enough (although a little paler than the rest) and they seem happy as a little group. I was just wondering if this was normal?

Nothing to worry about in general, but your exact ammonia and nitrite readings would help to determine..

 

[emma_grace]

Oh no that doesn't sound good, I might go back and get them to tell me what my exact readings were. I went to the Aquatic Design Centre on Great Portland Street. I trusted them to give me good info as I am a complete beginner it's annoying to find out they might have misinformed me, you kind of just trust that they know what they are talking about.

 

[Rogue4Fish]

If they come back and say all your readings are 0, then they're just misleading you. Nitrates should not have a reading of 0.

 

[anon02]

Have a read of "Fish in cycling" in the beginners resource centre of this forum, it will give you some idea of what you`ll have to do to keep your fish safe whilst your filter cycles

 

[KittyKat]

Oh no that doesn't sound good, I might go back and get them to tell me what my exact readings were. I went to the Aquatic Design Centre on Great Portland Street. I trusted them to give me good info as I am a complete beginner it's annoying to find out they might have misinformed me, you kind of just trust that they know what they are talking about.

Oh god, this is so embarrassing! I used to work for Aquatic Design Centre until about two years ago.. and yes, half the staff aren't worth listening to, but there are a few who know what's going on. I hope this time round you come across someone useful. Unfortunately, I can't suggest names as I only spent a couple of weeks in the shop itself so don't know anyone who might still be there.. helterskelter still works for them, so might be able to suggest a person to you, if you ask