Green Severum Behaviour Help Needed

[star4]

I have had my adult green pair for a couple of weeks or so now and they are an absolute nightmare with their scatty behaviour! Everytime I do a water change and gravel vac (twice a week) one or both try and jump out of the tank. Tonight it was the female launched herself right out of the water and hit me on the shoulder. Also both of them loose colour for about an hour after the waterchange and hide The female is particularly bad going from deep green to very very light tan.

I didnt have this bother with settling in Vinney, he was quiet and shy for about a week, but now nudges my arm when I am cleaning his tank and Harry who has been here a week is totally unfazed by the move and has to be poked out of the way of the gravel vac

I have tried doing a water change with the lights off to hopefully reduce the stress but they were just as bad, I dont know how to make cleaning the tank less stressfull for them

 

[Wills]

Sounds like my Heros Severus so so scared in comparison to my new gold they change colour so rapidly its unreal - severums are famous for their sulking, try some floating plants and some high ground cover also some upper water fish to try and calm them down but not really fast moving ones like danios but calmer like rainbows maybe?

Wills

 

[ChilliPepper]

Sorry, I don't have any advice, seems quite odd. Where did you get them from? Are they used to regular waterchanges?

I have to say my two Sevs are complete dopes, especially my Red. When we were trying to catch Burt to take him to LFS, we caught him twice he just wouldn't get out of the way just swimming around without a bother. No one cares when we do water changes either, even when we've had to take the wood out. They will go in the corner, then straight back out picking around.

I hope someone has an idea what to advise

 

[snowflake311]

haha the fish hit you. When you get older fish that grew up in another home they might act differant then the ones you raised from babies. We know Vinny came from a home were he was raised with regular wc so he is use to it.

My guess is the last owner did not do many WC since they are not use to water changes they will freak out. ALso they are new and getting use to the new home so wc add stress to already stressed fish. Getting older fish is like getting a older dog they might have little problems they need to over come.

WIth time they will adjust. just work with them give them times. I know my Uaru that were rescued were shy and weird. Now after a few months they are just as out going as my other fish. but it took time also they are around other outgoing fish that helped.

So give them time they will warm up to you.

 

[hamfist]

Agree completely with SF

 

[star4]

Thanks guys, I had them from Fishyjake, who does do regular water changes, his tank is unbelievably spotless! but before him I dont know. They have live floating plants (well still semi alive after they have been tugged at ) a large plastic plant that sticks to the side set by the spray bar so it half floats giving cover. Both fish have damage the female is virtually missing one of her pectoral fins, looks like a bad fight at some point and the male is missing part of his dorsal fin, so they have had it rough at some point in their life. Their tankmates are all pretty chilled and are not bothered by wc. I guess its going to be a matter of time.