Help, Panicing, Fry Trying To Commit Suicide!

[star4]

some of my ellioti x firemouth fry are trying to kill themselves! I have had to rescue about 10 today from under the gravel, they are swimming through the gravel and getting stuck between the gravel and the glass. I have to get a cocktail stick and make them a path back up through the gravel. There is a large group of them in one corner all heads down tails going like stink trying to hide in the stones. Where the other group are just chilling by the filter swimming about normally.
Whats going on?

 

[hensonc4098]

My krib fry sometimes used to do that if they got a fright or something scared them, they would try to bury themselves in the gravel. I just left them and they managed to get back out on their own

 

[blue acara]

I agree with last post, they are probably scared and they are certainly stupid. You will get more success if you breed and raise them in a bare bottom tank, the fry wont get stuck and its much cleaner. Good luck

 

[star4]

The tank is bare bottomed apart from a gravel bank I built up to try to keep them safe in while they were hatching as the filter is a bit strong. I guess I will just leave them along because I must be terrifying them more trying to rescue the odd ones.

Fish!

 

[blue acara]

Use a sponge filter