Pictus and Neon

[StroiterGames]

So hey, i have a 27g tank and on it i have 4 neons, 3 salfin mollies, 2 ballon mollies, 2 platys, 2 catfish in which one is a pictus catfish, and a pleco. Normally my pictus catfish hides and stay under, what he considers, his territory. But today he just started to go up and down the tank and closing and shuting his mouth. My neons are closing and shuting their mouths too, but the neons and the pictus catfish are the knly ones doing so. Why is that?

 

[Sgooosh]

air pumps? i dont know this behavior maybe the water is too hot?
water conditions

 

[StroiterGames]

air pumps? i dont know this behavior maybe the water is too hot?
water conditions

Air pumps is fine and working fine and so is the filter. The temperature is about 81F (26C°). And if i may add, the pictus catfish is now hiding and sometimes it goes up and down the tank. I thought maybe it wants food as his behaviour was strange but didnt seem like it. The neons are schooling and their mouths are still closing and opening.

 

[StroiterGames]

air pumps? i dont know this behavior maybe the water is too hot?
water conditions

So hey, i have a 27g tank and on it i have 4 neons, 3 salfin mollies, 2 ballon mollies, 2 platys, 2 catfish in which one is a pictus catfish, and a pleco. Normally my pictus catfish hides and stay under, what he considers, his territory. But today he just started to go up and down the tank and closing and shuting his mouth. My neons are closing and shuting their mouths too, but the neons and the pictus catfish are the knly ones doing so. Why is that?

Well now the pictus catfish has stopped doing that weird behaviour with the mouth and going up and down but thr neons are still opening and shuting their mouths

 

[Colin_T]

pictures and video of the fish?

test the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH.

do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate.
make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

 

[Wills]

It sounds like they are gasping so would agree with Colin get a water change done asap and take some water readings.

Just as an aside - at some point the pictus will eat your neons they are pretty predatory.

 

[StroiterGames]

I will chaange the water but they are the only fish gasping, the rest are normal. About the pictues catfish eating neons, ive had them for some time and the catfish hevent tried to eat them.

 

[Wills]

How long have you had them and how big is the pictus

 

[Colin_T]

Pictus catfish can reach 6-8 inches long and can easily eat neon tetras when half that size. Be wary of keeping them together.

Pictus also prefer to be in groups of 6 or more and you need a good size tank for that many

 

[StroiterGames]

How long have you had them and how big is the pictus

2 weeks and the pictus is 2-3 inches and the neons are about 1 inch

 

[Wills]

Ah ok so yeah they have not been together thst long in a few months the pictus will develop its predatory instincts and pick them off over night. Really like pictus though they are a cool fish and nice and active but it is a choice between the them and smaller fish. I don’t think your tank is big enough for a proper group of pictus either though

 

[tyxwilkerson]

Well now the pictus catfish has stopped doing that weird behaviour with the mouth and going up and down but thr neons are still opening and shuting their mouths

does he do this during the day time? have you watched its activity at night time?

 

[Essjay]

The OP has not been on the forum for several months so you are not likely to get a reply, I'm afraid.