I'm new to this and I just set up a 30 gallon tank. I have five fish in it currently and one fish just floates right by the fliter and only moves when its feeding time, another stays right in a conor and wont even move to eat. Is this normal?
Some Fish Arent Moving
- Thread starter fishr
- Start date
No, does not sound normal. Did you cycle the tank before you added the fish? By the sounds of it, you are in a fish-in cycle and likely have high ammonia readings. I'd suggest you invest immediately in a liquid test kit (most prefer the API Master Test Kit) and post your Ammonia, NitrIte and NitrAte stats. You likely won't have anything for a NitrAte reading (or even NitrIte for that matter) if you are at the beginning of a fish-in cycle.
Edit: Check out What's Cycling? and Fish-in Cycling
Edit: Check out What's Cycling? and Fish-in Cycling
Ally555
Fishaholic
Agree with above.
Does not sound normal and you are probably in a 'fish-in' cycle.
Does not sound normal and you are probably in a 'fish-in' cycle.
Welcome to the forum Fishr.
Before you even bother with the testing kit, give your fish a large water change with dechlorinated tap water. You will probably see the fish perk up and start swimming around better. When I say large, I mean at least 50% or more, not some wimpy 20% change.
Before you even bother with the testing kit, give your fish a large water change with dechlorinated tap water. You will probably see the fish perk up and start swimming around better. When I say large, I mean at least 50% or more, not some wimpy 20% change.
Geoff1991
AKA "Sparky"
The fish that hangs by the filter, im going to guess nitrite poisoning.
And the fish that hides in the corner, im going to guess ammonia poisoning.
And the fish that hides in the corner, im going to guess ammonia poisoning.
waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
Agree with all the above advice.
Doing that immediate large water change as advised by OM47 was the correct first thing to do. But its important to realize that it was given in the nature of "Do this right now before you go out the door to find the test kit at some local aquarium shop." The idea is that you would do the water change, go out and get a good liquid-reagent-based test kit (this should be the first thing on every beginners list in my opinion), come back, learn how to use it and post up your results from it here. Meanwhile it might be time for another large water change. You'd also need to be reading the informational articles to be sure you understood good water changing technique and the overall fish-in cycling process.
Most of the fish behaviour you are seeing will probably be due to the poison in the water as we've been discussing but these behaviours are also true sometimes for a period after fish have first been introduced to a new environment and also if they are the type that like some cover, plants and hardscape, to feel protected. As soon as the water chemistry is corrected and they've had a little time though, the "bare tank" problem will be less important to them except in rare cases.
~~waterdrop~~
Doing that immediate large water change as advised by OM47 was the correct first thing to do. But its important to realize that it was given in the nature of "Do this right now before you go out the door to find the test kit at some local aquarium shop." The idea is that you would do the water change, go out and get a good liquid-reagent-based test kit (this should be the first thing on every beginners list in my opinion), come back, learn how to use it and post up your results from it here. Meanwhile it might be time for another large water change. You'd also need to be reading the informational articles to be sure you understood good water changing technique and the overall fish-in cycling process.
Most of the fish behaviour you are seeing will probably be due to the poison in the water as we've been discussing but these behaviours are also true sometimes for a period after fish have first been introduced to a new environment and also if they are the type that like some cover, plants and hardscape, to feel protected. As soon as the water chemistry is corrected and they've had a little time though, the "bare tank" problem will be less important to them except in rare cases.
~~waterdrop~~
Thanks for clarifying that WD. I was in the triage mode when I said to do the water change before getting the test kit. There is no way that I meant instead.
waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
If you come back fishr, let us know your status right away and we can help. -wd-
Okay, thank you for all your help. I did get my water tested and found that my amonia level was 0.5. I thought that I should try changing the water and that really seemed to help. The fish seem to be moving around more and healthy. The only thing that worries me now is that my tetra doesnt seem to be eating. I have only this fish for a week or so but have yet to see it eat. Any advice?
waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
Yes, its the same thing as if you were stuck in a car garage with a bunch of carbon monoxide coming from the tailpipe, you wouldn't be thinking about eating.
OK, Excellent! You are taking action! You got your water tested, saw the poison and realized why the water changes are good. You're ready to learn about Fish-In cycling! First requirement is the thing everyone should buy even before they get a tank, a good liquid-reagent-based test kit. I and many others here like and use the API Freshwater Master Test Kit.
In Fish-In cycling your manual labor making water changes serves as the filter! The goal is to use your new test kit to measure the ammonia and nitrite(NO2) levels. You want to be a bit of a detective and figure out the percentage and frequency of water changes that will allow you to keep ammonia below 0.25ppm and nitrite(NO2) below 0.25ppm by the time you can return home to test again and potentially change water again. Most people fall into a pattern of morning and evening testing such that the they are home at times that are 12 hours apart. If you have a lot of fish it will obviously take more water changes.
Because your bacterial colonies in the filter are extremely weak and your fish are somewhat stressed, you have to use good water changing technique. Use a good conditioner (Seachem Prime, Amquel+ (think I'm remembering that one right) are good ones) at maybe 1.5x the amount they say or even 2x what they say but not more than 2x (double dose.) Also use rough temperature matching (your hand is good enough for this.) If hauling a lot of buckets is a problem then investigate the various hose systems that can be used to make it easier.
Post up your tap water stats here for the members to critique, so we'll know if there are any "gotchas" with your tap water when you do water changes.
~~waterdrop~~
OK, Excellent! You are taking action! You got your water tested, saw the poison and realized why the water changes are good. You're ready to learn about Fish-In cycling! First requirement is the thing everyone should buy even before they get a tank, a good liquid-reagent-based test kit. I and many others here like and use the API Freshwater Master Test Kit.
In Fish-In cycling your manual labor making water changes serves as the filter! The goal is to use your new test kit to measure the ammonia and nitrite(NO2) levels. You want to be a bit of a detective and figure out the percentage and frequency of water changes that will allow you to keep ammonia below 0.25ppm and nitrite(NO2) below 0.25ppm by the time you can return home to test again and potentially change water again. Most people fall into a pattern of morning and evening testing such that the they are home at times that are 12 hours apart. If you have a lot of fish it will obviously take more water changes.
Because your bacterial colonies in the filter are extremely weak and your fish are somewhat stressed, you have to use good water changing technique. Use a good conditioner (Seachem Prime, Amquel+ (think I'm remembering that one right) are good ones) at maybe 1.5x the amount they say or even 2x what they say but not more than 2x (double dose.) Also use rough temperature matching (your hand is good enough for this.) If hauling a lot of buckets is a problem then investigate the various hose systems that can be used to make it easier.
Post up your tap water stats here for the members to critique, so we'll know if there are any "gotchas" with your tap water when you do water changes.
~~waterdrop~~
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