Whats Wrong With All My Fish?

[fish nutter]

well my cat has been in my room a lot more...

i have also noticed they are more sensitive to vibrations... things like placing the fish food on top of the tank.
they also swim fast and jittery, keeping close to the bottom of the tank.

i will buy plenty more plants (herd somewhere that plants in a fish-in cycle is not a good idea... but tank is cycled now after 4 long months) and some Bogwood.

cheers

 

[meguro]

remove one of the tubes from ur light or put in a lot more plants

 

[fish nutter]

remove one of the tubes from ur light or put in a lot more plants

kinda confused... you think it is the light that is making them act like this? Other people simply say that the more light the better... i guess it wont hurt to try. why would the light cause the fish stress? lots of tanks have two bulbs and there fish are fine. I assume you are more expierienced than me but still i like some justification before i do anything.

Thanks

 

[meguro]

isnt it a little suspicious how theyre all swimming in the only shade in the tank?

theres also a lot of open water, more plants to fill those large spaces would make the fish feel more secure

obviously though, its quicker to test the light than it is to go out and get more plants. i would leave only 1 tube on (if it all) until i could add more plants

also, i could only count 11 rummynose in ur pictures but possibly 1 is camera shy

 

[fish nutter]

ok that helps (now i see how obvious it is lol), i will give it a try with one tube...

Thanks

 

[Assaye]

What has sruck me is how bare the tank is. Tetras are shoaling fish which means that they need a lot of friends to feel secure and safe. You've provided this but of they leave the cave, they are in a bright, bare tank which makes them feel very un-safe! They need plants to hide in (lots of them) and a few more caves. The more places they have to hide, generally the less they will feel the need to hide as they know they always have a hiding place close by if the need it.

Fish are also used to light coming from above, not all sides (as you have in your tank).

Get the light level down and get some more plants in there. With some tall plants (like vallis) and some floating plants, they'll be protected from the bright light. Get a background on there as well (even just a black plastic bag taped to the back).

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

Don't bother removing the any light, add plants.. They thrive the move light there is, and will natually lower the light levels getting to the substrate.

Those fish just look like they are taking to cover as they do not feel safe in the rest of the tank, too open. Open water is dangerous for smaller fish, the like to be close to the banks, and vegitation for cover and protection

Good call on getting a background too.

 

[fish nutter]

ok, so a black background along with bogwood, plants and some more caves. what do you mean by light on all sides? should i put a black background on the two sides of the tank as well? and Malt_Vinegar, i have had several opinions that the tubes colour temperature is too strong for the fish and that i should purchase lights with a spectrum between 5500K and 6000K (i currently have 8000K and 18000K)... i am not sure how experienced others are so a little explanation would help .

thanks

 

[kaivalagi]

i have had several opinions that the tubes colour temperature is too strong for the fish and that i should purchase lights with a spectrum between 5500K and 6000K (i currently have 8000K and 18000K)... i am not sure how experienced others are so a little explanation would help .

thanks

I don't think changing the tubes to get a different colour will make any where near as much difference as getting plants in there, and "too strong" is not the term, maybe too blue?....but if you get planting I think your current lighting will be fine for them, they just need cover to feel secure

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

i have had several opinions that the tubes colour temperature is too strong for the fish and that i should purchase lights with a spectrum between 5500K and 6000K (i currently have 8000K and 18000K)... i am not sure how experienced others are so a little explanation would help .

thanks

I don't think changing the tubes to get a different colour will make any where near as much difference as getting plants in there, and "too strong" is not the term, maybe too blue?....but if you get planting I think your current lighting will be fine for them, they just need cover to feel secure

I agree, just get some cover in there from the plants. If you still find the fish are behaving the same, perhaps then look as spending money on new tubes.

As for the blacking out the side, just do the back wall Should bring them out and about, and make them a bit happier!

*edit* wow, 18000k?? Thats pretty bright, how much UV will that be pumping out??

 

[fish nutter]

doesn't say on box but it can be used for marine and fresh water. And yes the spectrum is almost all blue... can someone tell me how to solve the problem Assaye pointed out: "Fish are also used to light coming from above, not all sides (as you have in your tank)" (don't quite know what they mean.

thanks

 

[kaivalagi]

Plants is the simple answer. I haven't seen the use of backing on the sides of a tank, you just need to give them more to hide amongst throughout the tank, also some bottom dwellers such as cory would make them feel a little more secure, my other fish that are no threat to them moving around would put them at ease I would think

 

[fish nutter]

Plants is the simple answer. I haven't seen the use of backing on the sides of a tank, you just need to give them more to hide amongst throughout the tank, also some bottom dwellers such as cory would make them feel a little more secure, my other fish that are no threat to them moving around would put them at ease I would think

ok, will do. thanks for your great advice .