Wierd Fish Behaviour!

[craynerd]

As the title says, my fish keep acting strange by rubbing against the front glass of the tank. Its a shoal of 15 cardinals and they have been in only 3 weeks! The water chemistry hasnt changed at all:
pH 6.6
KH 25
Ammonia = 0
Nitrate = 0
Nitrite = 0.25
phosphate = 4
GH = 50

Hope someone can help.....does it indicate anything? have fish done this?

The movement is almost like a swimming motion but into the glass, hence they end up moving up/sliding up the glass!

Chris

 

[WILDER]

Could be a sign of a parasite, anything on the bodies, are the gills red and inflamed, any heavy breathing.

 

[BWBettas]

do they have little white spots on them? might be whitespot

 

[craynerd]

Could be a sign of a parasite, anything on the bodies, are the gills red and inflamed, any heavy breathing.

Nope...look very healthy..fins high..no spots (i.e ICH) !! i dont understand!

 

[WILDER]

Just watch out for parasites, might be nothing to worry about.

 

[dthoffsett]

Nitrite = 0.25

Just a guess, but could it be a reaction to the nitrite level in the tank? You said they've only been in for 3 weeks, did you do a fishless cycle, or I'm guessing a cycle with these fish? I would suggest upping your water changes to every other day until your nitrIte goes to zero.

 

[craynerd]

OK! sounds really daft, but a few days back i changed the direction of the pump outflow to across the width of my tank rather than length so as not to disrupt my plants...... I think the fish are just playing in the wierd currents!

I turned the filter off and they stopped doing it!

Sound normal?

Chris

 

[WILDER]

Some fish do play in currents, just make sure the current isn't to strong for them.

 

[ambie]

I have a few tetras, and they seem to like to swim figure eights up against the glass. I've had them for ages, and haven't lost one yet. As long as they don't look like they have parasites or something, I wouldn't worry about it. Also, if you're filter's too strong of something, they might be directed towards the glass because of the water flow.