# One of my fish have been behaving very strange lately



## seyz (Jul 25, 2008)

Recently this number of fish in our tank went down from 4 to 2. One of them died because it was around 5 years old and the other one was attacked by, lets say FISH A in our tank. Now FISH B, just sits on the top of our plants kinid of laying back and chilling out, not really swimming. It will sit and the bottom and stay behind the rocks or something. I have seen FISH A attack FISH B(or at least chase him).

I am not sure if FISH B is sick, or scared of the other fish. The pH and ammonia levels are good, right temp. I am not sure.

Any suggestions here?

Thanks in advance


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## kittykat_ll (Jul 5, 2009)

Is there anyway you can separate the two fish? That way then you get a close look at fish B to make sure it's not sick and so it won't get attacked by Fish A.


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## mdmorash (Jul 4, 2009)

I'm still new to pet fish, but I had a Cichlid that became overly aggressive and would sit in the middle of the tanks and chase any fish who ventured out of the corners. The only fish it did not go for was one of the Blood Parrots and Oscar. I removed her and after about 10 minutes the tank went back to normal and all the fish were swimming around and socializing again. I'm not sure why she went aggressive but separating her from the tank seemed to work.


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## Monk11876 (Mar 20, 2009)

If you dont have a separate tank then a trick I use is to get one of the breeder nets that hang on the side and put angry fish in the net and do a lights off with no food for 24 hours and rearrange the tank. then after the 24 hours release angry fish and the confinement and the removal of territory markers usually stop the aggression. Just please don't put a 6 inch tall angel in a 4 inch breeder net. the fish has to still be able to turn around in thebreeder net.


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## Monk11876 (Mar 20, 2009)

I forgot, if you dont have plants in your tank then get some. if have plants but not a lot then get more. Being able to get out of other fishes sights also will help with aggression. My 29g has 8-9 plastic plants that go all the way to the surface and a couple of swords and several stem plants (rotala and cabomba) that go halfway up. Your tank should not have clear line of sight from one end to the other for at least the back half.


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## seyz (Jul 25, 2008)

I can't be sure though. The sick/scared looking fish just hides at the top of plants near the surface of the water, sometimes he's even hard to see. He looks a bit puffy but then again he's always looked like that.

Any further advice please?


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

Could you let us know what fish FISH A is and FISH B is? There are fish that are just not compatible with each other and will kill each other in the same tank. If you do not know that these two fish belong together then they could be mortal enemies. We really need more information than you are giving us. 

Also the idea of putting a Cichlid, an Oscar, and Blood Parrots in the same tank is just asking for trouble. Why be surprised when one of them is hostile?


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## seyz (Jul 25, 2008)

I'd just like to add that this fish is looking sick/not well. Now he is hiding behind the filter and the back of the tank. I haven't seen the fish go anywhere near him for the last few days(except to eat, they eat peacefully).

Could he be sick? Any other suggestions.

Thanks in advance


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## OP_tiMus-pRiME (Jul 8, 2009)

We need some more info. Specific water parameters, fish species, pics, etc. For now I would recommend a water change, but since we don't know anything i can't really help you.


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## seyz (Jul 25, 2008)

I uploaded some pics. The first pic is the fish that is the attacker, the second is the one of the fish that I am worried about. He's the orange one and normally stays in that part of the tank.

ImageBam - Fast, Free Image Hosting and Photo Sharing
ImageBam - Fast, Free Image Hosting and Photo Sharing

Hope this helps =/


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## fishfinder (Aug 31, 2008)

Its a pair of swordtails. Appears to be a male and female. The male has the long 'sword' shaped tail, and the female has more of a straight tail. Looks like she is pregnant. I haven't had swordtails in years. So hopefully the swordtail people can give you advice about their behavior.


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## JIM (May 27, 2009)

*The most likely cause of your problem is that the fish choosing to stay at the top of the tank is being bullyied by someone else in the tank, I hate to say it but if not removed from the threat, that fish will die. *


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## seyz (Jul 25, 2008)

fishfinder said:


> Its a pair of swordtails. Appears to be a male and female. The male has the long 'sword' shaped tail, and the female has more of a straight tail. Looks like she is pregnant. I haven't had swordtails in years. So hopefully the swordtail people can give you advice about their behavior.


Yes please do. If she is pregnant I want to be best prepared as I can. Also, does this explain her staying at the top of the tank?


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

No the staying at the top is a sign of stress and her trying to escape her situation. It is a sign of desperation on her part and generally the last sign before she is ready to die from stress. JIM is really right this fish has got to be removed from this situation and very soon or she will be dead. 

I would go one further and say that since the tank is cycled and heated leave your male there and find a way to get a nursery tank for her even if it a small plastic container with no filtration and you have to do daily water changes but get a small sponge filter and start it bubbling in the back of your established tank and in a week to 10 days you will have a seeded filter to put in the tank for her that will be safe for her and for the fry she will deliver. She will need a heater in the container too and some moss if you can get some at the fish store for the fry to use to hide in. Once she has the fry perhaps she can be put back in the other tank but if you see that the male is going to continue to bully her then one of them is going to have to be removed permanently from the tank.

Rose


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## seyz (Jul 25, 2008)

Okay, so she is definitely pregnant? I will go to the store today.

On the new tank for the female. I have a small plastic container that should be suitable. I'd like to get a real heater and filter for it though, if that is possible. What kind of heater/filter should I be looking for in the plastic container?

Thanks all guys


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## seyz (Jul 25, 2008)

Okay, I set up a small plastic tank with a heater. No filter though. How long should I wait before I add the pregnant fish into it? I wasn't able to get any live moss so I got a fake plant. I am also adding another fake plant into that tank as well.

Please guide me through here because I am very new to this.

Thanks


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

Since there are going to be fry in that tank I would get a small sponge filter with a small airpump and air control device as any normal filter will be dangerous for them and they risk being sucked up into the filter. The flow is too strong for them. The sponge filter will need to be put in your main tank for the first 7 to 10 days though to seed itself with the bacteria needed to cycle it. 
Until that time you just do water changes of about half the water in the tank every day and it will take care of the cycle until the filter is cycled. They look like this and need an airline and airpump to go with them. you connect them like this....

airpump...airline....air control device...airline....sponge filter

Foam Aquarium Biological Filters: Oxygen Plus Bio-Filter 11

Aquarium Air Pumps: Flexible Airline Tubing by Tom Aquarium Products

Aquarium Air Control Kits for Air Stones, Decorations, & Ornaments

Aquarium Air Pumps: Whisper Air Pumps

I am not saying to buy here and there are other types of these products. These are offered as examples of what you need and the following is the type of heater that I told you about that is warranted for life. it is the best heater that I have ever found and will last you as long as you own it. Be sure to keep the box and receipt and if it ever should fail they will replace it free. As long as I have used them I have never had one fail. If I were to spend money on quality anywhere in my tanks it would be on the heater. The cheaper filter will still filter your tank but the cheap heater failing you can cost you every fish your have.

Aquarium Heaters: Visi-Therm Stealth Heater

I am sure that you may be able to find these things cheaper and save yourself shipping costs in a local store but the information is to show you examples of what you need.

Hope this helps.

Rose


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## seyz (Jul 25, 2008)

Okay great. I wish I seen your post earlier, I just went out and bought a heater >< 

If I go to the pet store and say "HEY I NEED A SPONGE FILTER ONE OF MY FISH IS PREGNANT" will they know what I mean?(or should they know what I mean)

I bought a pretty spact $20 small plastic tank. I've got 2 fake plants a small live one from the garden and a few floating. I will add more once the water gets heated up and such. 

Just one more question...when should I add the pregnant fish into the new tank? 

Thanks


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