Help Knife acting nuerotic

acidburn470

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 7, 2005
137
5
0
39
Fort Collins
My African Knifefish is acting really strange and I dont know whats wrong with it. It is swimming all over the tank but continually flipping upside down and spinning around and keeps coming up to the surface. I have no idea whats wrong. Any help would be appreciated.
 

ewurm

Aimara
MFK Member
Jan 27, 2006
28,476
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132
14
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My African Knifefish is acting really strange and I dont know whats wrong with it. It is swimming all over the tank but continually flipping upside down and spinning around and keeps coming up to the surface. I have no idea whats wrong. Any help would be appreciated.
Do you have any potential source of electromagnetic interfence near the tank? These fish sense electrical signals in the water, and could be affected by this.
 

acidburn470

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 7, 2005
137
5
0
39
Fort Collins
Not to my knowledge the tank is against a wall with two of my other tanks the nearest electrical thing is about 6 feet away against an opposite wall.
 

acidburn470

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 7, 2005
137
5
0
39
Fort Collins
Here are results of my water tests if that helps. Nitrate- 60 Nitrite- 0 Hrdness- 75 Alkalinity- 0 and pH- 6.8.
Also I just did a water change 2 days ago. And added some highgrow plants over a week ago. Other than that there has been no new additions to the tank or a change in anything.
 

ewurm

Aimara
MFK Member
Jan 27, 2006
28,476
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My last girlfriend was neurotic. Is it a female? LOL
 

Miles

Stingray King
MFK Member
Jul 2, 2005
5,538
152
120
Spokane, WA
Here are results of my water tests if that helps. Nitrate- 60 Nitrite- 0 Hrdness- 75 Alkalinity- 0 and pH- 6.8.
Also I just did a water change 2 days ago. And added some highgrow plants over a week ago. Other than that there has been no new additions to the tank or a change in anything.
I don't think the african knives have electrical sensories? Only gymnotiforms? I could be very wrong..

The nitrates are a little high, lower than 30-40 is preferrable..

Did you test for Ammonia?

I would add something to buffer your Alkalinity. With an Alkalinity reading of 0 and very little hardness, any slightest amount of acids (ammonia) could causing your pH to drop heavily. This can be extremely stressful on the fish, especially more sensative ones like knifefish. Every feeding could be causing a swing in pH.
 
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