stressed baby fish?

[jackson palaszewsky]

hi so i’ve had these three arapiama about a week and a half and they’ve only been staying in that same corner just swimming against the shorter end of the tank i tried adding cover and plants and put some ghost shrimp for them to hunt but they just stay in that corner is that normal behavior for babies or is there something i need to do? water parameters are good and i do water changes every 4-7 days and feeding twice a day morning and night

 

[tlindsey]

hi so i’ve had these three arapiama about a week and a half and they’ve only been staying in that same corner just swimming against the shorter end of the tank i tried adding cover and plants and put some ghost shrimp for them to hunt but they just stay in that corner is that normal behavior for babies or is there something i need to do? water parameters are good and i do water changes every 4-7 days and feeding twice a day morning and night

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The baby arapaima probably feel secure in that area. I suggest placing a background on the aquarium and see if they move to different areas.

 

[jjohnwm]

The baby arapaima probably feel secure in that area. I suggest placing a background on the aquarium and see if they move to different areas.

Yep; they are newly placed in a very sparsely decorated tank, bare bottom, close to an unshaded window with tons of light blaring in upon them. Lots of stress factors there.

I'd put a shade on that window, add some floating plants, generally cut the light level down, maybe even consider some substrate. Minimize traffic around the tank for awhile if possible.

Is there heavy current in that tank? Air-breathing fish are not typically found in areas of high water movement; that's why they evolved to breathe air!

Are those fish eating? I've only seen arapaimas that small once before, and foolishly bought one thinking that my 180-gallon tank was "big" (had to rehome it within not much more than a year). That little guy did not have the big-headed, emaciated look of these fish.

 

[jackson palaszewsky]

Yep; they are newly placed in a very sparsely decorated tank, bare bottom, close to an unshaded window with tons of light blaring in upon them. Lots of stress factors there.

I'd put a shade on that window, add some floating plants, generally cut the light level down, maybe even consider some substrate. Minimize traffic around the tank for awhile if possible.

Is there heavy current in that tank? Air-breathing fish are not typically found in areas of high water movement; that's why they evolved to breathe air!

Are those fish eating? I've only seen arapaimas that small once before, and foolishly bought one thinking that my 180-gallon tank was "big" (had to rehome it within not much more than a year). That little guy did not have the big-headed, emaciated look of these fish.

yea they’ve been eating great and i added a few plants and lots of duck weed but it’s difficult to add plants and substrate because this is just a grow out so i’m doing lots of water changes that most plants wouldn’t hold up very well in and as far as current i adjusted it to be a low flowing as possible but they’re actually only staying wherever the current is which i found odd but thanks for the info i will definitely put up a shade for them

 

[jackson palaszewsky]

The baby arapaima probably feel secure in that area. I suggest placing a background on the aquarium and see if they move to different areas.

ok awesome thanks for the info i’ll be putting a background on they’re tank once i’m back from vacation