New Flowerhorn Baby

[flowerhornfishman]

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He's acting normal and very playful with the bubbles. He likes swimming up and down the tank. He's constantly picking up sand and throwing it back out. Not sure if just looking for food. He never really lost his appetite or anything. He kept eating and pooping whenever fed.

I'm not sure what is considered abnormal?
One thing I saw is that during the night he develops the stress bars across the top of his head and body and becomes quite lethargic.

Acting abnormal is a sign of early stage disease. that is the best time to prevent it from getting.
The stress bars occured prbbly because he is stressed out. not comfortable with the environment. i do small water changes every 2days until his stress is gone. play and interact with him more so tht he gains trust with you. at night time, how is his surroundings? the lighting? too bright light can cause stress but thats all in procedure of getting ur fh to get used to the environment. but we have to minimise to possible causes of stress to him. try to figure out why ur fh gets stressed at night. i usually turn on his lights before dark. this prevents from shocking him

 

[flowerhornfishman]

View attachment 1265115 View attachment 1265116 View attachment 1265117 View attachment 1265118

He's acting normal and very playful with the bubbles. He likes swimming up and down the tank. He's constantly picking up sand and throwing it back out. Not sure if just looking for food. He never really lost his appetite or anything. He kept eating and pooping whenever fed.

I'm not sure what is considered abnormal?
One thing I saw is that during the night he develops the stress bars across the top of his head and body and becomes quite lethargic.

Acting abnormal is a sign of early stage disease. that is the best time to prevent it from getting.
The stress bars occured prbbly because he is stressed out. not comfortable with the environment. i do small water changes every 2days until his stress is gone. play and interact with him more so tht he gains trust with you. at night time, how is his surroundings? the lighting? too bright light can cause stress but thats all in procedure of getting ur fh to get used to the environment. but we have to minimise to possible causes of stress to him. try to figure out why ur fh gets stressed at night. i usually turn on his lights before dark. this prevents from shocking him

 

[flowerhornfishman]

Sorry double post.

My fh usually takes 3-4 days to get used to the environment. i dont put hiding places for him cuz i dont want him to hide when im near. all i do is make no sudden movements around the tank and sit in front of his tank for a few minutes to let him know you better. i use bare tank fpr easy maintenance

 

[fishiefishie]

Acting abnormal is a sign of early stage disease. that is the best time to prevent it from getting.
The stress bars occured prbbly because he is stressed out. not comfortable with the environment. i do small water changes every 2days until his stress is gone. play and interact with him more so tht he gains trust with you. at night time, how is his surroundings? the lighting? too bright light can cause stress but thats all in procedure of getting ur fh to get used to the environment. but we have to minimise to possible causes of stress to him. try to figure out why ur fh gets stressed at night. i usually turn on his lights before dark. this prevents from shocking him

I'm not sure why he gets lethargic and stressed out during the night. The lights are on for 12 hours between 11a-11p. The room lights are still on though. I don't turn off the room lights until 12-1a. He's in a 20 gallon tall with no hiding areas. There's only cichlid sand, one moss ball, and a long blue airstone.

I try to sit infront of the tank for a few minutes and he swims across and sits still swimming in place and staring at me, begging for food. lol

He's gotten to he point where he feeds off a little plastic tool I use to feed him the medicated food. He'll jump to get the pellet out of the water.

During the day he is perfectly happy, hungry all the time, and slowly beginning to trust me. I'll throw in grand sumo pellets once in a while in between feedings. I'll use it as a staple once he treatment is done in a few days.

Water parameters are perfect, zero ammonia, zero nitrite, 10-20ppm nitrate, 7.8 pH, temperature 82.6-82.8F. I might increase temperature to 84F. I added small amount of cichlid salt a while back to help with health.

 

[Khoi Ta]

your fish is not getting enough steroids

 

[fishiefishie]

your fish is not getting enough steroids

Could you elaborate?

 

[flowerhornfishman]

I'm not sure why he gets lethargic and stressed out during the night. The lights are on for 12 hours between 11a-11p. The room lights are still on though. I don't turn off the room lights until 12-1a. He's in a 20 gallon tall with no hiding areas. There's only cichlid sand, one moss ball, and a long blue airstone.

I try to sit infront of the tank for a few minutes and he swims across and sits still swimming in place and staring at me, begging for food. lol

He's gotten to he point where he feeds off a little plastic tool I use to feed him the medicated food. He'll jump to get the pellet out of the water.

During the day he is perfectly happy, hungry all the time, and slowly beginning to trust me. I'll throw in grand sumo pellets once in a while in between feedings. I'll use it as a staple once he treatment is done in a few days.

Water parameters are perfect, zero ammonia, zero nitrite, 10-20ppm nitrate, 7.8 pH, temperature 82.6-82.8F. I might increase temperature to 84F. I added small amount of cichlid salt a while back to help with health.

I dont turn on the aquarium lights during the day because i rely on indirect sunlight hitting the tank. it is much better than artificial lights and i believe it much healthier for him. the whole night i leave the aquariim lights on. cuz ive noticed when it is completely dark my fh would be so scared and sits at the bottom. To avoid scaring him i leave the lights on. he loves the lights on at night.
Your case is that he is still adjusting the environment. water changes and salt will surely do help. what type of light u r using anyway? maybe it is too bright for him.. i used a pink led, but im planning to buy a white led to pop out his pearls. the lights should go with the colour of the fh.

 

[fishiefishie]

I dont turn on the aquarium lights during the day because i rely on indirect sunlight hitting the tank. it is much better than artificial lights and i believe it much healthier for him. the whole night i leave the aquariim lights on. cuz ive noticed when it is completely dark my fh would be so scared and sits at the bottom. To avoid scaring him i leave the lights on. he loves the lights on at night.
Your case is that he is still adjusting the environment. water changes and salt will surely do help. what type of light u r using anyway? maybe it is too bright for him.. i used a pink led, but im planning to buy a white led to pop out his pearls. the lights should go with the colour of the fh.

I just purchased a night/day LED bar and I will begin leaving the night light on for the baby FH. It's a purple/blue light. My FH does the same thing. He gets scared and sits at the bottom of the tank as well.

https://www.amazon.com/NICREW-Aquar...sr=1-1-spons&keywords=Aquarium+led+light&th=1

I'm prepping the 55 gallon tank and in a few days I'll transfer him over.

 

[flowerhornfishman]

I just purchased a night/day LED bar and I will begin leaving the night light on for the baby FH. It's a purple/blue light. My FH does the same thing. He gets scared and sits at the bottom of the tank as well.

https://www.amazon.com/NICREW-Aquarium-Light-Extendable-Brackets/dp/B01ID3OK3S/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1501103397&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=Aquarium+led+light&th=1

I'm prepping the 55 gallon tank and in a few days I'll transfer him over.

Thts great. im planning to purchase a white led cuz most fh hobbyists recmmend tht to me. they said tht it can pop out their pearls. the colours on them can be enhanced from food mostly.. so i'll be fcusing on pearls for my fh. yea.. he gets scared cuz the sudden chge of environment.. not healthy for them. if he is happy to see you always then let him see evry time. during the day dont need to use the led if your room is well lit with natural light.
haah goodm i think he be more happy to be in a regular rectangular shaped tank haha