Fish has become scared to come to surface

[Zak Hoov]

My Flowerhorn has recently become scared to come to the surface. He used to come up every time I walked by begging for food. He would follow my finger around at the top, while feeding floating pellets he would stay at the top until feeding was over. Now he seems deathly afraid of it! When I drop a pellet in he is reluctant to come up and when he does, he races up and and goes straight back down.

I had noticed before this started happening that he would frequently stare up at the surface/glass top, in almost a vertical position, then every so often he would jump out of the water and bang into it, almost like he was attacking somthing.

Any ideas as to what is going on amd how this can be resolved?

Thanks!

 

[justarn]

Mine has started this recently and then had stringy white poop, I'm treating for parasites. Have you had him long?
Maybe he isn't well or constipated?

 

[Zak Hoov]

Mine has started this recently and then had stringy white poop, I'm treating for parasites. Have you had him long?
Maybe he isn't well or constipated?

I have had him for 3 weeks. Haven't seen any stringy white poop at all, it is always red/brown'ish. Perhaps I should treat him as a precaution?

 

[justarn]

Read the sticky on Hexamita in the illness section, it's a great read on using Epsom salt rather than meds, cheap easy and harmless to the tank and fish. Definitely worth a precautionary go, that's what I'm doing.

 

[justarn]

FH are prone to illness due to the inbreeding and genetic weakness.

 

[Zak Hoov]

FH are prone to illness due to the inbreeding and genetic weakness.

I will give it a try. Thanks!