NGT Developing a New Defense Mechanism

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arkmann

Piranha
MFK Member
Apr 24, 2007
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Looks like my two NGTs has developed a new defense mechanism. They are always dark and unstable and they rarely swim around. All they do is lie down at the bottom of the tank on their side and not move. Their gills move minimally if at all. I stick my head to the glass and I can barely identify the movement of their gills but when you poke it, sure enough, the fish does move. I have never seen them eat but I'm pretty sure they eat feeder guppies when its at night. By the way, I've had them for a little bit over a month and they are 2 inches small.

Anyone here have had the same experience from smaller dats?
 
sounds like they are stressed and dont like your water they should at least be moving
 
Firstly, its a 10G quarantine/grow out tank. I do once a week water changes of about 50% of total water volume. I have a Penguin 150 on it. I'll do a check of my water parameters (based on what is left of my water testing kit) and I will will post it here.

By the way, it has been this way for a month or 5 weeks. There's also a 1.5 inch indo with them. I would say the NGTs are 2.5 to 3 inches small.
 
arkmann;1289391;1289391 said:
Looks like my two NGTs has developed a new defense mechanism. They are always dark and unstable and they rarely swim around. All they do is lie down at the bottom of the tank on their side and not move. Their gills move minimally if at all. I stick my head to the glass and I can barely identify the movement of their gills but when you poke it, sure enough, the fish does move. I have never seen them eat but I'm pretty sure they eat feeder guppies when its at night. By the way, I've had them for a little bit over a month and they are 2 inches small.

Anyone here have had the same experience from smaller dats?
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Do you have lots of cover for them? Alot of times when they darken up and lie flat in corners they are trying to hide. Its a good idea to let fish have a place to be able to totally hide from view. I am new to NGT`s ,but I have 7 in size from 3-5 in. When I only had big rocks in my tank they would lay flat between them sometimes to hide. Now I have alot of wood plus rocks, they still hide,but are more secure with more places to hide and dart out and grab prawns/krill. hope this helps
 
^Now that makes sense. Its a 10G tank so there is not too much space but they do have a coffee mug to hide in. Other than that, its pretty much a clear and clutter free tank. I will get a couple of elbow PVCs and see how they react to it. That and water parameter testing later.
 
NO2 is 0.1 and NO3 is 50
 
arkmann;1290746; said:
NO2 is 0.1 and NO3 is 50
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That's your answer. They are stressed from the high nitrates and measurable nitrite.
 
ewurm;1290837; said:
That's your answer. They are stressed from the high nitrates and measurable nitrite.
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nitrate has nothing to do with it many people with big fish are lucky to keep their nitrates below 100ppm

the nitrire is probably the problem

also what is the ph it chould be to low i have seen many NGT being stressed out out and acting the same way due to the ph being to low

ph 7.0-8.0 is good for NGT

also a 10g tank thats way to small

you also state your NGTs how many do you have in the 10g
 
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