Skittish fish questions...

[cvermeulen]

I have a tank set up in my bedroom, where there is very little traffic. For quite a while the inhabitants were a small silver aro, a small TSN, a large goldfish, and a random cichlid. The TSN was VERY skittish, and would have major fits in the tank if you touched the stand or even walked past and startled him. Since I've moved him out to a higher traffic area, he's calmed down a lot. He still uproots a lot of tank decor when hunting, but generally doesn't freak out.

Now... I recently added a bubble curtain to the tank, and switched over to black substrate. the Aro is about 15" long now, and used to be interested in nothing but food. He was a really aggressive feeder, and would nearly take your fingers off if you put your hands in the tank for any reason. However, since I've made these changes, he's been very distraught and skittish. I thought at first the bubble curtain created a current he didn't like, but he stays skitzo even if I leave it off for days. I'm worried that he's going to hurt himself. He also barely eats now, whereas before he was a serious pig. What gives? I've been staying on top of water changes like white on rice, as I added a baby motoro to the tank this week, so it's not that. The substrate I took out of there had some aragonite in it... but he started his weird behaviour instantly when I made the change, so I seriously doubt the PH is to blame.

I plan to move him to the larger tank in my living room soon (as soon as it mini cycles from the barbs I just put in there.) But I'm not sure if he'll adapt to the higher traffic as easily as my big fat lazy TSN did. Anyone know what makes fish skittish?

 

[LisaH]

A few things will make some fish skittish. Being in a tank that is low to the ground...Wearing dark clothes around the tank...Changing the decor...Bright light...Vibration will scare some fish. You could try to remove the bubble wall to see if that is the problem. Try to spend as much time as you can in front of the tank.

 

[zennzzo]

It's not the ph of the substrate, it's the change itself...at 15" he is ready to go wild anyway(think teenager), but now his environment is different, he has to settle in again...My Aros don't even like the few rocks in the tank disrupted...

 

[Cichlaholics Anonymous]

the change of substrate might have affected the biofilter perhaps, and that ends up stressing the aro?

 

[cvermeulen]

the change of substrate might have affected the biofilter perhaps, and that ends up stressing the aro?

I don't know, maybe. The tank is filtered through a canister - I'll test the water today before I do a w/c. I think I will add some aragonite to the canister today and that will maybe bring the water back to where he's used to it.

I have a baby motoro, a gold nugget pleco, and a Uaru in the tank as well though, and the only one who's having a problem is the Aro. I really want to move him out into the 120gal tank in the living room so he has more room but my concerns are double - firstly, if he's a spaz he'll set off my (now 18") TSN, who will completely destroy the tank, and himself. Second, that tank is still minicycling, so I definitely don't want to take him from an uncomfortable water condition and put him in an even less comfortable water condition.