When will little buddy finally settle?

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Mercury2234

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2009
208
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Orlando, FL
Hi all,

Recently bought a Senegal on Saturday (he was alive and kicking on PetsMart), but then I noticed he would float and stay underneath the filter....

I read on previous forums that its ok as they are getting used to the new tank, but how long before I start to worry?

He hasnt eaten yet, I have Zebra Danios (feeders), Ghost shrimps, and even tried frozen brine shrimp with no results.

Would another Senegal help out the soothe the environment? I have a 30gallon tank with only him in it, that is, outside the feeders and shrimp.
 
another sen could help, but not really necessary other than patience.

depending on the individual, they take longer than you think to settle.

I had some wild laps that took 6months to settle and start eating.


a CB sen should be fine after a week, two at the most.

Longer than a few months, be somewhat worried, but not completely :)
 
I've had my Sen for a little over a month now, and he's like General Admission... ALL OVER THE PLACE!!!

I always kind of thought that due to their stature, that they'd be most bottom dwellers , hiding amongst the wood and plants most of the time, but MAN WAS I WRONG. He(Actually I think it's a SHE) cruises all over the place much like an Arowana, and regularly plays in the filter current. Also, you'll notice them DART to the surface of the water and gulp air. I DO see mine hiding out here and there along the tank bottom, but Sens are VERY active little buggers. They swim through the water the way I imagine a dragon flying through the sky.

Maybe yours' just actually prefers the current that your filter is providing, and that's why it likes to hang out floating toward the top.

Also, if you feed sinking pellets to it, it may decide to explore the bottom of the tank a little more. The pellets have a smell that Bichirs seem yo LOVE, and I'm guessing as soon as yours gets wind of them, he/she will be exploring the bottom of the tank regularly looking for more of them. The sinking shrimp pellets that I use, my Sen LOVES! I just need to get some Massivore pellets and maybe some Krill to balance out the diet a bit. He absolutly LOVES frozen Blood Worms, but I'm thinking they aren't the MOSt cost effective way to go.
 
The ghost shrimps do hang around at the bottom, I even have a little cave for him/her. The zebras are all over the place, in fact alot of them swim all of his/her face and nothing.

Unfortunately, he is not swimming at the current, but rather BEHIND of the filter's support, or the place the water flow.

I like him alot, but I am planning on having more oddballers...an African buttlerfly, a leaf fish and possibly a peacock eel.
 
Mine (also from petsmart) did the same thing. It jumped into the overflow and died.

Try sinking pellets or frozen bloodworms. It will eat eventually though, they aren't picky.
 
this thread has been touched by his noodly appendage.
 
my sen from petsmart ate right away and is nice and fat and about 1" longer after about 1 month
you might have just picked one that is in poor health, generally if it is already stressed or diseased, it will take longer to settle in
 
I tried feeding some frozen brine shrimp, I dropped near him, he definitely smelled it and seemed to go after it, but the feeders got to it first; in fact, the feeders look FAT!

He still floating at the top and occasionally swims up and down the aquarium but never rest at the bottom.
 
Mercury2234;3552559; said:
I tried feeding some frozen brine shrimp, I dropped near him, he definitely smelled it and seemed to go after it, but the feeders got to it first; in fact, the feeders look FAT!

He still floating at the top and occasionally swims up and down the aquarium but never rest at the bottom.
Click to expand...
i would not worry at all, sounds pretty normal+he already has feeding response so you should be fine :D
 
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