Weird Behaviour...

Hey guys,


All the fish in my tank have started acting weird. Just to get everybody on the same page, here's the down low on my gear:

I've got a 300l community tank with a few rocks, driftwood and fine sand substrate. I'm running 2000 l/h through a 25l sump with bio-balls and filter wool. Tankmates include my 3 severums and a fire eel.

Up until last Friday I only had my 3 Severums with a few rocks in the tank. Then, on Friday I got a fire eel and put the driftwood in the tank to serve as a hiding place for him. The drifwood had been floating around our koi pond for the past few weeks to prep it for the tank. I have done 2 water changes since Friday.

Now the weirdness: Since I put the driftwood and fire eel in the tank, all three Severums are ALSO hiding in the log i.e. my tank looks empty as all the fish are hiding. They do not come up for food either.

@CharleyFXST mentioned that the driftwood may be seeping chemicals into the water that are impacting the fish negatively.

Any ideas? Should I rather remove the driftwood? I'm afraid that if I do, the fire eel will have nowhere to hide an might be hassled by the severums...

Thanks!

 

Hi S

Get more fish mine did the same i have 8 deacons (at present) and they were hiding till i got more

F

 

Well when I had only the 3 they were out and about all the time... Then again, they've never had a hiding spot? But why won't they eat then?

 

I'm definitely no guru but as far as i know cold water fish are more prone to parasites so maybe it can be a parasite of some kind that attached to the wood - see what happens when you take the wood out

 

I must confess I've had my hand in the tank 24/7 for the past three days trying to feed the fire eel... Maybe I should just turn the lights off and let them relax for a few days. I'll open them up again on Friday and see what happens.

 

They are hiding because of the newcommer as well as the strange floating thing.... I also have a spotted red , golden, red neck and green deacon. These fishes are naturaly shy and will hide until they feel it is safe to come out...
When my grand kids come to visit, the deacons hide....

 

Yo Shibs - remember that koi mostly have a coupla parasites on them - could be a transferral from there to your tank and in the warmer water they might have gone BOS...

PM me your address... Can come have a look after work for you,if you want...Something I want to discuss with you anyway...

 

@oosie Yes that makes sense... I've had the lights off all day and haven't touched the water today so they should be fine by tomorrow or so...

@azurekoi Thanks! I was actually at home all day on sick leave. Probably going back to work tommorrow. I'll PM you my details then you can come have a look...

 

Pleasure mate...

 

Well, looks like the blackout works... Threw a blanket over the tank yesterday morning and turned the lights off. Then took the blanket off last night while they were sleeping, and this morning everyone came to the surface for breakfast! Yay!

Everyone except for the eel that is... I think he still needs some time...