Danio has gone crazy

platytetrafan

platytetrafan

AC Members
Jan 20, 2007
1,564
5
38
NY
Hi guys I have a single zebra danio amongst my other fish in my 36g. I know I need more than one and soon I will be increasing the schools of some of my fish but I am going to QT them first.

This danio originally cycled my 2.5g tank which cycled pretty fast with added media which was in my 36g cannister. This danio had an injured eye which was healed when I bought him but you can see the empty socket. Lately he has become a little aggressive chasing my white clouds and last night he went after one of my black neons all of a sudden the fish was swimming sideways and upside down I netted him right away and placed him in a breeding container. It looks like the danio nipped off a good piece of his back fin.

He breathes rapidly at times and is having a hard time swimming he tries to swim but immediately goes back on his side. If things don't improve should I euthanize him? He was such a pretty fish before this happenned and I can see that this danio is becoming a bully. If the neon dies should I isolate the danio or could this make him even more aggressive. As of right now I have no other place to move him other than the breeding container that the neon is in now. Need help as to what to do I certainly don't want the neon to suffer.:help:
 
wow.. I have danios (glofish, same thing) and I havent seem them act like this.. they will chase eachother once in a while but thats about it...

might wanna consider getting him his own 2.5g


as far as the neon.. leave him for a few days and see how he does-- you may have to euthanize if he doesnt improve soon
 
even a 10 gallon tank is too small for a zebra danio. even though they are small, they are very active. the aggression will stop whe you add more zebra danios to the tank. they will spar amongst each other. he should be in a school in a tank no smaller than a 20 gallon long. i keep 6 in my 6' long 125 gallon tank and they are speeding from one side to the other. keep the fish happy, add a school and give him space.
 
jaysen said:
even a 10 gallon tank is too small for a zebra danio. even though they are small, they are very active. the aggression will stop whe you add more zebra danios to the tank. they will spar amongst each other. he should be in a school in a tank no smaller than a 20 gallon long. i keep 6 in my 6' long 125 gallon tank and they are speeding from one side to the other. keep the fish happy, add a school and give him space.
Click to expand...


well I have 4 of them in my 20H and they do absolutely great-- maybe all of them are different.. because I had them in my 55 for a few days and they just swam in circles in about 1/4 of the tank


your definately right about the danio no being ideal in a 2.5G.. I wouldnt recommend it if the op were purchasing a fish new-- but since they have no other options I think its better than allowing the other fish to get injured
 
Although each fish has their own personality, this danio is acting normal outside of a "school" IMO. One, he's stressed from a previous injury and seems to be dealing with another ailment, so he's already in a volnerable state. Add this to a fish that really needs to be in a large school of their own species, he feels even more volnerable. This will make him 'excitable', more so than danios are to begin with.

I think he is simply looking for the protection of the group, has become skitish and is being aggressive to compromise. Kind of like the new kid at school - usually 1 of 2 things happen: shyness or aggression.

Also, getting a group of danios doesn't really stop any agression, it only keeps their focus on themselves, which is normal and something they all adjust to. Danios are known to nip fins.
 
How's your neon? Did he make it?

And I agree with the above, the danio needs a school to be happy and not aggressive, and also needs quite a bit of room.

Good luck. When you get the chance, post how everybody's doing.
 
ct-death said:
Although each fish has their own personality, this danio is acting normal outside of a "school" IMO. One, he's stressed from a previous injury and seems to be dealing with another ailment, so he's already in a volnerable state. Add this to a fish that really needs to be in a large school of their own species, he feels even more volnerable. This will make him 'excitable', more so than danios are to begin with.

I think he is simply looking for the protection of the group, has become skitish and is being aggressive to compromise. Kind of like the new kid at school - usually 1 of 2 things happen: shyness or aggression.

Also, getting a group of danios doesn't really stop any agression, it only keeps their focus on themselves, which is normal and something they all adjust to. Danios are known to nip fins.
Click to expand...


The danio is fine his injury is an old one. He does pretty well with only one eye lol. It is my black neon I am concerned with. He hasn't improved he is breathing anywhere from rapidly to slowly laying on his side. When I go near the tank he tries to swim up to the surface of the breeding container but can't sustain himself I think due to the rear tail injury. I am not sure whether to euthanize him or not but I don't want him to suffer should I just watch him for another day or two?

I didn't feed him yesterday or today I did not think he would be able to swim to the surface nor have the appetite to eat. I am torn I don't want him to suffer and once I get the QT which will be in approx 2 weeks am definitely getting atleast 3 more danios. I need help not sure what to do as far as the neon goes.:help:
 
Well I just checked on the black neon and his respirations are really labored and he is lying on his side if he is still in this condition tomorrow I am going to euthanize him. He barely has the strength to swim to the top of the breeder container. I have him as close to my air bubbler as possible so he can take in as much O2 at the water surface as possible. Poor little guy.
 
Sorry for not geeting back to yesterday, but what are your water paramters? I assume you don't have a QT available to ut the little guy in?

I would certainly do a large WC and keep a vigil, I have seen some miraculous recoveries...

I think the lagest issue would be that he is in no condition to fight off any secondary infection on his tail.

Good luck, I hope he is still okay! :(
 
The black neon is holding on god bless him. He is trying to swim to the surface when I come over to the tank but has a hard time keeping himself up to the surface and quickly returns to the bottom of the breeding container. The container is in the 36g as close to the air bubbler as I can get it. I looked at his back fin the danio nipped the end of it he still has some tail there it just looks kind of shredded. He breathing is slower not as rapid. My water parameters are ammonia 0 nitrite 0 ph 6.0 and nitrate 20.

I have not fed him should I try putting in 1 flake in the container broken up and see if he goes for it? It has been 2 days that I have not fed him and I don't want him to weaken any further by not eating although he might not go for it. I don't have a QT yet that is the reason for the breeding container. I want to give this little guy a chance but am thinking to keep him in that container even if he improves until I get more danios into the 36g which will be a while since I am going to be QTing them beforehand. Is weird though the danio is not bothering the other black neons he does chase the white clouds they hold there own pretty well. I am planning to increase there school as well I had 4 total but 2 had died. I will try a flake and see what happens if he goes for it great if not then will remove it is worth a try.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom