Erratic Swimming

black_sun

black_sun

I'm a crayfish in disguise...
Jun 26, 2008
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New Jersey
I've been posting this around to various Cichlid forums but it's not getting any responses, so I'm hoping someone here might know. *crosses fingers*

A few weeks ago I purchased some juvenile Yellow Labs from my LFS (my first Cichlids, yay). When I purchased them I had two fish mixed in (I was under the impression they were Yellow Labs as well) which turned out to be, when IDed, something called Dragon's Blood/Fire Fish. I also ended up with a lil' blue striped runt that got caught up with my Yellow Labs that can't be IDed, but anyway. All of my fish (4 Yellow Labs, 2 Dragon's Blood and the 1 unknown) were doing well together until a few days ago. My largest Yellow Lab has suddenly started swimming erratically. I'm not sure if anyone fishes on here, but it swims much in the same manner a fish caught on a hook does... very rapid, restricted movement. Everyone else is behaving normally except this one fish. Is it doing some type of normal behavior or is this an indication that something is wrong with it and it should be removed from the others?

Additionally, it doesn't swim like this constantly but it does do it often enough that it's gotten me worried. Anyway, thanks for any and all help!
 
What size tank are these fish in and what are the water parameters? I take it you didn't QT them? Does this movement occur regardless if other fish are around it?
 
Is it skittish? (moving very rapidly in different direction). How big is your tank and how much rockwork do you have?

Often yellow labs are very skittish when there are not enough fish around. I've had a skittish yellow lab that used to dart into the caves making other fish do the same thing, when I've added more juvies that stayed out all the time other fish eventually stopped darting into the rocks.
 
Hmmmm....same questions as asked above.

Also, there's a difference between 'skittish' as Ib3ak says, and erratic swimming. Skittish would to me mean a fish who when there is movement near the tank would shoot directly in behind rockwork etc. A 'shy' fish is one, for me, which is permanently wedged in behind decor, does not come out to feed etc. The latter would worry me more than the former, provided the former fish was feeding well, and I would take it (the latter) as an indication of a fish which was either sick, or stressed in its environment and not likely to thrive/survive unless moved - at least for a shortish period to feed it up and grow it out a bit, if not permanently.

Periodic erratic swimming - I've had a number of juvenile malawis who rejoiced in repeatedly swimming 'up and down' the tank walls for no apparent reason, equally a number who persistently swam from one side to the tank in a 'flickering' motion for hours on end. None turned out unhealthy so if this is what you are seeing it may be nothing to worry about providing :

a) fish is eating
b) fish has no apparent signs of disease
c) fish has no difficulty holding buoyancy/position in the water
d) tank size is adequate for stock - it could be the largest fish trying to 'patrol' over the territory in a tank and being freaked out by over-stocking/tank is too small.


When you say it is like a fish caught on a hook however this sounds much more worrying - I am picturing a fish darting in an uncontrolled manner, almost as if having a seizure. This would not be good. If this is what is happening it seems most unusual that it is not doing it all/most of the time. Do you notice it getting worse, i.e. incidences happening closer in time ?

As per the above, test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate with a good liquid drop test kit and post the results, together with tank size and list of all fish in the tank.
 
Alright, if I skip anyone's questions let me know:

1.) The 7 fish are in a 46gal bow-front aquarium.

2.) The water parameters are (for what my kit tests for at least):
pH- 7.4 -7.8 (color on the strip indicated a reading closer to the 7.4 end)
Ammonia- 0.0 - 0.25 (color on the strip indicated a reading closer to 0.0)
Nitrite- Didn't register, so either it's a small amount or nonexistent (I don't know if the latter is possible)
Nitrate- 20-30 (color on the strip indicated a reading closer to 30)
Temperature- 77f

3.) I don't know what QT stands for, so I don't know if I did that or not.

4.) The fish does this behavior irrespective of the other fish being present or not.

5.) I don't have a lot of rockwork, I bought aquawood instead (it had the same kind of holes/caves/etc that the rocks did. They are some smaller rocks and such in the tank, but it's mostly the aquawood and some plants.

6.) And in regards to "fish on a hook", more descriptively the fish will dart in one direction very quickly, very streamline (no zig-zagging, no direction change) and then as if it's hit the end of the line it jerks to a stop and darts in another direction, repeating the behavior for roughly 5-10 minutes. And then it will go back to swimming normally with the other fish. Additionally, it was increasing in how often it was occurring (I would see it do it once or twice, which went to four or five times in the course of a day), but currently it doesn't appear to be increasing in frequency (not that I see at least).

7.) It is eating well, it doesn't appear to be sick (aside from this swimming behavior), it's having no buoyancy issues, etc.

8.) And I don't think they are old enough/large enough to spawn (?), they are only about an 1in in length. But that aside, it's not really shivering/shaking in terms of movement.
 
Thanks for the info. Lets see :

1. The swimming behaviour doesn't seem to be anything to worry about to me. Its showing a little bit of aggression I would say - natural for the biggest fish in a group of juvies. I am reassured of this by the fact that it is eating etc - I would say don't worry about it unless something changes.

2. Paper strips are no good whatsoever. You need a liquid drop test kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. API make a great one. To be honest, otherwise you are guessing at parameters. Especially in your set up with very young fish you need to know it is at 0 and 0 for ammonia and nitrie. Get one - it will be the best value item you will ever buy for your fish - and use it. The fact that the strip is showing some ammonia would make me want to do a water change to be sure.

Malawis are very intolerant of poor water conditions, although they are tough little fish.
 
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