Fish feeding question

[blankenship]

Hi,

Before I start I just wanna say how extremely helpful this forum has been.

Ok, so I just got my fish yesterday (6 cardinal tetras). So today I fed them for the first time. I am using flake food to start. Its Omega One freshwater flake food. I put in 3 flakes, and the fish didn't seem to swim up to eat it. After a little bit two of the pieces started to fall and the fish ate some as it fell and the rest fell to the bottom or on some plants. Then I thought maybe the filter was too strong creating a strong current, so I turned the filter down. Then I noticed the tetras were swimming higher, but still not to the top to eat the food. There is still one flake left at the top. I think its caught on some anacharis I have floating. Once in a while I'll see one tetra swim to the top, but it doesn't stay long.

Is this normal? Should I turn my filter down more, its at about half power? Should I crumble the flakes up before I put them in the tank? Or is this just the fish getting acclimated to the new tank?

 

[Watcher74]

I would say that they are getting used to their new home. Feed only every other day and very lightly(like you did today) until they figure it out.

What size tank and what filter? It might actually do more harm than good by reducing the efficiency of the filter.

Might as well let them get used to it. Or make some other adjustment beside turning down the throughput.

 

[Kasakato]

My neon tetras will never come up to the top for food. They always stay at mid level and wait for the food to sink. I feed them Micro-pellets by Hikari so they can get the food they need.

 

[blankenship]

I think there is something wrong now

I have a 10 gallon tall tank with a HOB filter. Since its tall there is not much suface area, so basically the entire surface is disrupted. I'll try turning it back up to full power and see what happens.

I also just took a look and noticed one of the tetras is hovering at the top right next to the heater. He's not really moving much. Is there something wrong with him or is he just scared? Before this all 6 were swimming together, now 5 are together and the one is just in the top corner.

edit....the single tetra actually looks like he swimming kinda hard, but he's staying in one place, I wish he would move out of the corner. Its making me nervous.

edit....Update, I took another look and now he's in the bottom right corner. He's being very anti social. I don't know if something is wrong, or if he's just staying away from the other tetras for now.

Another update....Now he came out more into the open, but away from the others. I was able to examine him better. His mouth is opening and closing very fast, kinda like he gasping or something. Please help!!

 

[the_dougie]

the other tetras may be picking on him...
However i remember reading on a site about fish that would seem as if they were rapidly swimming but yet remain stationary, along with exile themselves from groups. I just looked it up on google but i couldnt find that site again . I believe it's a disorder, and thus not contagious, but it would be wise to quarantine him anyways, and check for any more abnormal behaviour and appearances.

 

[labont865]

check water conditions, if they are fine it could just be stress. All fish will be fairly stressed for at least the first week.

Cardinal Tetras arent exsactly sold at the highest of quality either . Breeders arent too worried about quality they are more worried about quantity. Most pet stores lose almost half of their Cardinals, Neons, goldfish, guppies, Mollies, and most of the really common fish. Demand is just simply too high to ensure all of them are good quality.Sorry, But if he does die you should be able to take his body back to the pet store within 1-2weeks and they should replace him.

 

[amosf]

Another update....Now he came out more into the open, but away from the others. I was able to examine him better. His mouth is opening and closing very fast, kinda like he gasping or something. Please help!!

They can act like this when there is a high level ammonia or nitrite in the water. Test if you can. I'd look at a water change as well... But you really need to know what your water is like...

 

[blankenship]

Well, he died. The other 5 seem fine. I did notice before he died that he had this vertical stripe on his left side. I already flushed him....guess I should have save it and brought it back to the fish store. I'm going to test the water now for ammonia.

Update....I just took ammonia and nitrite readings. Both came back zero. Here are some pics of the fish before it died. I circled the stipe I was talking about. Do I have to worry about the other fish now. They look fine.