New Lionhead Hovering in Place

MikeyV

MikeyV

Learning Everyday
Jun 9, 2009
4
0
0
Columbia MO or Chicago IL depending on the time of
Hi all!
I'm new to this forum, although I've read it a lot in the past I just decided to join when I had a question I can't answer using google.
Last week I decided to make the trip out to a dedicated fish store, and was rewarded with a beautiful baby Lionhead imported from China. He is about 2 inches long w/out the tail, and can;t be that old because his wen is just starting to develop.
Anyways, as I have been watching him non-stop (read: obsessing over) I have observed that he has found a spot about a couple of inches off the bottom of the tank, below where the filter pours out that he just likes to hover in the water. He is not struggling or wiggling, and is not working very hard to maintain his slightly angled forward position. He swims about for a few minutes, but seems to return to this general spot and "hangs out" for 10-20min on end. He has been eating normally (mix of either sinking pellets or bloodworms, maybe a bite or two of algae tabs he steals from shrimp, and a de-shelled pea every night)
Is this normal for a Lionhead? Is he still getting used to the tank? Am i just being a hypochondriac??

Set Up: 15 gallon tank, one internal 10 gallon filter and another external 10 gallon filter opposite, as well as a small undergravel sirstone run filter. There is also an airstone on the side opposote the undergravel filter. (the tank is a little over a foot deep, so I want to make sure there's plenty of air) There are no strong currents, and the water temp is right around 65. The only tankmates are two small glass shrimp he gets along fine with.
 
Goldfish are coldwater fish, but isn't 65 on the low side? In general, the higher the temp, the more active the fish will be.
 
It cycled for about 2 weeks:
Nitrates & Nitrites are close to zero
Hardness is around 180
Alkalinity is barely under 100
ph is about 7-7.2

Lateinning magic, I think it might have to do with the temperature, which has since raised to a little over 70, and he is much more active!
 
MikeyV said:
It cycled for about 2 weeks:
Nitrates & Nitrites are close to zero
Hardness is around 180
Alkalinity is barely under 100
ph is about 7-7.2

Lateinning magic, I think it might have to do with the temperature, which has since raised to a little over 70, and he is much more active!
Click to expand...

Cool, but I don't think you are fully cycled. Did you test ammonia? Ammonia and Nitrite should be 0. Nitrate should be under 40, under 20 is even better.
 
You should go to a pet store and have them test your water, esp. for ammonia. I think your tank was never properly cycled before the addition of your fish. I think this is the case because you said you have some nitrite (close to zero means you have some)

it is okay for you to have nitrAte.
it is not ok to have ammonia or nitrIte

what did you do to cycle your tank?
-chris
 
I would keep a strong eye on parameters, as well. Your cycling process may not be complete. The temp might have something to do with it, but I keep my goldies at about 67, and they are just fine. Lionheads are generally not the most active of goldfish-- they don't really dart around like Comets.
 
Keep in mind, also, that (1) goldfish are social creatures who will be more comfortable and behave more naturally when kept in groups, but (2) you don't have room for a second goldfish in a 15 gallon tank.

So, your little guy might perk up and be happier if he had a buddy, but you'd need to upgrade to a larger tank in order to do this.
 
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