Funny Story About Rasboras

[DeirdreHoyle]

Just felt like sharing this. I have 4 harlequin rasboras in my 29 gallon tank and the filter outflow is a little strong for them when they swim directly under it. Yesterday I was watching them and I saw all 4 rasboras, swimming in a group, swim through the filter outflow and get blown around a little, and then they all turned around at once and swam back through it again with the same result. They did this continuously for almost 2 minutes! It was so funny! It's their own little waterpark. Has anyone else seen something like this?

[Herky213]

yup! I have 6 harly's in a 15 gal and they LOVE swimming back and forth through the filter waterfall. I figure it gives em something to do. Equivalent to a hamster wheel.

Got a question for ya though... Do your harly's ever bull rush one another. Rarely, one of my harly's will swim away from the pack and them single one out and bull rush him, dorsal fin a flare and everything. Sound familiar?

[Stewy]

I have seen the same thing in my tank. I am running a 240 gallon and I currently have 20 Harley's in it with plans on another 10-20. Mine will group up just like you described and will hit the currents coming from my filter and my circulation pump and at times seem to work there way from current to current around the tank. It is one of the reasons that I have stuck with Harley's over some of the other schoolers over the years.

Also, on the "bull rush" question...I have seen this a few times in my tank and have come to the conclusion that it is one of two things. 1. They are establishing/maintaining their pecking order or 2. It is a mating behavior to keep others away from their female. Sometimes a little bit of both. When I have seen it in my tanks, they don't really hurt each other...its just them establishing the hierarchy in the group. If you notice them getting too rough its not a bad idea to separate the trouble makers.

Good luck and enjoy!

[DeirdreHoyle]

I haven't seen my rasboras rush each other, they are all about the same size and I bought two at one time and then two a week later. I dont know if maybe that helped because they are two pairs? Idk. But many of my other fish (school of tetras and a school of loaches) will hash it out to establish their pecking orders. It's pretty much harmless as long as they aren't doing any real damage.

[Herky213]

I don't think they are really hurting each other. Just stressin each other out. Hopefully they eventually find peace.

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[threnjen]

We have lots of currents in our 90g and our 10 love to rush the currents. They obviously have a very strong instinct to swim upriver! It's very enjoyable behavior to watch. Some of the stuff they do is so funny.