wasted tank space!

[jacktheknife]

i have a 30 gallon tank and all my fish just hang out in the upper right front corner-- whats the deal yo? should i remodel or maybe feng shui the rest of the tank or are they all trying to see what i am doing on the computer?

 

[flipz]

I have the exact same thing with 2 columbian sharks. haha. I have a bubbler (actually a bio filter) in the bottom right corner which bubbles up obviously. My 2 columbians just play in the bubbles all day long! I even tried to convince them to go elsewhere by putting a bubble wand on the left side and a bubble disc in the middle. But the filter has the strongest bubbles so they play in it!

PS- ATHF = the best! 8)

 

[jacktheknife]

this is the side with nothing- no pump, no bubbles

its quite perplexing

 

[TheManichaean]

Do you have a power head or pump return near the top to make sure the water surface is getting agitated? If not, it's possible that there's not enough oxygen exchange at the waterline to oxygenate the bottom of the tank. In this case the fish would stick near the top so that they can breathe more easily.

 

[Billsgate]

I also think it's strange that your fish do this. What are your water parameters? Do you inject CO2? Is your surface agitated like TheMachinaean suggested?
Is there maybe lots of plant remains and such on the bottom of the tank? If so your fish will not go there because of the toxins this produces.

 

[lyquidphyre]

I too also think it might have something to do with not enough oxygen

 

[Feynman]

What kind of fish are they?

I see you have some goldfish, maybe they are part of the problem with regards to other peoples previous comments?

 

[jacktheknife]

most of the oxygen flow is on the far left of the tank. i am using an aquaclear 300 with an undergravel filter. i have on lone air stone just to the left of the pump. i have hard water (20 gh) and 8-9 ph that will not lower due to the hard water. no measurable ammonia or nitrates. i am not currently injecting co2 nor do i currently have any live plant (stupid convict). the surface gets pretty well adjetated, especially on the opposite side of the tank. at night most of them sink to the bottom or swim all around the tank. but during the daywhen everyone is awake, they all stick to the same corner

1 sarasa comet gold
1 shubunkin gold
3 neon tetras
1 black mystery snail (black gary)

30 gallon tank, lot of large rock, some fake plants, and 1 piece of driftwood that refuses to sink.

 

[loganj]

I would guess they are stressed from the pH for one thing. 8 is too high even for the shibunkin and comet...WAY too high for the neons who prefer water in the 6.5 range. I think I would start mixing either distilled or RO water with the tap to get the pH down some. Or, you could keep african cichlids...your water is about right for them. JMHO.

 

[jacktheknife]

where were you when i was posting about bring down my water hardness and ph.... it seemed to be the consensous that it wasnt a big deal

anyway, i was going to boil some water and see how much that decreased the hardness but havent gotten the chance yet due to overtime. but this is my weekend off so i will be attempting that on my 30 gallon.

 

[AlonelyCody]

I might have missed it, but do you have a heater in your tank? i am wondering if they are going to the top in that one area do to the fact that is is the warmest part of the tank. Just wondering

 

[jacktheknife]

no, i dont run a heater and both thermometers (located at each end) read the same

 

[AlonelyCody]

What is the temp? from what i have seen "most" fish do well between 72 - 78 F. I am always having problems with my tanks beeing to cold. My house gets really cold downstairs. I made a mistake, last weekend i was cleaning my 55g tank and everything was unpluged for a short time...well three days lator i stuck my hand in the tank to feed my eel some guppies...and the water seemed really cold...well turned out it was 62 degrees...i never pluged the heater back in.. and after the fact i realized that my fish weren't moving around like normal. and most of them were up at the top.... but anyways sorry to veer off the subject but keep the heeting factor in mind. (O:

 

[jacktheknife]

its 72

and they all move about fine, they just always seem to pile together

maybe they are just good friends

 

[AlonelyCody]

ok...so your temp is good.....

that might be true they might be really good friends...lol

 

[Menagerie]

You can also add peat to the filters to help bring down that pH. RO water is another option, or keeping fish that will appreciate the pH and hardness of the water.

 

[jacktheknife]

i think i might have figured it out. when i feed them, all the food is pushed to that side by my filter. wouldn't you hang out where they give you free food?

 

[FishLover14]

Try getting your tap water and putting ph slution to bring down the ph in it and then waiting 3-4 days for it to dilute and then adding it to your tanj.

Dan

 

[chrism]

funny i was thinking that... i was going to suggest that they might be hungry? doubt it but i guess its possible, try varying the spots in the tank that you feed them iff poss... could you turn the filter off at feeding times?

 

[amosf]

My neons etc use the whole tank. The pH is 8.5. Not the right water for them, sure, but doesn't caue them to show this or other stress behaviour.