New Tank

[brismum]

I have had my 31g freshwater tank for 2 months now. I put 6 cardinals and live plants in about a month ago. My fish stay close together, however, they hide all the time behind the plants and rocks. They don't appear to be "happy" in their new environment. They are quite skittish and don't swim around alot. They also don't come to the surface when I feed them. They don't appear to be eating (they don't come to the food). Also, I have a rusty-looking substance covering my white large rocks that are in there. Is there something I can do to eliminate this rusty looking substance? How can I make my fish happier so that they will swim around and eat?

[MickieFish]

I assume you're talking about cardinal tetras. I think the best bet would be to get more cardinals. They are schooling fish, and 6 is a minimum number for them. Maybe try 6 more? I am new to fishkeeping as well. so if anyone can, please throw out some more ideas. The rusty stuff is probably brown algae. I have it in my tank, too. I tool my ornaments out and cleaned them with warm water and a toothbrush (no soap! it can kill the fish!). It also got on the sides of my tank glass and I just wiped it off. I was told that this kind of algae would go away by itself, and mine seems to have stopped growing. I have also read that not having teh lighst on so much helps, too, but may not be good for your plants. I may also try getting some more plants. The fish hide when they are stressed, and that is a pretty big tank for such small fish. I think if you add some tankmates and maybe some more plants, they will be ok.

[brismum]

Thanks for the advice. I will certainly try it. I was planning on getting some different types of fish soon (catfish for example), would you suggest still putting in more cardinals or will it help once I add some different types of fish? These little fishies are harder to raise than children that's for sure.

[pwrflpills]

Definitely get a few more Cardinals...it doesn't have to be 6 more, but more of them will help them "hold their own" and flourish. As far as catfish go...stick to Cories. With small tetras like Cardinals, any semi-aggressive catfish that grows to 4" or more will begin to have the tetras for lunch. One other alternative is South American Bumble Bee Catfish. They tend to stay on the smaller size (I've heard anywhere from 2-4") and are slightly more community friendly...so I've heard. Stay away from the Asian ones or it'll definitely be Tetra sashimi time.

I could go on and on...maybe take a look at your LFS stock and come back and ask about some of your favorites for your tank!

Good luck!

[brismum]

I will definitely get some more cardinals. I appreciate the advice on the catfish. I certainly don't want my fish to turn into a healthy snack for some other fish. Are cardinals just extremely shy fish? Mine definitely have a self-confidence problem.

I appreciate your response and it gave me a little chuckle also.

[JodiMartin2003]

Instead of catfish, you could always try loaches. Maybe 3 or 4 Yoyo Loaches would be good. They only get to 4". I have never had a problem with them bothering any fish. Zebra loaches are pretty cool too.

[Primetime]

Otos would be a good fit there. You can also try Clown Plecos.

[brismum]

Will adding more cardinals encourage my fish to eat? Or are they just fussy fishies?

[Devilishturtles]

A larger school will help them feel a bit safer. It may encourage them to be more active, definitley.

Also, I assume you cycled your tank? When was the last time you tested the water?

[jcarlilesiu]

your fish havn't been in there long so they are still adapting. I do think that adding a few more will help, however keep in mind that fish do get comfortable. All of the fish I have took a little time to "warm up".. now they realize that when i come to the tank im feeding them and instead of "running" the come to the surface.