Rubbing on rock

[OUfishman]

It seems like my royal gramma is rubbing on one of my rocks, just the one rock. He will sort of turn side ways and swoop in at the rock, it looks like hes trying to scratch himself, but I cant really tell. As far as I can see he has no abrasions or ripped fins, he also seems to be in good health, that is swimming and eating normally. He is very shy and skiddish and will hide if I get to close to the tank. Should I be worried or is this normal behavior. My stripped damsel does not do this so its kinda new behavior for a fish to me and I just dont know what to think about it.

 

[Neuve]

I've read several articles about bacterial infections that cause irritation on the fish's skin. That's the thing that may cause yours to be rubbing against everything he finds.

You should do a little research about both bacterial infections and your fish specie's behaviour.

I found a very good list of diseases down @ www.bettastarz.com/diseases.htm
About your fish's behaviour you could look it up @ google just entering the species' name.

How long have you had him?
Have you introduced any other fish lately?

 

[reefrunner69]

The behavior you describe is called flashing, the fish flashes against a rock or decoration to try to remove external parasites like ick or velvet. I would recommend you look as closely as you can at the fish for white spots or a powdered sugar coating on the fish. This can sometimes be seen better at an angle. There is the possibility the fish is trying to scare up dinner, I've seen wrasses and dottybacks do this, they flash on the sand and then swoop back in a eat any critters they disturbed. If the fish does have ick or velevet it should be removed to a >>quarantine tank<< and treated with either copper or >>hyposalinity<<.

 

[goldy]

any time we have had a fish sractch against a rock it has an extenal parasite like amyloodinium,gill and skin flukes,or ick . that is a couple you might want to check into.