My new leopard danio is bugging out!

[LucifersMom]

Hi everyone! I'm brand new here, I joined because I have a new fish who is acting strange and I can't tell if she's sick or not.

I have a 10 gal tank, established about a year ago. Long-term residents include a betta, a bristlenose pleco and 4 corys. I did a gravel vac and 20% water change on Wednesday. Tested the water that day, pH 7.2, ammonia and nitrites 0 and nitrates at 20ppm. Temp stays at 74/75.

Thursday I bought a bunch of zebra danios. (After he bagged them up I realized I had a leopard danio in the group.) I decided not to quarantine, all looked ok and had been there just over a week. Floated the bag for an hour, then slowly started mixing tank water into their water. Total acclimation took maybe 4 hours. When I released them into the tank, the 9 zebras started darting around checking the place out, acting normal. The leopard just freaked out, acting really odd.... Like this....

Leopard Danio spazzing out - YouTube

It's hard to describe but can't be normal behavior. I separated her, kept in quarantine for 3 days and she acted normal, swam normally, fins and scales look ok, she was eating. Not off balance but I did notice when she's standing still her tail sort of sinks, like she's tail-heavy.... In quarantine she was in the same water as the main tank. Put her back into my main tank tonite and she did the same thing. Totally freaked out. I turned the lights off and am leaving them off tomorrow, in case she's just scared. But this can't be healthy normal danio behavior. Some of the zebras have been doing little mating dances, they all seem happy enough, they're eating like piggies. Haven't seen any fighting, and the betta doesn't seem to care about them, thankfully! Is she sick, or just weird? Or is there maybe a personality difference between zebras and leopards?

Sorry for the super long post. Just worried about her. Thanks in advance to anyone who had the patience to read this ridiculously long post and watch the video!!!

~ Jess

 

[totalnewb]

I am as my name suggests, but I do have 6 leopards. They're some of my favorites. Looks like you have a beautiful long fin there. If erratic behaviour continues, I'd try putting her with other leopards, although I've read that they can successfully inter-school, I've not tried it. In all honesty, a 10G seems a little small. Mine are in a 29, and based on behaviour I wish I had a much bigger tank. She could also be reacting to an overstocked situation. I wouldn't worry about her health otherwise, unless something definitive shows up. Fish take longer to acclimate and be happy than we think.
I am my namesake, someone is sure to correct me soon if I've said anything misleading.

 

[LucifersMom]

Thanks for responding so quickly!! I'm glad she doesn't look sick to you..... I feel bad she's so stressed. This morning she seemed a bit calmer and was swimming with the zebras more. I think I'll try and find a few more leopards to add. Is the tank really overstocked now??? I've been thinking about getting danios for months and I talked to a ton of people who all said it'd be fine.... I do have a 20 gal, I can upgrade them if needed.... Especially if I'm adding more leopards!! Thanks again for the response, I'll update with how she does.

 

[totalnewb]

honestly, i do think you're overstocking. In my limited experience, danios are highly entertaining. They do need some room however. You mentioned a 20G, I personally would set them up in there. Also you mentioned a bn plec. Even fully grown, he'll be small, but need room. I would not consider anything under 30G. but that's me. I'm a newb, so wait perhaps for better advice, but I just keep thinking about those people that keep bettas like canaries in a 1G. what a miserable existence. really.
be good to your fishies.

 

[LucifersMom]

Ugh I can't stand those tiny little betta bowls, they make me sick!! The last thing I want is to stress them out... I actually have a 30 too (my snake took a few years to grow into the 55 he's in now!), I'll probably upgrade them to that. It's so hard to know if you're doing everything right when you get conflicting advice, but I'd rather err on the side of caution and go with more room rather than less.