unusual fish behavior

[joshcha]

ive had this tank planted for a month or so now.. and the last week or 2 my 12 mollies/platies have been hanging out at the clear top of the tank.. is there any real reason for this or just where they want to be...

 

[Brookster123]

Is the tank cycled? What are your test results?

 

[Rivercats]

Are they just hanging out or are they gasping for air? Are you doing weekly WC's and how much are you changing out? Do you know your ph, nitrate, and phosphate levels. Most importantly is the tank cycled and has 0 ammonia and nitrite readings?

 

[joshcha]

I believe it was the o2 causing them to do it... I turned on the bubbler last night when I went to bed and they were all at the bottom sleeping when I turned on the light a few min ago...my background story on this is... when I 1st put plants in this tank the fish store around here told me to turn off my bubbler and to take it out of my tank.. I wasn't comfortable with this and turned it on when I went to bed.. they repeatedly told me to not turn on the bubble because that's why I had plants so after a week or 2 I stopped doing this.. so im going to ask this on here where im sure you all know what your talking about.. is it best to turn on the bubbler every night when the lights are out and turn it off when the lights are on to keep the o2 levels for the fish better? I stopped listening to one of the ppl at this fish store when in 4 months time she tried to sell me 3 different filters..i guess I gotta take everything they say with a grain of salt

 

[wayno0520]

The plants use the o2 at night, along with the fish. I turn my air stones on when I turn out the lights. The fish and the plants are probably consuming all the o2 overnight hence the gasping at the top in the morning.

 

[Rivercats]

If your not running CO2 you can run a bubbler/air stone 24/7 if you want. Plants actually put out CO2 at night but usually only if you have a tons of them you "might" run into problems if you have a heavy bio-load.

 

[joshcha]

how do these plants look.. how can I make em healthier? if pics suck sorry in advance

 

[joshcha]

last one

 

[joshcha]

no one has anything to say about plants or are the pics to screwed up?

 

[joshcha]

better pics I think... do these plants appear healthy if not what do you guys suggest