Fish to top of tank

[Rose22]

I'm wondering if there is a way to encourage my fish to swim more towards the top of the tank?

I thought Danios were supposed to be a mid upper level swimmer. I have 6 of them, and they are almost exclusivly at the bottom. They like to zip in and out of the caves and plants down by the sand. They're fun to watch, but those with my platys and cories there is just a lot of activity at the bottom of the tank. It it just the lack of cover towards the top? I do have several pieces of fake plants laying around. They are pieces I cut off other plants to shorten them. If I tied some of the pieces together to make a little floating raft type thing could that help? I just feel like the top half of my tank is wasted.

Thanks.

 

[Cammywammy]

I have a couple plants floating at the top of my tank in order to allow them to grow roots before I plant them. Also I have a big piece of un-dyed yarn floating at the top incase my pregnant fish give birth. My betta likes to hang inside the yarn and my platies like to hang around the plants at the top. Most fish will go to the bottom at some point. Providing cover is all you can do. Good luck!

 

[Sillyfishies]

Get some fish that set up a territory on the bottom (like rams).

 

[juanrivas16]

Try some hachet fish

 

[Sillyfishies]

Try some hachet fish

Hatchet fish are dull colored

 

[blueramboy87]

I have hatchetfish and they spend almost all of their time on the top. IMO they look pretty cool

 

[Rose22]

I do like hatchets, but I dont have room in my tank to add any other fish.

 

[blueramboy87]

How big is your tank and what do you have in it?

 

[PockX]

It may also help to have highier vegetation/plants if you don't already, to help with feel more secure. And for the most part fish are hardly at the "top" or "upper" of the water. They don't really swim up and down. Fish usually benefit from long or breeder tanks more than tall tanks from what I've seen and experienced.

 

[Rose22]

Its a 30 gallon tank 6 danios and 4 platys. I did put a clump of fake plants in the top right side of the tank, and that has helped. My female platys really like to swim in them. I do have plants that come to about an inch below the top of the tank, but I think the clump really did the trick. It also added some great hiding areas for my one survivng baby platy.

 

[blueramboy87]

If it is a thirty gallon tank, to me it looks like you have plenty of space for a small school of hatchetfish but it probably wouldn't hurt to get some other opinions

 

[blueramboy87]

I put your stock of fish in on aquadvisor and it said you were at 50% stocking

 

[Rose22]

Right now it is. I have a pair of angelfish in a little 10 gallon, (I now know its bad hence the 30 gallon) that will be moved into the 30 soon hopefully. There was an Ich outbreak in the 30 that I've been working on clearing up for about a week now. I lost 1 of the danios that had it pretty bad. Now, only one of the platys still has the tiniest speck on her tail. Everyone else looks great. Once that is gone, I'll keep high heat and salt for another week, and then move the angels over, which will put me 94%.

I was hoping to get a small group of corys. I have 1 lone Julii in the 10 gallon. Again, mistake prior to doing research. Is this doable? My filter is an Aqua-tech 30-60. I also have a smaller filter I could add to it, no idea on the specs I think its for a 20 gallon. I'm also very fussy about water changes and tank cleaning. I have sand in the tank, and dont like the sand looking too dirty. I know the tank will be a little overstocked, but with proper maintenance could it work?

Obviously adding corys would be completely opposite of what I was trying to accomplish with this post originally, but if I can add fish, I'd rather make a current fish's life better then bring in a whole new group.

 

[blueramboy87]

Oh I see. I used to have one lone Cory but I no they are supposed to be on groups so maybe you could just add one or two more but I don't know that much about them.