Scene back drop scares my fish

[DugOut]

I purchased a scene back drop inorder to hide the unsightly hardware cords/hoses and to give my aquarium attractiveness. The problem I have now is that my fish are scared of the sudden change of appearance due to never using one before now.
Is there any less stressful way of putting this on the aquarium?
I thought about slowly sliding it inch by inch each day until it covers the entire back. When I attempted, the fish was still scared and stayed to the opposite side.
Anyone one have a solution or opinion on this attempt???

 

[lovemybarbs]

do you have a picture?

8)

 

[malkore]

never heard of such a thing. just install it all at once. the fish will adapt in a day or two.

 

[rokinrandy]

i'm a newbie on this ,but i would like to know what harm a little stress comes with scaring the fish briefly from doing work????..
i always scare mine when putting in new decorations and fixing something i don't like..
even when i clean the tank..i mean i take my fish out and put them in another aquarium so all the scum from the dirty tank will not make them sick from scooping gravel around .. i take the gravel and rinse it all out in a big strainer then bleach the decorations and filter tubes (i leave the old filter pads in for the bacteria colonies!) and do a 75% water change once a month..
i also keep all the aquariums with same ph level and temp to prevent shock and when i am done cleaning i just throw them back in...i have recently changed my background as well (twice)...
the fish seem to be doing fine to me...perhaps i stand to be corrected on this but i would just throw it on and be done with it??????

this might also lead to another new thread starter for me on tank cleaning if scaring the fish is a really bad thing...

 

[fearlessfisch]

You could bring in a fish counselor afterwards. Maybe there are some anxieties from fryhood that need to be addressed. 8)

There isn't a pic of a mother fish eating her eggs on there, is there?


Just kidding. Slap it on there. They'll be just fine.

 

[rich311k]

Just install it the fish will adjust to it rapidly. Don't worry about scaring the fish when you clean the tank, they will be fine. They are used to having had a tube and arms stuck in their tanks since the were hatched.

 

[Jchillin]

I've never heard of fish being stressed by a background. It may have been related more to what you were doing rather than what you did.

.i mean i take my fish out and put them in another aquarium so all the scum from the dirty tank will not make them sick from scooping gravel around ..

Sorry to go off topic but IMO, this is more stressful than if you just left them alone during cleaning. Think about it, chased with a net, taken to a new home, chased with net again and then sent home.

 

[Zagz]

I would have to agree with Jchillin. When I read that my first thought was those poor fish. Leave them in the tank while cleaning and no need t bleach ornaments monthly IMO.

As for the background scaring your fish, I also say put it on, they'll get used to it within a day I'd bet.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Just go ahead and put it on. It's probably not the background that's scaring him, but all the movement of you installing it. Once it's in place, he will get used to it rather quickly.

 

[An t-iasg]

I did have something like this happen to one of my fish. I think he (a male betta) could see his reflection in the background and bettas will flare if they see their reflection. Make sure the background is up against the glass the whole way. I think mine had a few gaps where the light could get in between the glass and the background, making it easier to form a reflection. I have heard of, but never tried, putting a very thin coat of vaseline on the background so it adheres to the glass and doesn't gap, but isn't a permanent adhesion if you would want to change it later.

 

[DugOut]

Wow!
As always, you all were right!
I try not to stress my fish if I can help it. (Do Not Tap The Glass- We've all heard that before) I've had fish stress and die before, shortly after chasing them around the tank with a net inorder to move them.
The fish I have now swims right into the net during cleaning, but it was freaking out a good bit before it got use to the backdrop. Water everywhere!
Seems pretty cool with it now though....Thanks for the advise!

 

[trotty]

Here's somthing funny. My SARATOGA, at 15 inches was scared for a week when i put new background on his tank. I couln't believe what i saw, the king of fish was scared of some plants and a big log. I was actually worried cause it coward in the front corner of the tank.

I left it on all the same and he's fine now!

 

[woodsplace1]

even when i clean the tank..i mean i take my fish out and put them in another aquarium so all the scum from the dirty tank will not make them sick from scooping gravel around .. i take the gravel and rinse it all out in a big strainer then bleach the decorations and filter tubes (i leave the old filter pads in for the bacteria colonies!) and do a 75% water change once a month..
i also keep all the aquariums with same ph level and temp to prevent shock and when i am done cleaning i just throw them back in......

Rokinrandy...it seems like you are just doing more work than you need to do honestly! The fish are just fine staying in the same tank...mine look forward to water changes, I think because it stirrs up "goodies" or food that has been lodged in the gravel. If you have a gravel siphon you shouldn't have to bleach, it seems like you are taking the natural cycle away when you take everything out. A 50 % water change would be fine, chime in if I am wrong about this....I just think you would do yourself a favor by not having to do as much work...I am all for the less work the better Your fish will probably thank you for it!!!