Strange swordtail behaviour

[Heather_B]

Hi Guys
I added 3 new female swordtails to my tank last week and yesterday one of them began displaying some unusual behaviour. She swims and feeds normally but she keeps swimming quite vigorously in one spot without moving. Is this normal behaviour for swordtails?

I have a 137L tank and do 10% weekly water changes. My water parameters as of right now are:
Temp - 24°C or 75.2°F
Ammonia - 0.2mg/l
Nitrates - 40mg/l
Nitrites - 0.25mg/l
pH - 7.5
GH - 8°dH
KH - 2°dH

 

[coralbandit]

Look into 'shimmies '
https://r.search.aol.com/_ylt=A0geKeggrL5a1jIAX8ZpCWVH;_ylu=X3oDMTByNXM5bzY5BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMzBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--/RV=2/RE=1522474145/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.petcha.com%2fovercoming-the-shimmies-in-tropical-fish%2f/RK=0/RS=fZfNQ4XLl8_NLawRVhEjfeW57W0-
I add 'wonder shells ' to my swordtail and Red picta tanks [my only live bearers] .

 

[Heather_B]

Thanks Coralbandit, with how soft my water is it definately could be the shimmies. But she's not doing it constantly for the most part she is only doing it in the same corner of the tank. Would that make it something else?

 

[Delapool]

Causes ime can also be driftwood oils and some meds like pimafix. I agree on the soft water above though as one to look into - making my water a little harder (in my case from adding plant ferts) seemed to help. You could also try a temp-matched water change (which will help on the ammonia reading).

 

[coralbandit]

The fish won't constantly shimmy all the time .
But while others rest they can't or won't.
My ph is 7.6 and my gh 9 /kh 2-3 water TDS is 350 which is all medium hard to me .
I just tested a swordtail tank of mine that gets the recommended amount of wonder shells and the TDS was like 1190 or higher..This fish are happy and breeding !

 

[Heather_B]

Thanks for the advice guys
Unfortunately I found her dead this morning I did a 25% pwc after I found her (I always add water that is the same temp) but hopefully the wonder shells that are arriving today will stop this from happening again.
Thanks again.

 

[Heather_B]

Delapool, Would Melafix do this? I added it recently to my tank

 

[coralbandit]

Sorry about the sword .
Use only the amount of wonder shell recommended .
You can break the shell if needed. You don't have to be exact.
Test your ph weekly after you add the shell as it can lower your ph.
I occasionally add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda when I see my ph dropping.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello H...

Your fish problem is simple. You have traces of ammonia and nitrite in the tank water. This is fatal to any aquarium fish. Clean up your water. 10 percent water changes still leave 90 percent of the pollution in the tank. The fish will add to that in a few hours. You need to work up to the point you change out at least half every week.

B

 

[Delapool]

Delapool, Would Melafix do this? I added it recently to my tank

Can do ime - usually same night. Often females (although doesn’t happen often so may be just a suspicion).