Strange Fish Behavior

[Priest]

My fish have been doing something for a few weeks now that is confusing me. They go to the top part of the ornament, then when their stomach or bottom halfs touches them even the slightest, they dart off almost like they've been scared, they don't do it often but enough for me to notice since I look at them alot. I do not know what it is because it's been happening for about 6 weeks now and they look okay, clean water conditions, good aeration and seem to not look sick at all. The tank has 3 Mollies, 2 Cory, 6 Platty, 4 guppies and the tank is a 30gal.

On a side note one of my goldfish (From a different tank) is changing her color from red and white to all white, is this common and does their color come back because I have another goldfish that changed the same way and is all white now except for a red spot on her upper lip which looks like lipstick. I actually like when they look all white because they stand out amongst the other goldfish people I know have but not if it is a sign of something bad.

 

[Snype2live]

what are you using to test your tank

 

[siva]

Sounds like it could be normal cory behavior. Are the livebearers doing it as well?

 

[Priest]

The only ones that are doing it are the platties and mollies (My cory never go that high up in the tank) and my tank is 0ammo/0nitrite/7.2ph/nitrate10 (Using API Master Test Kit).

EDIT: Oh now that you mention livebearers, it could be because of pregnancy or maybe because they are females because I was just just talking to my brother and he doesn't recall the male molly ever doing that.

 

[siva]

Hmm, are they "flashing"? Quickly rubbing/scratching on the decor?

 

[Priest]

I don't think they are, the best way that I can describe it is as if I touch one of them when they are at the top of the tank (Which I don't do, just making an example), the reaction they would give is the reaction they are giving when they touch the ornament. If it flashing what can I do to help them?

 

[siva]

There are lots of things that could potentially cause flashing. I would describe it as quickly rubbing themselves on something, but it might be the behavior you are describing. Parasites often cause flashing. Keep an eye out for funny looking poops, clamped fins, and any generally odd behavior. Normally I would say the first thing you should do is a large water change, but I'm going to go ahead and assume water changes have been done during the few weeks this has been going on, since obviously your parameters are great. But if it's been a while give them a nice large water change, and then just continue to keep an eye out.

 

[Priest]

If been thinking of running both Pimafix and Melafix on the tank for a week, would that be a good idea? Also since it has been going on for a while I've also thought of temporarily transferring them to my hospital tank and cleaning the gravel and the bottom of the tank because I do a weekly gravel vac., algae scrub, clean the plants and water change but still this is an issue so the only thing I've thought of is doing that but haven't for worry of ruining the cycle.

 

[Talvari]

It's never a good idea to dose any medication if you don't know specifically what is wrong. I'd just keep up on the water changes to see if that helps to improve the situation.

 

[Priest]

Well I also been thinking of doing that because one of guppies has a wilted tail, when I got Ick in the tank many moons ago his tail wilted after I cured the Ick but I heard that the two medications I mentioned will help his tail. After doing research of the two meds, I haven't heard of any negative side effects but am asking because I don't just want to use them, it does nothing and I wasted a lot of medicine.

 

[siva]

I don't think medicating yet is necessary. I would just do a nice large water change and gravel vac, and continue to watch for any strange symptoms.

What do you mean by wilted tail?

 

[Snype2live]

i would be weiry of the primafix cause i read on another forum here that that person would never use it again after reading that it contained clove oil witch is used as a euthinizing agent

 

[jlk]

In respect to the goldfish, turning from red to completely white is normal & expected in goldies from the lfs which are mass produced & generally poorly bred. His/her color wont change back to red- white is there to stay.

 

[siva]

i would be weiry of the primafix cause i read on another forum here that that person would never use it again after reading that it contained clove oil witch is used as a euthinizing agent

Hmm..that's a bit disturbing.

 

[Priest]

By wilted it looks like his tail is shriveled with the ends that looks like fin rot but it's not fin rot because he's been this way for about 5 months now.

 

[Snype2live]

Hmm..that's a bit disturbing.

yea kinda worried me to when i looked up reviews to it as i research every thing before i put it in my tank

 

[siva]

By wilted it looks like his tail is shriveled with the ends that looks like fin rot but it's not fin rot because he's been this way for about 5 months now.

Huh that's interesting. You could try some melafix. I'm not sure if it will help or not. It would be best if you could treat the guppy seperately in a hospital tank though.