Why do adult fish look lazy....

[sealife]

Ive seen larger adult fish at a few of my local fish stores, and they don't swim much. They just stand still and stare.

The tanks they are in are large, so there is a lot of space.

Im curious to why they are like this. I don't want my fish to just stop swimming and stare when they grow. Cause the tank will look boring.

The different fish I saw that look lazy were Large oscars, large goldfish, even large afican cichlids....

Any answers to why they are like this so I can prevent it from happening to me?

 

[Andy Sager]

Because once fish mature, they have no real reason to be swimming around unless they are hunting for food. Keep in mind that the fish know, by this time, that food will come to them "from above" lol so why exert the energy?
Also, once the fish get to a larger size, they may not want to do the same thing and see the same stuff for the millionth time (Just guessing on this one lol) so they don't swim as much.

It's like "Once you find a good place to hang out, why move???"

What do you think?

 

[sealife]

The tank gets so boring if it happens to all fish....

I hope it doesn't.

 

[Mattyfelts]

I like to think the fish are planning an escape to the open water LOL, or maybe they are studying your reaction to their laziness!

 

[Bichir Bro]

I periodically change my set up every now and again to give em at least somethin new to explore.

 

[sealife]

Does it also happen to fast swimmers like Danios?

 

[Bichir Bro]

Does it also happen to fast swimmers like Danios?

probably not, generally it only happens to "big" fish. Fast moving (a lot of the time small too) fish are active until they get sick or die. My tiger barbs never stop moving and some of them are pretty old, but my paradise gourami (who has almost hit the life expectancy mark for paradise gouramis) does nothing but sit at the bottom of my tank until I come to the tank. He perks up and starts begging for food, pretty funny to watch him beg too.

 

[Mattyfelts]

A couple of my platy are slowing down a bit, they are about 2.5-3" and kinda move at their own pace compared to the 1" platy!

 

[sealife]

I guess humans slow down too...
Old age and arthritis.

Fish are probably the same.

 

[bshenanagins]

Hey if we all drank all day long for a couple years we would be lucky if our only problem was being a little slow lmao

 

[Mattyfelts]

Hey if we all drank all day long for a couple years we would be lucky if our only problem was being a little slow lmao

LOOL, im crying tears of laughter

 

[Jmunroe]

The bigger they get, more energy is required to move. So when they get bigger they move less to conserve energy and maximize food intake.

 

[T1KARMANN]

The tank gets so boring if it happens to all fish.... I hope it doesn't.

That's not true

When fish are small they have to reasons to swim around a lot

1. They need to keep out of the way of fish that can eat them

2. They need to find more food to help them grow as fast as poss

 

[Bichir Bro]

That's not true When fish are small they have to reasons to swim around a lot 1. They need to keep out of the way of fish that can eat them 2. They need to find more food to help them grow as fast as poss

In a peaceful community tank they should not have to run from fish trying to eat them.

 

[sealife]

That's not true

When fish are small they have to reasons to swim around a lot

1. They need to keep out of the way of fish that can eat them

2. They need to find more food to help them grow as fast as poss

I'd personally find it boring if my fish never swim or move, and just stare in one corner of the tank all day....

 

[Wy Renegade]

One has to keep in mind that fish are cold-blooded animals that have a two-chambered heart. This results in extremely poor seperation of oxygen rich and oxygen poor blood. Without high oxygen levels, fish have low levels of energy, and the larger the fish the more energy it requires to move. Hence larger fish conserve energy by not moving as much. Has nothing to do with the fish being bored LOL. Research has show that their long term memory is less than two minutes, so even if they are swimming past the same point for the millionth time, they likely don't remember it from the last time.

 

[katiekelsey]

I always wondered when my fish would sit still. Mine are always moving.

 

[Andy Sager]

While my first post was more of a joke answer, on a more serious note, keep in mind as well that some of the bigger fish types are ambush predators so it is not uncommon for them to find a place and be still waiting for a meal. Some of your larger Cichlids fall into this catagory. The goldfish you mentioned are probably doing it to conserve energy as their tank water may not be giving them the oxygen levels they need to be more active.
Maybe you'll need to add a school of smaller fish to the tank periodically just so the big guys have something to think about chasing.

 

[T1KARMANN]

In a peaceful community tank they should not have to run from fish trying to eat them.

They still need to grow to adulthood as fast as they can ie eat and look for more food

 

[T1KARMANN]

I'd personally find it boring if my fish never swim or move, and just stare in one corner of the tank all day....

I personally find small fish boring we are all allowed our opinions