Rasbora, upside down then not

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tamtam

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Joined
Aug 15, 2004
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new brunswick
I picked up 5 Harlequin Rasbora on Tuesday Evening. They've been doing good but this morning(Thursday) when I woke up I noticed 1 was swimming upside down. I had planned to do a PWC last night but time got away from me so when I saw this this morning I started to do one right away.

Then before I had even finished it, I think I was still working to vacuum the rocks so hadn't even gotten to even start replacing the water, I looked back in and he was swimming upright again. It's been about 4 hours and everything seems to be fine. :blink: They are all swimming along happy as clams, I can't even tell which 1 was the upside down swimmer.

I'm still sort of expecting to look back in and see it floating at some point.. it was such an instant change.. Even when he was upside down he was going along pretty good. Traveling up and down and not really seeming very disoriented for swimming upside down.
I was just getting breakfast for my kids when I started the change and didn't even think to test the water :oops: so can't even say if something was off there. :facepalm:
 
I just went and checked and there were 2 doing the upside down swimming, I watched them for a while, they sat on the bottom for a little bit then swam off again. 1 went into one of the plants(fake) and sat there for a bit on a leaf and then flipped right over and went off again like nothing had happened...

I've been reading about this swim bladder thing, but now that I have 2 acting strange I'm not so sure. I guess I will wait and see.
 
Swim bladder problems can be a disease or to do with the water. I'd test your water to see if it is that! :)
 
Yes check the water and see where it is at, you cycled you tank right?
 
Yes check the water and see where it is at, you cycled you tank right?

Is it going to read properly where I did the water change a few hours ago? I did about 30% change.

We did cycle it. I was just speaking to my husband, I guess technically he handled the cycling, I don't have the head or patience for chemistry.

I'm not sure if it makes a difference but it finished cycling about 4 days before we got the fish. He said he just left it alone then... I'm no expert but that doesn't sound right to me?? Would 4 days of no fish or ammonia throw a wrench into things? My understanding is that it would need an ammonia source of some type or would it maintain for 4 days on it's own?

I just checked again and they are back over and every one's swimming around normal again.
 
4 days is fine. Do you know if he used an ammonia source to cycle it and yes you can test it. What are you using to test the water?
 
Yes he used an ammonia source, I don't know off the top of my head which one. We were using the test strips but picked up another kit last night since I know the strips aren't the most accurate.

Everything is good with the water and the fish have gone back to normal and have been acting fine since. Both times the upside down swimming seemed very short lived, I even watched one right himself again. He was going along and stopped on the leaf of a fake plant for a few seconds and then flipped over and went off like nothing was wrong at all.

So strange but I guess I'll keep testing and keeping an eye on them
 
I wish there was video...I would love to see this happen.

I'm sad for your fish but i feel it would be weird to watch them just right themselves and swim away

I hope all is well
 
I wish there was video...I would love to see this happen.

I'm sad for your fish but i feel it would be weird to watch them just right themselves and swim away

I hope all is well

I will keep and eye and see if it happens again I will try and catch a video.

I only saw it happen the once with 1 but it was definitely weird to watch.

It landed on the leaf upside down but since it landed it sort of rolled to it's side, sat there for a second and then swam off upright. I watched another minute or so as the other upside down one swam around, other than being upside down and having a hard time with the current in the water it seemed fine, going up and down and around, not just laying on the bottom. I walked away and then went back 30 mins later and all 5 were swimming around in a school happy as can be.

It's been 2 times, first with 1, I was doing the water change but missed the flip, and had just noticed it was back over upright again. Then about 4 hours later there were 2 doing it and that's when I saw the flip.

It's been over 24 hours and everyone still seems fine and i haven't seen any more upside down swimming. I know I could have missed something over night but I'm a stay at home mom so I've been doing regular checks to try and keep as close an eye as I can.
 
It doesn't quite sound like this is what is happening, but I'm pretty sure harlequins spawn upside-down on the underside of plant leaves. But it doesn't sound like they are spawning, so perhaps you should check your parameters ASAP.
 
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