Hi, I hope someone can help work out why my cardinal tetras won't come out from hiding at the back of my tank. I have 15 very active harlequin rasboras that swim all over the tank but mainly the middle to top of the tank. There is 6 cory that just stick to the bottom as they should doing there own thing. There are 5 galaxy rasbora that swim around quite happy but the 10 cardinals hide amongst the plants very rarely venturing out. The fish have only been in the tank 7 days 2 died but were replaced by the fish store. Ammonia, nitrite is 0 nitrate is 10ppm ph is 7.0/7.2 the tank is heavily planted with lots of hiding spots which they seem to be using. I was wondering if the harlequins were just too boisterous I haven't really seen them come out much for food either. If you need any other info to help let me know. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me get them mixing with the others.
Cardinal tetras hiding
- Thread starter Harlebora
- Start date
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Coyne
Aquarium Advice Addict
Just a couple quick questions:
When you say "the fish have only been in the tank 7 days...", do you mean all of the fish or just the neons?
Also, what size aquarium?
Some fish can just be more timid than others. It might just take a little more time to get comfortable. Or they may stay like that. I've got a dwindling school of Harlequins that only come out of their little area/territory for food, and the they go right back. That's pretty much how they've always been. Since they are eating and are otherwise healthy, I just let them be.
When you say "the fish have only been in the tank 7 days...", do you mean all of the fish or just the neons?
Also, what size aquarium?
Some fish can just be more timid than others. It might just take a little more time to get comfortable. Or they may stay like that. I've got a dwindling school of Harlequins that only come out of their little area/territory for food, and the they go right back. That's pretty much how they've always been. Since they are eating and are otherwise healthy, I just let them be.
All the fish have only been in 7 days and there all acting normal other than the cardinals. The tank is a 200L/52gal. Thanks.
Coyne
Aquarium Advice Addict
The tank seems large enough for all the fish you have, but adding them all at once may have been too much for your biological filtration. How did you cycle the aquarium? Keep an eye on your water parameters to make sure you're not in a mini-cycle while the BB play catch up. Id test 2-3 times a day to make sure you aren't getting ammonia or nitrite spikes.
Other than that, just keep an eye on them for now. Make sure they're eating and aren't showing any outward signs of distress (clamped fins, gulping, etc). Seven days isn't all that long. Give them more time to get settled. Less time with the light on can help too.
Other than that, just keep an eye on them for now. Make sure they're eating and aren't showing any outward signs of distress (clamped fins, gulping, etc). Seven days isn't all that long. Give them more time to get settled. Less time with the light on can help too.
Thanks for replying. I fishless cycled the tank and have been testing my water regular and everything is ok on that front. They aren't coming up to the waters surface for food but I noticed some were eating sinking pellets I dropped down to where they hang out. It's hard to see them all through the plants where they hang out but the ones I can see there fins aren't clamped and the light is only on 6-7 hours a day so hopefully as you said they might just be taking longer to settle in to there new surrounding hopefully.
Reygan2
Aquarium Advice Addict
The more the merrier! I'd get more cardinals as soon as the tank settles in and you're sure the parameters are good. IME they stay out and about with a larger shoal.
