Jumping Guppies??

[yv1]

My guppies are acting really strange...everytime the lights turn out they start to swim eratically and try to actually jump out of the tank. i leave the room lights on when their lights go off so its not a drastic transition into night...

can anyone tell me why they are doing this??

its like theyre scared of the dark!!

5 gal
planted
all parameters are good

 

[Allivymar]

Any other fish in the tank? Or maybe with the lights off they see something reflecting on the surface and think its food?

 

[snapcrackler]

I have cycled through hundreds of guppies and they have never done this, I think Allivymar is on the right track ESP if you have something that they thing is predatorial in there

If not - Is there any way your water levels are a little off? At nighttime the water levels swing a little anyway and the gups are trying to get away from the impending swing if the levels are already high.

 

[yv1]

just a killifish couple in the tank with them. maybe they are scared of them???? i mean i did leave them without food for a day and half and i come back to some ragged tails...hmmm...

when the lights are on they all hover at the surface near it, so i did a test and put a blue actinic bulb in and at night they also hover right at the surface near the light.

its really strange, ive never een this sort of behavior before, my other guppies in my 8 gal dont do this.

 

[snapcrackler]

I think it is the Killies scaring the fish poop out of them. .

 

[madasafish]

Yeah. I've seen the same from my zebras. If I introduce a new, larger fish to the tank, I notice this behavior.

When I shut off the lights, the danios freak, and school (!) at the water's surface. I was amazed to see this, but it makes a lot of ecological sense!

 

[yv1]

Quick question, is it okay to leave a blue night bulb on overnight???? My guppies seem to be okay with it on, they dont jump or freak out. But when the lights are completey out they start having fish caniptions.