# Fish swimming at the filter current



## Holycakes

I have recently set up a new tank, lowtech with a few plants.

Yesterday went in 6 Galaxy rasbora from Pier Aqautics in wigan.

I set the tank up with them in mind and after cycling the tank and keeping the water flow to a steady amount because they are only tiny fish and I didn't want to have them struggling to swim around.

My question is in the title but since I put them in there all day they have been swimming non stop at the filter current, they explore a bit in between but go straight back to do this for hours. They don't seem to be struggling to do this, more so enjoying it.

Should I have any concerns about this behavior? Or should I just give them time to settle in before I worry about they possibly having any infections or issues with the tank itself.

Thanks

Holy.


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## MARKCOUSINS

Hi try turning off the filter for a minute get a good look at them to see how they are breathing,behaviour and general well being.Possible they like the current not sure do they come rivers in their natural habitat?Cheers mark


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## ale36

i have 2 sword tails females that also do the same but the are healthy, ill go with what MARKCOUSINS said turn the filter off and observe their behaviour, if they go to the surface as seem like they are gasping for air it might be that they are using the current created by the filter to take in oxygen but that is just my thought i could be totally wrong


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## Holycakes

Just been observing for a while, with the filter still on as they were just exploring as a group for atleast 10minutes or so. I can't see any signs of them struggling to breathe. I will keep a eye on them but I guess they just enjoy the flow.

In the wild they come from low flow water, rice paddy fields where the water is very slow moving due to all the vegetation.

Maybe these guys are not wild caught and are used to being in a tank with heavy flow and aren't used to the slow moving water right now.


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## anttthony

Ive just added a second filter and noticed my galaxy raboras spend most of the time looking like there on a tread mill they seem to prefer it in the areas of high flow.

ant


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## Holycakes

anttthony said:


> Ive just added a second filter and noticed my galaxy raboras spend most of the time looking like there on a tread mill they seem to prefer it in the areas of high flow.
> 
> ant


 
It seems weird for this to be the case, I thought I had read that they prefer low flow conditions but myabe they one's I have got are sourced from breeders in the UK so they are not subject to the same water conditions.

I added my tiny circulation pump into the tank to test and they are swimming against this also.

All the sign's read that they just like doing so.


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## AndrewH

Sounds like it might be the species, but Ive no experience of them personally.

However, fish that have swam in strong flows of mine, have always had some skin irritation/infection.
Last time it was whitespot, which I think takes a few days to become visible to us even after outbreak.
Keep a close eye on them for next few days.


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## Holycakes

AndrewH said:


> Sounds like it might be the species, but Ive no experience of them personally.
> 
> However, fish that have swam in strong flows of mine, have always had some skin irritation/infection.
> Last time it was whitespot, which I think takes a few days to become visible to us even after outbreak.
> Keep a close eye on them for next few days.


 
I will do, My instinct tells me they should be free from infections as when buying them they were in a tank of 100+.

I think the are just relishing the free space and are having fun swimming in the flow.

If it is white spot or any other infection I imagine that the stress of transport would of caused it and I will treat them asap, plus they are the only inhabitants of the tank so treating should be easy.


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## Ed Seeley

Holycakes said:


> I will do, My instinct tells me they should be free from infections as when buying them they were in a tank of 100+.


 
How would this mean they were free from infection?  Infections are more likely to spread through a population that is overcrowded.

Please don't treat them unless they actually become ill and you can diagnose it.  Just adding treatments in case will stress them more and likely bring on an issue that you may otherwise never actually see.


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## Holycakes

Ed Seeley said:


> How would this mean they were free from infection? Infections are more likely to spread through a population that is overcrowded.
> 
> Please don't treat them unless they actually become ill and you can diagnose it. Just adding treatments in case will stress them more and likely bring on an issue that you may otherwise never actually see.


 
Dont get me wrong, I don't plan to treat them unless I see definite sign's of infection so don't worry.

I trust the stock of the shop and they looked healthy, but I suppose you never can tell.

Thanks

Matt


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## Ed Seeley

Glad to hear that. Once most people get an idea there might be a problem they start chucking medications in left, right and centre.

Unfortunately you never can tell how healthy stock really is until it's home which is why a simple quarantine tank is invaluable.


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## dw1305

Hi all,
I think it is a "looking for food response", they are waiting for food items to be swept down in the current towards them.

I've got a male Threadfin Rainbow that does this, he holds his position and picks off very small food items (they love Micro-worms) from the flow just like a Trout would. He is also quite territorial and if any of the Dwarf Pencils get into his slot, he sees them off.

cheers Darrel


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## Holycakes

After observing more and after being fed twice now, they show no odd behavioral traits from what i can tell and now spend most the time swimming about exploring as a group, then the occasional sprint at the currents for a while.

I chose not to quarantine these guys in a bare tank as the tank they went into has never had any other fish, it was put together and cycled for just them and they are currently the only fish in there.

With this in mind, Is it still wise to quarantine in a different tank entirely if the above is the case? Can any infections stay dormant and arise if any other fish are introduced at a later date?


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## dw1305

Hi all,


Holycakes said:


> After observing more and after being fed twice now, they show no odd behavioral traits from what i can tell and now spend most the time swimming about exploring as a group, then the occasional sprint at the currents for a while.


That sounds absolutely fine and I'd assume it is their normal behaviour.


Holycakes said:


> With this in mind, Is it still wise to quarantine in a different tank entirely if the above is the case? Can any infections stay dormant and arise if any other fish are introduced at a later date?


No, that is OK, what you don't want to do is add new um-quarantined fish to a tank with existing stock in it. I keep a spare planted tank set-up for unexpected fry etc. and I also use this for quarantine.

cheers Darrel


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## Holycakes

Just as I thought, Thanks for the reply.

I have only recently started keeping fish of my own after roughly half a year of my GF keeping various tanks I learnt some things through her but it's very different doing it all for yourself.

We have plenty of spare tanks so when the time comes to add them some company I will make sure to quarantine them seperate.

I'm thinking some Pygmy corydoras in a few months time.

Holy.


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## dw1305

Hi all,


Holycakes said:


> I'm thinking some Pygmy corydoras in a few months time.


Really cute and relatively easy to breed. They like very small food items (micro-worms are a real favourite). If I can ever find some healthy _Otocinclus_ I'm going to try them with in a tank with just _C. pygmaeus_ and shrimps, and see if they will all form self-sustaining colonies.

cheers Darrel


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