# Swardtale Acting Funny (in a bad way)



## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

my nearly-adult male swordtale started acting weird today, as in going behind the filter and just resting there strait up and down. no other fish is bothering him......... and i don't think he is sick. when i turn on the light and go up to the tank he comes right out and starts swimming again like normal. 2 mins. later, he is back behind the filter playing dead. what is he doing? can someone tell me? thnx!!!

p.s. does anyone have advice for chinese algae eaters? i got one yesturday. thnx again!!!
-NoaDon12- ;-)


----------



## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

What other specific fish (and how many of each) are in this tank, and what is the tank size?

Is the CAE acquired yesterday in this same tank? If yes, how long is it? And is it bullying any of the other fish including this swordtail?


----------



## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

well, i have 5 HEALTHY bloodfins, 3 HEALTHY lepard corys, 2 swardtals, a HEATHY CAE, and a HEALTHY flame dwarf gourami, leading up to 12 fish in a 15 gallon tank. all of them are really healthy fish, except for the swardtale that i found out is now deathly injured! his mouth is torn up!!!! :'( he can't eat!!! why is this happening?!?!?!?!?!?! this time, i did not feed them shrimp, witch i thought was the origional problem for my tanks now popular sickness, demented mouth! it's like i go to check on them once, and even if i turn my back on them for a second, one of them is grossly injured! 


and the CAE is in the same tank, and is about 2 1/2 inches long, it's totaly friendly, wouldn't kill a fly. and it's not bothering the swardtale. please respond, ASAP!!!!!!!!
-the incredibly worryed fish owner who ended up with the tank of death with a total of around soon to be 14 deaths, NoaDon12-


----------



## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

I asked about the CAE because they will get quite aggressive as they mature. They grow to about 11 inches, sometimes not much over 6 inches in aquarium, but this is too big for a 15g so unless you have a larger tank or plans to get one soon, I would return the CAE. Also, they do not eat algae, although they might sort of nibble on it when young.

In a 15g if algae eaters are wanted, a trio of Otos would be preferable, or one single specimen of a small pleco (small meaning the few species that reach 4 inches max).

I will have to leave the swordtail mouth issue to other members who have more and better experience than I do with disease. I'd only be guessing, that's not good.


----------



## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

i think hes going to die........ but once he does, i'm gunna get rid of my other one too. and thanks for the tips on the CAE, i am going to get a bigger tank eventually, and i will also try out the pleco, once my CAE becomes large and aggressive. thnx so much!!!
-NoaDon12-


----------



## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

and another thing, if i were to get plants, would i need a special dirt-like substrate beneath the gravel? and would i still need to siphon the gravel? and i'm getting real plants when i switch from my 15 to a 45 gallon.


----------



## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

> and another thing, if i were to get plants, would i need a special dirt-like substrate beneath the gravel?


No. Regular aquarium gravel works fine, I have this in all my tanks and have for 20 years. The smallest size is best, nothing too large, as it anchors the plants and allows easy movement of water so the bacteria can work properly, which leads to your next question.



> and would i still need to siphon the gravel?


No. Most of us seldom if ever siphon the substrate where the plants are because the mulm and organics are broken down by bacteria into nutrients that the plant roots assimilate; these are nature's fertilizers, why remove them only to have to add others. I only vacuum the open areas along the front, partly for appearance but also my Corydoras and loaches feed in these areas and I like to keep them clean.



> and i'm getting real plants when i switch from my 15 to a 45 gallon.


Good thinking; plants are tremendous water filters as well as looking nice. Have a read of the 4-part series on setting up a natural planted aquarium at the head of the Aquarium Plant section for a general overview. It is not as difficult as some would have us think.

Byron.


----------



## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

ok, but now i have an emergyncy!!!!!! i just purchased a girl friend for my dwarf gourami, and the one that i had the longest is trying to attack her!!!!! what can i do to stop his rampage?! i turned off all the lights within a 20 ft radious, and that seems to be working; so far! i thought thtese dwarf gouramis were supposed to be nice to eachother, not try to kill!!!!!!!!!!! what can i do? and i DON'T have another tank!!!!!! i only have 1!!!!!!


----------



## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

nvm, my male just has a crush on my female. love at first sight! another question; what does fin rot look like? thnx!!!
-NoaDon12-


----------



## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

ok, scratch the last question, i got a female flame dwarf gourami yesturday for my male, and the male will come up to the female and flare his fins and colors, then he'll touch her with his sensors, the female gets freaked out and darts away and the male follows and nips her fin, then swims away! then the prosess repeats every 2 miuets!! will this problem work out itself, or do i have to fix it? thnx!!!
-NoaDon12-


----------



## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

I'm no expert but just sounds like they need to be kept apart until the new one adjusts to the tank, maybe a tank divider until she is more comfortable with the other fish in the tank, sounds like she is just scared and the male picks on her for that.


----------



## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

OMG!!!!! genious!!!!!!! i'm gunna try that!!!!!!! btw, would anyone know how to make one of those tank dividers? and p.s. my swardtale eventually died, yesturday, he died when i was rearranging the decor for the gourami problem........ sigh. but thankyou soooooo much!!!!!!!
-NoaDon12- ^_^


----------



## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

oh, and could i possibly use a screen for a tank divider?


----------



## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

If by "screen" you mean like window screen, I would not as the metal would probably damage the fish if they try to get through (they just bang their nose on the plastic or glass dividers) by scraping their scales. Also the metal might corrode in water, depending upon what it is.


----------



## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

ok, but what could i use as a divider that is CHEAP? maybe i won't need one if i keep the light off......... and i've noticed that the males nips look more like kisses, and they're not doing any damage to the female. is this a way of showing affection? thnx!!1
-NoaDon12-


----------



## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

To answer your question on kissing, fish don't "kiss".
Kissing gouramis are thought of as a romantic fish because they "kiss" so much, but it's actually a test of strength/ a show of aggression.

Swordtails are probably trying to fight, just have little mouths.

As far as a divider, go to wal-mart or a craft store, and try to find "nylon needlepoint screens" They're white screens made of acrylic. I was going to use them to seperate guppies when I wanted to try to isolate genetics and actually control their breeding.
Works well, even if you have to push it down in the gravel pretty far. (has a tendancy to float, but it's easy to wedge it in the gravel where it will stay put. 

I bought some.. how big is your tank? I have some sheets that I had.. most of them got cut up for other projects (wrapping around the intake of a powerfilter to keep shrimp and fry from getting sucked in) but I have about 3 pieces sized perfectly for a 10G. Could send you one for shipping.

Also, if it was me, I would just add a lot of hiding places. (plants, woodwork, rocks, etc) and let her come out when she is ready.

My platies fight, but the picked on one has turned into a ninja. It stays in the shadows all day (in the plants) but seems happy. When the aggressor isn't in the main water column, the ninja will wonder out and explore until the aggressor chases him back.


----------

