Fish being scared to death

[Dragonet]

I have a 55 gallon cichlid aquarium with 2 Jack Dempsys, 1 Flowerhorn, 1 Red zebra cichlid, and 1 Horseface. This is nothing new to me but everytime I step remotely near the tank my fish freak out and swim into the tank walls and the filter intake. Recently it has been getting worse to the point when I feed them I'm scared they will hurt themselves.

What is wrong and how can I reduce their fear of anything that goes near there aquarium?

 

[SinisterKisses]

Well to start...that flowerhorn can't stay there. It's going to get much, much too big for the tank and likely kill everything else off.

Have you tested the water? Can't help much without the water params.

 

[Dragonet]

Thanks for the reply.
I did check the water params and they are as they should be.
Ive had the flowerhorn and the jack dempsys for about a year and they used to get along fine but the flowerhorn had gotten bigger than the others which indicates dominence in cichlids.
I think the flowerhorn might be stressing out all my other fish.
Ill see if i can find a new home for him.

Thanks

Liam White

 

[homebunnyj]

Honestly I don't have much knowledge of the fish you keep, but do you believe you have enough cover for them? It sounds as though they are feeling exposed. Maybe they need bigger/more caves now that they are larger?

 

[Dragonet]

Honestly I don't have much knowledge of the fish you keep, but do you believe you have enough cover for them? It sounds as though they are feeling exposed. Maybe they need bigger/more caves now that they are larger?

I know what you mean and that could be the case but I have 3 hiding places where they can go in and I sometimes can't find them. I just don't understand why they feel so threatened by anything that moves outside their aquarium. Sometimes I can be feeding my marine fish and they will freak out even though I'm 4 feet away.

 

[SinisterKisses]

the flowerhorn had gotten bigger than the others which indicates dominence in cichlids.

No....it indicates that the flowerhorn naturally gets huge compared to the other species. Of course it was going to get bigger than the rest, dominant or not. How big is it?

 

[jo3olous]

my advice is that any cichlid that ges 12 inches long should have 50Gs to itself. Anything more than that is crowding. At worst I will see people with 2-3 oscars in a 50-75G tank. Good thing you're looking for a new home for the flowerhorn, there's going to be war in your tank at some point!

 

[SinisterKisses]

A 12" fish should have nothing less than a 75gal tank, not 50.

 

[Dragonet]

A 12" fish should have nothing less than a 75gal tank, not 50.

He is no where close to the size that you are talking about, he is about 5 and a half inches and ive had him for a year.

 

[SinisterKisses]

my advice is that any cichlid that ges 12 inches long should have 50Gs to itself.

I was referring to this comment. I had no idea what size your flowerhorn was, but it still applies as it will get that big.

 

[jo3olous]

I was referring to this comment. I had no idea what size your flowerhorn was, but it still applies as it will get that big.

okay well fine, it's 25Gs and for a lone fish, it usually does not make a diff unless the tank is oddly short, prob just means a little more water changes. 75G for one oscar is probably optimal, but there are dozens of fishkeepers on this forum that keep an oscar or 2 in 50-75Gs yes? So then what?

 

[jo3olous]

He is no where close to the size that you are talking about, he is about 5 and a half inches and ive had him for a year.

you should always consider the adult size of the fish

 

[SinisterKisses]

okay well fine, it's 25Gs and for a lone fish, it usually does not make a diff unless the tank is oddly short, prob just means a little more water changes. 75G for one oscar is probably optimal, but there are dozens of fishkeepers on this forum that keep an oscar or 2 in 50-75Gs yes? So then what?

So then they're keeping fish in tanks that are too small for the fish.

 

[jo3olous]

So then they're keeping fish in tanks that are too small for the fish.

Okay well your the current cichlid keeper not me

 

[SinisterKisses]

A standard 55gal tank is only 12" wide. How is keeping a 12" fish in a 12" wide tank, appropriate?

 

[Dragonet]

A standard 55gal tank is only 12" wide. How is keeping a 12" fish in a 12" wide tank, appropriate?

OK so aside from oscars and 12 inch fish and tanks, what should I do with my 5 AND A HALF INCH flowerhorn.
Should I remove him? Cause he is the one that freaks out first and then scares everyone else?

 

[SinisterKisses]

You should remove him because he's going to get too big for the tank and will start getting very aggressive and probably kill everyone else off.

What's the tank decor like? Lots of hiding spaces and cover, or wide open and bare? How long have they all been together?

 

[homebunnyj]

OK so aside from oscars and 12 inch fish and tanks, what should I do with my 5 AND A HALF INCH flowerhorn.
Should I remove him? Cause he is the one that freaks out first and then scares everyone else?

Well, if he's the one that seems to be spooking the others by his skittish behavior, I'd take him out just to see if the others calm down. I don't see how it could hurt to experiment, and it might solve the problem.

 

[jo3olous]

A standard 55gal tank is only 12" wide. How is keeping a 12" fish in a 12" wide tank, appropriate?

I don't know why don't you open up a thread and create a debate with all the other fish keepers. I'm just as confused as you sound mad for having to ask lol

 

[BlueStraggler]

Well, if he's the one that seems to be spooking the others by his skittish behavior, I'd take him out just to see if the others calm down. I don't see how it could hurt to experiment, and it might solve the problem.

I agree here.

It sounds like a dire situation by what you describe (fish slamming into walls and filter).
Maybe the lfs will take him off your hands.
It would be worth it for you because you're tank will be less hectic, I think.
The fish seem very afraid and probaly won't calm down until the threat is removed.
Good luck.