Pictus Catfish strange behavior

N

NassauBob

New Fish
#1
Feb 9, 2009
6
0
0
Coastal North Carolina
#1
I have a modestly planted 37-gallon aquarium, with the flourite-type gravel recommended for planted tanks. I added a baby Pictus Catfish, and it immediately started spinning and thrashing, until it (tires?) and rests at the bottom. Whenever it gets up, it tries to swim, and starts swimming in tight spinning circles, carried over and around by the water current. It is clearly out of control of its body, but otherwise does not appear to be in duress. it 'flops and thrashes ' over to pieces of flake food which fell to the bottom, and eats them, so I know it is not going hungry.

Does anyone have any idea what is going on with the little guy?

By they way, I have also added 4 Tiger Barbs, and 4 baby Angels, and they are doing fine. No similar behavior noted.

Shane
 

bassbonediva

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
#3
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
0
0
Northern Arizona
#3
What are your readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? How long has the tank been set up and did you cycle it before adding any fish? How long did you take to acclimate the fish before adding them? Did you add all the fish at the same time or gradually over the space of a couple weeks?

I agree with aakaakaak, it sounds like a swim bladder issue. Swim bladder issues are most often caused by poor water quality.

Also, you're going to have major issues with that stocking in the future. 37 gallons is enough space for one adult pair of angelfish, but no more. Then there's the possibility of none of your angels pairing off, in which case your tank will become a war-zone with four angels fighting for territory. Tiger barbs do best in large groups and are notoriously nippy. You'd have to have at least 10 in order for your angelfish not to get nipped, but in a 37gal tank, you don't have room for 10, even without everything else in there. The pictus is okay in your tank, but not with everything else in there, as it is taking up a third of your stocking capacity. As you sit right now, you will be 158% stocked by the time your fish reach maturity. I would either get a much bigger tank (if you're set on keeping all four angels, you'll need AT LEAST a 125gal tank, just so you have enough space for them to have their own territories), or taking back what you have and seriously reanalyzing your stock.
 

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