Flicking, flashing and scratching behaviours could be caused by irritation of the skin by high ammonia levels in the water, extremes of pH or residual chlorine in the water due to ineffective or absent tapwater conditioning.
Overfeeding can lead to flashing, so it is important to adjust feeding habits accordingly. Overfeeding can lead to poor water quality, which can stress the fish and contribute to flashing behavior.
Fish will get the occasional itch and seeing a fish flick against a rock isn't necessarily a cause for alarm. But if it's performed with any regularity, it's worth checking for ammonia or nitrite and chlorine in untreated tap water, as these can cause irritation.
Your Fish Are Active and Like to Explore
One sign your fish are happy and healthy is if they are active in your tank, swimming around and exploring the habitat. Check if your fish look energetic and confident. Lazy and lethargic fish might be sick.
Some fish are more sensitive to parasites than others. You may see one fish flash occasionally, but this usually does not indicate an outbreak. Multiple fish flashing, or one fish flashing several times in a row, is more concerning.
Flicking, flashing and scratching behaviours could be caused by irritation of the skin by high ammonia levels in the water, extremes of pH or residual chlorine in the water due to ineffective or absent tapwater conditioning.
Flash photography does not make seahorses blind or stop them from catching their prey. The strobes we used had a higher intensity than those usually used by aquarium visitors or divers, so it is highly unlikely that normal flashes will cause any damage.
“Glass surfing” is when a fish – such as betta fish, gouramis, and cichlids – repeatedly swims up and down along the tank walls. It could be caused by stress, boredom, defense of territory, and other reasons.
To Prevent: Change water slowly, swapping only small quantities at a time and waiting 2-3 days before changing more water so the fish can acclimate to gradual chemistry changes. Water Quality: The overall water quality in a tank is a key component in fish health.
Many fish swim in circles as a perfectly normal spawning behavior. You might see your fish swimming around each other in circles before shimmying against each other to mate. Some male fish swim in small circles to attract the attention of a female as part of a kind of courting dance.
All the marine creatures glow as they swim. Lantern fish use bioluminescence to protect themselves from predators. By lighting their bodies, their silhouette is less visible from below. Flashlight fishes have special pouches of glowing bacteria under their eyes.
Your fish may exhibit other signs, such as shortness of breath, when experiencing a seizure. It may hide in the corner of a tank, under a decoration, or behind a plant for hours at a time. Or it may quickly sink to the bottom of the tank and display minimal movement, sometimes even appearing dead.
Shimmying is a symptom often seen in mollies and other livebearers where the fish rocks its body from side to side in a snake-like slithering motion. The shimmies can be caused by: Low temperatures where the fish may be “shivering” to get warmer. Low pH where the fish's skin is burning from the acidic water.
If you see your fish gasping at the surface, you should conduct a water test immediately to find out if there is anything wrong with it. High ammonia or nitrate levels, low oxygen levels, improper temperature or a high or low pH can cause stress.
Aquarium fish do not need light and it is best that you turn it off during the night. Leaving the light on can cause stress to fish as they need a period of darkness to sleep. Too much light will cause algae to rapidly grow and make your tank look dirty. So the short answer is no, do not leave your lights on.
Cycling is a process that can be very harsh on fish. It is also possible that the process of performing a water change causes stress to your fish and bacteria or other pathogens that are normally present in the tank take advantage of the fish in its weakened state.
Sitting at the bottom of the tank for a long time is normal for many species. Some spend all their time eating, sleeping, and swimming near the bottom. Others seem inactive during the daytime because they are nocturnal.