All The Fish Are At The Top Of The Tank

[shauny2012]

Since last night all the fish are at the top of the tank and won't leave the surface. Im not sure why this is happeing??

 

[Tizer]

tested your water? bit more background info required.

 

[ZoddyZod]

how is your filter positioned? Is it rippling the surface of the water or is the water still and calm?

if it is still/calm then you may have a lack of oxygen in the water. Make sure the filter agitates the surface so that oxygen transer can take place.

However, it might also be due to pullutants in the water. Do you test your water for ammonia or nitrite? How long has this tank & filter been set up and running?

 

[willowstwin]

what is your setup? Water readings etc?

Do you have an airstone? and how often do you do water changes?

 

[shauny2012]

how is your filter positioned? Is it rippling the surface of the water or is the water still and calm?

if it is still/calm then you may have a lack of oxygen in the water. Make sure the filter agitates the surface so that oxygen transer can take place.

However, it might also be due to pullutants in the water. Do you test your water for ammonia or nitrite? How long has this tank & filter been set up and running?

Its a new 45 liter tank its been up and running for two weeks now, on firday it was tested and everythink was fine with the tests. then on saturday got new fish and they was fine untill sunday afternoon since then they have stayed at top. also the filter is under the surface not far from bottom of the tank??

 

[shauny2012]

what is your setup? Water readings etc?

Do you have an airstone? and how often do you do water changes?

No dont have any airstone and the water was changed last thursday

 

[willowstwin]

so you've thrown fish into a 2 week old tank? no fishless cycling?

 

[Tizer]

ammonia poisoning, change 80-90% of the water if you want your fish to live longer than a few more days then read up on fish-in-cycle to keep them alive and cycle your filter.

 

[ZoddyZod]

Its a new 45 liter tank its been up and running for two weeks now, on firday it was tested and everythink was fine with the tests. then on saturday got new fish and they was fine untill sunday afternoon since then they have stayed at top. also the filter is under the surface not far from bottom of the tank??

if the filter outlet is not positioned so that it agitates the waters surface, then very little oxygen transfer will occur and the fish are literally gasping for air near where it is most plentiful (top of the water). Move your filter so that it does make ripples in the water.

of more concern is the fact that the tank is only 2 weeks old and it appears it is not cycled. read the beginners section and the threads about cycling to understand more.

You say the water is tested so I assume you got your fish shop to do that? Unless they gave you the actual results in numbers I would not trust what they have told you.

 

[the_lock_man]

I would agree with Tizer more than I would with Zod, given that it's a tank that's only had fish in it for a couple of days. The ammonia in the water is burning their gills, with the cnosequent effect that the fish are not taking in as much oxygen as they would under healthy conditions. Therefore, they go to where there is the greatest concentration of oxygen, which is the top as Zoddy says.

Click the link in my signature area, and have a good read. It will be the best thing you can read right now, and will help you save your fish.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

We don't know how many fish are in there and his filter is 'at the bottom of the tank'. It's most likely going to be lack of oxygen and possibly ammonia poisoning too.

You need to have the filter outlet rippling the surface of the water as much as possible shauny and start making large water changes, as Tizer said, until you get your test kit.

 

[willowstwin]

shaun...

a) how many fish are in your tank? what kind? and what are the tank dimensions?

b) who tested your water? do you have your own testing kit and if so, what type?

People on here are only trying to help... but we need all the information in order to do that

 

[shauny2012]

The Fish are back to normal now and swimming around the tank again, thank you all for the help

 

[the_lock_man]

The Fish are back to normal now and swimming around the tank again, thank you all for the help

That's good then. Did you figure out what the problem was?