Any Ideas?

[kym_sharpe_3]

hey
i dont no if anyone can help me on this my elephant nose for the past 2months keeps going round in circles then sort of puts his head towards the gravel and spins with his tail up and goes round and round like a mad thing?!?!?! any reasons why he is doing this? ive already posted this but not got many replies so was wondering if i put it in the wrong place. its weird he dont touch the gravel he just spins and twists. ive had him for the past 8months and he has been fine for the 6months just the last two. all my water levels are fine, had them all tested not over stocked so im not sure why he is being like this? much help would be gladly welcomed. x

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

He's probably doing it because he can't feed properly if you have a gravel substrate in the tank. Elephant nose fish are very specialised fish to keep, more info keeping them;

http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/...?article_id=357

You really need to change the substrate in the tank to something like very fine silica sand as otherwise the elephant nsoe fish will have a great deal of difficulty feeding and may even damage itself if the wrong sort of substrate is used. How many gallons is the tank/what are its dimensions and what are the numbers, types and sizes of fish you are keeping with it?

 

[kym_sharpe_3]

Afcain Knife
Elephant Nose
Two purple emperor tetras
Pearl Gourami
Blue Gourami
Two Honey Gouramis
Small Pleco
Two Cory Catfish
Chocolate Catfish

35inches length
15 inches width
15inches height

i see him feed he gets a good load of bloodworm from what i see. seen him take it in his mouth n not bring it back up i was wondering if i should change the gravel but im stuggling to find gravel which isnt going to harden my water any ideas?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I would change the gravel to sand, like silica/blasting sand. Elephant nose fish have very sensitive noses, any sort of gravel is going to be too hard for them to burrow their noses in to find food.
edit: Your tank is also too small for the elephant nose fish in the long run it will outgrow the tank

 

[mark.w.jones]

pm nmonks. He wrote an article in this months PFK all about Elephant Noses.