Encouraging Tetras to swim

[mattski]

I've got 5 Cardinals and 5 glowlites in my 2ft tank, and they spend most of the day near the bottom of the tank. The only times they venture around the tank is either early morning (9:30 = early for me), or evening. I think the light may be a bit of an issue because when its off, the do swim around a bit more.

I also read somewhere that having taller plants and more hiding places will encourage them out a bit more. I have added that stuff, but they haven't changed their behaviour very much.

The only sign of potential stress is that the cardinals haven't regained their deep red and blues like they had at the lfs. Otherwise, they are eating plenty, and i'm doing weekly water changes.

What else can I change. I like both fish so having a school of just glowlights or cardinals would be my last resort.

 

[Lateral Line]

Both species are bottom dwellers, spending most of their time in the bottom third of the tank. That is quite normal. Certainly, they are happier with plenty of cover, and will avoid venturing out into large expanses of open water - it is their nature - in the wild, large predators live "out there" so they have an inbuilt sense to keep somewhere where they can hide if necessary.

Often as fish get used to their environment, they loose their timidity.

 

[mattski]

I'll wait it out. There are signs of them moving around more. Its just that almost every photo i've seen of people's tank with tetras have them swimming around

 

[TETRASIAN]

well i suggest givin them some time... eventually they ger braver and start exploring