Flow For Ill Fish

[Rorie]

I have my 4000l/h pump in my tank for my planted tank's flow rate.

I just added my stressed to Helsinki fish (see my other post!) to my tank. As soon as i switched on the pump they went crazy trying to stay in one place - the cardinals hid in the plants, but the bolivian rams fins were flapping so fast to stay still!

So, how do fish normally cope with a planted aquariums fast flow/turn over?

I have decided to keep the power head off for tonight to help the fish settle in, but can i expect them to struggle and get stressed when i do turn on the pump tomorrow??

Thanks

 

[myrtle]

It may be better to reduce the flow temporarily if possible. I've had to compromise flow on my 120l for the sake of the fish...

 

[Rorie]

It may be better to reduce the flow temporarily if possible. I've had to compromise flow on my 120l for the sake of the fish...

Ok. Do you think the fish will be able to cope with the high flow in a few days time? Should they have to work all the time? It doesnt look to relaxing to me....but at the same time, living under water doesnt look to relaxing to me haha

 

[myrtle]

I should think that once they've got over the recent events they would be ok. A lot of people keep cardinals in high turnover planted tanks but it may help to ensure that there are a couple of places for them to go to 'rest' where the flow is slower. Unfortunately this creates 'dead' spots where the algae can take hold or nutrients don't reach. I think the very serious planted people that enter the ADA comps tend to only keep the fish for relatively short periods of time as they are more of a complement to the scape than the focus of the tank so I don't think they always spend their entire lives in high flow.
Sorry if I rambled a bit there!

 

[Rorie]

not at all, i understand.

I will give them a couple days to settle and then try the pump and see what they say to that haha. I have big rocks which i figured would give shelter, but also a big bit of bogwood that is hollow so should give some shelter....they just need to find it