Glass Cat swimming in circles

[bujeeboo]

I have a 6 gal Eclipse tank with 2 glass catfish and some sort of loach type of fish (shark-looking brown with orange fins - sorry, I don't know what he is). Anyway, I also had a red eye tetra in there that recently died and whose body was later devoured by the loachy looking thing. Since then the loach-like fish has gotten very aggressive and isn't exactly "attacking" the glass cats, but sort of hovering near them and behaving very aggressively. This has caused one glass cat to "lose its mind", it would appear. Today he is incessantly swimming in circles in the current of the aerator, and I do mean non-stop.

Is this mental illness of some sort? Or could this fish be physically sick? He looks okay otherwise. Before this tetra died, it was an established tank and things were peacable. I think the tetra died of old age and not disease.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[William]

I am not experienced with the fish you mention however, I'll try and give you my somewhat limited knowledge.

First off you do know that glass catfish need to be feed bloodworm or brine shrimp? They don't just live on flake alone.

Can you post a description of the "loach looking thingie" it would be useful to identify him in our search to find the problem. I very much doubt it is a mental problem, from my knowledge fish don't suddenly start suffering from this.

Oh and welcome to the forum sorry you have to come in on such a somber note (if you wait a day or so you will have more replies from people with more experience on these types of fish with members all around the world there is always someone looking at the board ).

 

[bujeeboo]

Thanks for the welcome.

The loach looking thing. I seem to recall that when I bought him/her, the tank said "shark" on it. But I know that isn't always accurate. I can tell you he is primarily a bottom feeder. He can be very aggressive. I removed him from my other tank because he did kill one of his tank mates of the same breed and almost killed another. When I put him in with the glass cats and a tetra, he seemed to be alot better on the aggression (swam on the bottom and minded his own business). But he got bad again when the tetra died. I did not discover the tetra died until it was too late and by then the "shark" had devoured most of his body and was "pacing" in the tank and the glass cats were cowering.

Honestly, I don't think the glass cat will survive too much longer in his current state of circle-swimming. I really have no other tanks to put any of these guys in to separate them either.

One more thing about the "shark". He has over doubled his size in the year I have owned him. Came home at 1" long and is easily 2 1/2" so I have a feeling I will be looking at a bigger tank for him. 6 gallons are worthless, but good for my first experience. I survived all my water chemistry nightmares and everything is balanced in there.

 

[cryosi]

glass catfish very peaceful should be kept with non agressive fish! and as for the shark-loach take him out of the tank with the glass cats fro now or move the glass catfish to a safer tank.
u should keep these in schools of fish ie more than 2 u really need half a dozen or more and they get around 3inches long. very peaceful fish will get sressed out if not in a large group as well, likes a fast current to swim in if possible. plenty of info on them about the web, just posta good description of that loach......... is this it by any chance orange fined loach if not then the only other orange finned loach is the clown loach... im sure someone may have an idea on this fish/loach/shark.....

 

[bujeeboo]

I have NO idea what this sharky loach looking thing is. He's not a barb or a danio (those are two species seem to bear the name "shark"). He could be either a loach or a catfish. Has the "whiskers" and he's a bottom feeder. Has the dorsal fin.

In any case, I am convinced now that there is a something that changed in the social dynamic when Mr. Tetra died. Perhaps I should get another tetra. Too simple?

 

[cryosi]

still think best bet is either get rid of the so called shark thing and keep the glass or get rid of the glass, unless someone else has any ideas.

see in the last post it says orange finned loach and its underlined click on it and see if thats ur fish! if its not go to www.planetcatfish.com and look around and tell us if u see anything......

 

[bujeeboo]

I looked, and that isn't the fish. Although it is very similar, the colors aren't close. The catfish site is enormous. I don't know that I will ever find it easily that way.

I'll see what I can arrange as far as moving, or getting rid of the mean fish. It sounds like we agree the glass cat is stressed and not ill, which was my biggest worry.

 

[William]

What colours is he, maybe we know him

 

[Gibbo]

Sounds like a Labeo, the Red Finned Shark from asia. These are agressive if not given good space to cruise in or an adequate hiding place.

I agree on the glass cats, half a dozen in a well planted tank with open swimming spaces and a decent current - dosn't need to be 'venturied' though (air/water mix) - Just good movement of water.

Is this the critter;

thetropicaltank.co.uk

 

[slt]

yes it sounds like a shark, i've one rainbow shark, the other shark red tail
black shark has the same agrresive nature, my shark up to yet has'nt harmed any fish he does chase them away when they go into his teretory,
bujeeboo, are your fishes fins and tail red (orange) or is it just his tail,
oh and welcome to the forum

 

[bujeeboo]

Hi,

Gibbo, I got SO excited when it appeared that you had possibly found my fish, but when I clicked on it, that wasn't the fish. The red finned shark pictured is very red, whereas mine has distinctly orange fins and I know that the whole school of them in the LFS had orange, not red fins.

And William, it is the fins as well as the tail that are orange. The body is a smooth brown, and not irridescent like the red finned shark pictured.

Well, I am feeling a little better from my cold which was also a problem yesterday in having to deal with this. I will see if the LFS is open and see if I can find out what the heck this fish is. Does anyone think maybe getting one more glass cat (making a total of 3 plus the "shark") would help? I don't want to over stock this tank either. I DID start with 4 fish before the tetra died and it was like that for a good year.

 

[cryosi]

u need a bigger shoal of fish than 3, so wither get at least 4 more or get rid of the shark! cos the glass fish are only gonna get stressed again it sounds like......

 

[William]

Well in an ideal situation I would get rid of the shark and just have a plain species tank of glass catfish, might be a bit dull though with them all just being clear! Having 6 of them would probably take your tank limit to slightly overstocked so you couldn't have any other fish in the tank after that. I think the combination you have is doomed either get rid of the catfish or the shark or both. Sorry can't be more positive, but thats my feelings.

 

[cryosi]

have to agree with william there if u got them both from same shop, then ur lfs guy did a no no on you, only if u got them at same time that is

 

[bujeeboo]

I'm just curious. How does one typically get rid of a fish? Do you put a card on a bulletin board somewhere?

Please don't laugh. I have wanted to get rid of mean fish before and have wondered about how to do this. Shark is a beautiful, robust fish. I imagine there is a good home for him somewhere.

Just to update you. The glass cat now has a black spot on his side this morning. I am not surprised because that spinning can't be good for him physically.

Also, in a not-yet-related vein of topic, how does one euthanize a sick fish? I have done the half alcohol-half water thing in the past, and it still haunts me as barbaric.