Normal Behaviour?

[alex1rob]

Hi,

I have a 60L tank thats been running for about 4-5 weeks now. I can't test ammonia but nitrite is 0 nitrates about 20-30ppm. I have got 3 swordtails and 2 platys. 1 male of each. My main question is what is normal behaviour for these fish. After I feed them they all bar the female platy stay at the surface gulping air. they swallow so much air infact that sometimes they are too buoyant to get to the bottom of the tank. By the morning they are all fine and dandy swimming around. Is this normal?

I have very very hard water, tempreture about 25C. Ph is a touch on the alkaline side. I still have diatoms preset in the tank on the plants.

 

[helterskelter]

livebearers gulping at the surface is normal

 

[OldMan47]

If you want to help them not swallow air, you can always take the flake and submerge it a bit in your hand before you release it. That way it will start to sink and the fish won't be eating right at the surface. The problem is if they don't eat it right away, it ends up on the substrate.

 

[pippoodle]

also try feeding them algae wafers once or twice a week they enjoy them and also makes them feed from the bottom
mine also like catfish pellets (whic also sink) as a mix in their diet with the bloodworms , daphnia , brineshrimp(all these frozen) , flake and micro pellets

have fun

Sarah xx

 

[OldMan47]

I recently started feeding fresh daphnia and it definitely takes the focus away from the water surface. Wherever the daphnia are is where everyone's attention is focused.