Tinfoil Barbs, Acting Strange.

[NightStalker]

From time to time, alot more often now the tinfoil barbs we have like to race from one side of the tank to the other, hitting everything in there path, heater, filter, anything. There diet also changed, they no longer eat flakes or sinking pellets. We tried it all, they just didnt wanna eat, so i just dropped some sinking sticks and long behold they ate it, i dropped some lettuce in two, for the and by golly they ate that too.

This weird behavior started ever since we moved them from there 30 gallon to a 55, since the 30 was leaking, we had to make it an emergency move. We put the same gravel in, and used the old filter media for a time.

There in the tank with 2 plecos, 1 common 1 tiger, 2 oscars, a snail, and silver dollar.

Theres 3 tinfoils, the silver dollar seems to follow them around.

Im not to sure if this is an emergency, or just how they act, so i put it in here, Id appreciate any insight in the matter.

Thanks, Igor.

OH and water readings are norm, temp is at 80.

 

[Fate2006]

Could be the fact that that tank is over crowded beyond belief! Sorry man, but 2 oscars(14" max each) alone can barely be housed in a 55gallon... they just get too big... add in the extra tinfoils (which get upto 14"), the common plec (18"), the silver dollar (6") and the tiger plec (not sure but probably atleast 12") and you've got 106" of fish for a 55 gallon tank... going by the 1" of fish per gallon of water, you're overstocked by 51" or gallons! for that many fish you need atleast a 110gallon tank... that's probably why the fish are acting oddly! sorry man but that's how it is

 

[NightStalker]

Could be the fact that that tank is over crowded beyond belief! Sorry man, but 2 oscars(14" max each) alone can barely be housed in a 55gallon... they just get too big... add in the extra tinfoils (which get upto 14"), the common plec (18"), the silver dollar (6") and the tiger plec (not sure but probably atleast 12") and you've got 106" of fish for a 55 gallon tank... going by the 1" of fish per gallon of water, you're overstocked by 51" or gallons! for that many fish you need atleast a 110gallon tank... that's probably why the fish are acting oddly! sorry man but that's how it is

Nah i completely agree with the over stocking, its not my tank. And plans are underway to put them in a 200 gallon, once we save up.

But there not that size at the MOMENT, so would that still be the problem?

Dont forget they were doing fine in a 30 gal before that.

 

[Fate2006]

hmmmm... could be the more agressive fish such as the oscars bothering them... Also, do you have plants (fake or live)?? If you do or don't, get some if you don't, set them up at either end of the tank, this helps the fish to think it's in a safer area for some reason... should help so they don't keep bumping the glass... Another though, have you checked your water chemistry? The ammonia may be a bit higher than the tinfoils are used to...

 

[NightStalker]

hmmmm... could be the more agressive fish such as the oscars bothering them... Also, do you have plants (fake or live)?? If you do or don't, get some if you don't, set them up at either end of the tank, this helps the fish to think it's in a safer area for some reason... should help so they don't keep bumping the glass... Another though, have you checked your water chemistry? The ammonia may be a bit higher than the tinfoils are used to...

Yeah, Water chems fine, i cant setup the plants because the snail will eat them.

So the plants inside are fake at the moment, they seem to be spooked at times, who knows.

Thanks for the help so far.

But im off to bed now

Good night man.

 

[Fate2006]

K g'nite... set up the plants at either far end of the tank... I have a 55gallon too so I'll try to use a diagram

Diagram turned out like crap... look at the your tank length wise, and at either end width wise set up plants... Wow that was easier

 

[aquaticadmirer]

I have some young tinfoils now, and have had other tinfoils before, and I think that's just something they do sometimes. Especially after a water change or if you just change stuff around they get a little spooked out and zoom around the tank (and bump into stuff along the way). As long as they seem to be swimming normally while they're doing the zooming, and there doesn't seem to be anything else wrong with them, they are probably fine.

I might be a little concerned about them not eating though because tinfoils are ravenous eaters...they usually eat anything edible and lots of it. But, again, they may have been a little upset from the move, and after putting something a little more enticing in there they decided to eat. I would say just to keep a close eye on them and watch for any changes, but I think they're probably ok.