Runt tank, all of them huddled in the back of tank

[jeff12]

Recently, I transferred all of the ones I like, which were the aggressive and colored up ones into my new tank and kept the runts in another tank. I notice that most of the time the runts are in the back of the tank standing behind the tank. Is something wrong or is this normal?

[chuckiesmalls]

Any more info you can provide like the size/age of your tanks, parameters, how long you've had the fish would be very helpful. You transferred the ones you like? How long ago? Did the 'runts' stay in the tank

You make it seem like you may have possibly moved the 'runts' too. If so how long ago? How big are they? How big are the non-runts?

All of this info will allow the experts on here to help you more. :)

Best of luck. I hope they start eating again soon. If it has been less than a couple days it could just be they are a little scared still and getting used to their new environment.

[jeff12]

Any more info you can provide like the size/age of your tanks, parameters, how long you've had the fish would be very helpful. You transferred the ones you like? How long ago? Did the 'runts' stay in the tank

You make it seem like you may have possibly moved the 'runts' too. If so how long ago? How big are they? How big are the non-runts?

All of this info will allow the experts on here to help you more. :)

Best of luck. I hope they start eating again soon. If it has been less than a couple days it could just be they are a little scared still and getting used to their new environment.

They were transferred a week ago. Both are 55 gallon tanks. The runts were left in the original tank that I grew them out in. The ones that I liked when into the new 55 gallon tank. The original tank was moved around to different place. All of them 4" - 5". The ones in the new tank and old tank eat but are very easily startled and eat very slow.

[Beestie]

You have destroyed the world they knew. They'll come around. Mine took two weeks to recover from a big move I did.

[jeff12]

Seeing them like this pisses me off. Maybe I should have left them all in the same tank. All of them in both tanks swim around frantically every time I come by. I think they would be use to me now since I am basically their slave. They don't eat, lets all the food lie all over the tank and make the water dirty. I want to keep fish so they would swim around and be relaxed not be frantic and nearly jumping out of the tank. Don't see the benefit in setting up that tank now after all that work.

[Alight]

How many in each tank? If less than 7 or 8 in each tank, it explains the behavior. They will somewhat get over it if less, but if less than 5 in each tank, they likely will not, and some of the larger fish in your good fish tank will become the runts.

[Beestie]

I spooked my fish yesterday before feeding, it makes me feel bad to see them jumping and darting like that too. I think it has to do with how the light falls on me when approaching the tank. It happens just before sunset when I put on my kitchen light. If I approach the tank and I get between them and that light they go crazy.

I agree with Alight about the numbers. They are a schooling fish after all. When I went to collect my juvies they where in a tank with about 50-70 and didn't care what happened in the room around them. I'm keeping 6 at the moment but 10 would have been better. I'll probably get 4 more later as I want to get some pigeon bloods but haven't found the fish I want yet.

Try putting them back together and see if it makes a difference. You will have a spare tank to get more fish then, so all that work wasn't for nothing.

[jeff12]

I agree 10 is a better number, more seems better. I had 6 before and they didn't school as well as it did with 14.

The whole point of the two tanks was to give them more space for better growth, thats not happening if they refuse to eat. I don't want another tank because it takes a lot of space and more work. Since I was recommended to do so, I did.

I am getting worried because it takes them a whole hour to finish whatever flakes I give them and makes the tank dirty, increasing the nitrates. Im gonna end up with 14 stunted discus.

[DJW]

What about a single 125g tank?

[Beestie]

They won't stunt in a 55g tank if you keep the water clean with daily wc's. That's 200L, about the same as what I'm using. 14 fish will be fine in it. I don't feed flake because its messy and they take forever to eat it, I feed bloodworm and ground pellets for bottom feeders, they seem to like picking at them all day. I don't see any coloration or fouling in my water in 24 hours. Growth wise they are coming along nicely. The pellets don't desolve in the water, I like that. The pellets have the same ingredients as flake food so its a win.

Tank size doesn't stunt fish, poor water does. I grew out a oscar in a 90L years back, now that was sports haha and an arowana becomes skittish and jumpy if there's too much space when they are still small. It's clean good water all the way.

Try blood worm or similar food that makes them go nuts and a little bit of flakes in between to not foul the water so quickly. The bottom feeder pellets are working like magic though.

[Kyla]

u could consider putting them together again and instead of doing daily wc on two separate tanks, do 2x daily wc on the single tank? increased number of fish would prob calm them and increase their food drive

[jeff12]

One in the runt tank was darting crazy and died. Don't know whats going on, the rest are getting less scared but huddle in the back a lot and are slow eaters.

[warblad79]

One in the runt tank was darting crazy and died. Don't know whats going on, the rest are getting less scared but huddle in the back a lot and are slow eaters.

Darting is contagious sooner or later some will start darting to as well and die if you don't cure it.

[Beestie]

See if it helps if you light the tank up and keep the room dark. Make sure no other light enters the room like from windows.