Steve420

Hi everyone,

I have a small school of Neons (six of them) which have been in my tank for approx 2 weeks. I used SafeStart to cycle my tank and these were the first fish I introduced. (probably not the best choice in fish to begin with, but my daughter picked them out and I couldn't say No) When I first added them, they seemed a little sketchy and scared which was not really a big surprise since they were acclimating to a new tank. They immediately swam behind a rock/log and hung out there. I figured since they were new to the tank, this was normal.
For the next week, they seemed to do well. They have all survived and eat well, but they still tended to hide a lot. Anytime a person is near the tank, they freak out and hide.
Is this normal behavior for them? I kinda had the thought that these guys would be super active and be all over the tank. Instead they tend to swim slowly near the bottom of the tank. I just want to make sure that these little guys are doing okay.

Just curious,
Steve

Lucy

How are your water readings? If they test ok, they may just need more time to adjust.
I have neons and mine were that way for a while, now they don't care and swim all over.

I only have 2, every time I try to add to their schoal, they nip the heck out of any newcomers. I've lost 4 trying to build up a school.

Edit: You might try adding an airstone to increase the oxygen, mine like swimming through the bubbles.

Steve420

Thanks Lucy. Now I only have some paper test strips (ya ya I know they kinda stink and are inaccurate) but based on the reading that I took, everything was a zero (ammonia, Nirites, Nitrates) and pH was 7ish.

I do have a few different airstones in my tank (well...5 of them anyway, I like bubbles) and they seem to enjoy them. They were a little hesitant at first, but now they swim right through them and mess around in them.

Thanks for the info. I'll just continue to watch them and make sure that they are okay. Hopefully things turn around for them. I feel bad, though. Like they are depressed being in my tank and just want to go back to the store. I just want them to live happy little lives!

Lucy

Your welcome

Do you have live plants? It's odd that you don't have nitrate readings if the tank is cycled.
Maybe it's the strips?
What's your water change routine?

If you don't already have decorations, give them some things to swim around and through and break up the tank a little, maybe that'll help.

Steve420

No live plants in my tank. A few silk plants, one larger rock formation and a couple fake driftwood logs.

I'm guessing that its the strips that are giving inaccurate readings. I'll give them another shot when I get home to see what the levels are at. It looks like my next investment needs to be the API liquid test kit!

And my tank has only been up for about 2 weeks. I haven't gone through a water change yet. I used SafeStart to cycle my tank and was leary at doing too much to the water while it was running through the process. At 27 bucks a bottle, I didn't want to screw it up and have to buy another one!

But the plan is to do a 20% change this weekend even though the water is really clear and the gravel "looks" clean. I did add (6) dwarf neon rainbows last friday and they appear to be thriving. They are much more active than my tetras.

Lucy

lol, $27 bucks, I don't blame you.

I've never used SafeStart, but from what I've read here, it's safe to change the water after a week.

After 2 weeks, it might be time to vacuum the gravel and get some of that waste out.

Be careful adding so many fish at one time, you could throw yourself into a mini cycle since the bacteria needs like to catch up to the increased bio-load

Be sure to quarantine any new inhabitants to your tank, you don't want anyone bringing anything nasty to the tank and getting everyone sick.

kutamallard

What a great post. I have the same gig. I have 8 neons and they hide in the corner. It's interesting because I have 10 t.barbs and they really don't bother the neons at all. Sometimes they all hang around at the bottom of the tank. I jsut got a 20 gal started for my daughter and I think I am gonna just put the neons in there.

Lucy

I know they're supposed to need a school to feel secure, but my 2 are all over the tank. (about as all over as they can get in a 10g lol)

Steve420

Mine have started to become more adventurous lately. I'll catch them interacting with my Rainbows a little bit and they have started to come out and play more. They seem happy, so I'm happy

Lucy

That's great, I guess they needed some time to get used to their new home.

Steve420

Yeah..I'm thinkin that just about the time they were getting used to the tank by themselves, more fish got added. I think that they just needed to get used to having new tank mates.

Kashim

I have a school of 8 neons in my tank as well and they're really great. I think they will always spook easily though, no matter how long you've had them. If I walk by my tank, some of my fish don't even notice it and others run like ****. So it's normal for the neons to act this way. Usually when my neons are relaxed, the school will separate and most of them will go off exploring on their own. Other times they will travel in a school, all around my tank. This is especially true when they are spooked (by me or one of the other fish) and happens every time after a water change. They will all travel together (safety in numbers?) for hours and look for different areas in which to hide.

Anyway, did your neons start sparring yet? I had mine for about a month and they were extremely peaceful, but then started having these duels sometimes. They will start charging at each other at lighting speed. It looks very aggressive, but I don't even think they ever touch each other. Very fun to watch though.

Jess

I have a school of 15 Cardinals. They do that sparring thing sometimes, it looks like they're quarreling over a specific spot. Like, "Its mine!" "No, its mine!". Like children not sharing.
But in general because I have 6 Discus, my school of Cardinals stay pretty tight. They sometimes loosen up and split the group. But when the bigger fish are moving around fast they tighten their group and swim behind the plants or wood.
Also if you have a larger fish that grazes off the bottom your Neons would hang in the upper half of your tank. They tend to eat as food falls but don't really pick it up off the bottom. Have you noticed this?

Kashim

Yes, they do eat mostly as the food falls, but mine sometimes go to the bottom. They will follow sinking shrimp pellets to the bottom and peck at it even after it reaches the bottom, but usually leave when other fish come and take it from them. Other times they will stay in the area at the bottom where other fish are fighting over the shrimp pellets and they will pick up tiny pieces that come off the pellets as it starts to soften. My neons will sometimes eat from the top too. They will dart to the surface and grab a freeze dried blood worm and then dart back down, sometimes losing the worm in the process. It's pretty fun to watch. I guess my neons will do whatever it takes to get food when they get hungry enough, but yeah, they mostly do eat stuff as it sinks.