Phloxface
- #1
I am having problems with my poor boy "Phlox". I rescued him 3 weeks ago from a horrid cup at Petsmart (4 of his "brothers" next to him were already dead or dying in their cups covered with ick and finrot) He is a cute little Crowntail with deep red fins and tail and a dark blue and red striped (like a tiger) body. Surprisingly healthy considering the conditions I found him in... I didn't have the funds at the moment to get the tank I wanted (he was an impulse buy/rescue) so I got what I could afford for now, a medium sized plastic "critter keeper" which is about 2 gallons and has a ventilated lid. Considering he was living in a splash of water (I measured it, it was 3/4 cup!) which was also so dirty and cloudy I could barely see him, I figured this tank would seem like a mansion to him until I get the 10 gallon tank in a couple weeks. I bought some supplies (a net, gravel, plastic plant, Splendid Betta water conditioner, thermometer, HikarI Tropical Betta Bio gold pellets, some freeze-dried bloodworms and a little aquarium salt)
When I got him home I prepared his new home (couldn't cycle it, no time) using Britta filtered water+the water conditioner. I made sure the water was 78-80 degrees and I slowly replaced the water in his cup with fresh water. Finally, I was ready to introduce him to his new home. I opened the cup and started to put it in the water to gently sink the cup and let him swim out, when he saw his opportunity to escape and leaped out of the cup and (fortunately) directly into his new tank. The look on his face was sheer joy and amazement. He waggled his tail with excitement and swam around his tank inspecting all his furniture. I doubt he's ever seen gravel or plants.
I wondered how to keep his water warm enough as the tank is too small for a heater. I have a computer desk with a hutch and shelf right over my monitor. There is a lot of heat coming from the monitor so I placed his tank on the shelf above the monitor and keep a close watch on the temp to see if it would get too hot. Luckily it didn't and as long as I leave the monitor on all the time, his temp stays a consistent 78-79 degrees. It seems to be quite comfortable for him for now.
I do a water change (1/3 of his water) every second day and a complete cleaning each week.
He's been a happy little guy up until now, eating his pellets the moment I drop them (I give him a moment to chew before giving him the next one) and wagging his tail like a puppy. He always responded to seeing me and seemed friendly and happy. I noticed he liked looking at colorful things (he spent hours facing downwards staring at his multi-colored gravel and gently touching various pieces with his chin.) I would put different postcards and pictures with bright colors near his tank and he loved to just stare at them. I could see his eyes moving back ond forth, his head moving from side to side, up and down inspecting the whole picture.
Anyways, that's his background. The trouble started yesterday as I was feeding him. He was all excited as he always is when feeding time comes. I dropped a pellet in and he snapped it up. I reached for a second pellet and my ring accidently tapped (very lightly) against his tank. He TOTALLY freaked out. He started racing around his tank smashing against the sides, into his plant and jamming himself violently between the thermometer and side of tank. All I could do was watch in horror. Then he swam out and lay down on the bottom really still. He stayed like that for a long time and I thought he had had a heart attack. He wasn't moving and even when I VERY gently tried to get his attention he didn't move. I was very upset, I thought he was dead. Finally after what seemed like hours, he sprung back to life for a moment, rose to the top to take in some air and then went back to the bottom and lay there. I thought I'd just let him rest and he'd be back to normal. This morning I was in the kitchen and saw him freak out like that again, for no reason that I could see this time. He swam around in a panic and hid behind his plant. No one was near his tank. I approached him slowly and showed him his pellets (he would usually get all excited as soon as I picked up the packet) and no response. He used to come right up to the side I was on and follow my hands waiting for his food. I slowly and gently opened the feeding window in his lid and dropped in a pellet. He saw it and didn't move. He seemed afraid to go eat. After a lot of coaxing I finally got him to come take the pellet and two more after that. This is very unusual behaviour for him as he is usually a little piggy and also very friendly and happy to see me. He no longer seems to trust me. I am worried he will never be the same little fishy he was before this trauma. Has anyone here had an otherwise friendly, bold fish that became frightened and shy suddenly? How can I win back his trust? I have to clean his whole tank today but I am worried about traumatizing him more with the net. (he is usually extra happy after tank cleaning and really seems to appreciate the clean water) What should I do?
I am planning on getting a nice ten gallon tank for him sometime in Oct. I will cycle it properly and would like to add some live plants and ornaments (some greek pillars and a rock cave) I'm thinking of a Bio Wheel filter for the tank. Anyone know if these are good? I'd also like to get him some little friends. (yes, I will put them in first, before Phlox) I've been reading about other people's experiences here and have decided I'll get maybe 4 neon tetras, an Oto, a Cory and a Mystery Snail. Does that seem like too much for a ten gallon tank? I'm hoping he isn't so skittish now that he'll be afraid of the other fish. I'll make sure he has lots of plants and places to hide.
Sorry for all the questions. I'm just worried for this little guy. I'll post up a picture of him as soon as I get a decent one. I don't want to freak him out right now, more than he already is.
When I got him home I prepared his new home (couldn't cycle it, no time) using Britta filtered water+the water conditioner. I made sure the water was 78-80 degrees and I slowly replaced the water in his cup with fresh water. Finally, I was ready to introduce him to his new home. I opened the cup and started to put it in the water to gently sink the cup and let him swim out, when he saw his opportunity to escape and leaped out of the cup and (fortunately) directly into his new tank. The look on his face was sheer joy and amazement. He waggled his tail with excitement and swam around his tank inspecting all his furniture. I doubt he's ever seen gravel or plants.
I wondered how to keep his water warm enough as the tank is too small for a heater. I have a computer desk with a hutch and shelf right over my monitor. There is a lot of heat coming from the monitor so I placed his tank on the shelf above the monitor and keep a close watch on the temp to see if it would get too hot. Luckily it didn't and as long as I leave the monitor on all the time, his temp stays a consistent 78-79 degrees. It seems to be quite comfortable for him for now.
I do a water change (1/3 of his water) every second day and a complete cleaning each week.
He's been a happy little guy up until now, eating his pellets the moment I drop them (I give him a moment to chew before giving him the next one) and wagging his tail like a puppy. He always responded to seeing me and seemed friendly and happy. I noticed he liked looking at colorful things (he spent hours facing downwards staring at his multi-colored gravel and gently touching various pieces with his chin.) I would put different postcards and pictures with bright colors near his tank and he loved to just stare at them. I could see his eyes moving back ond forth, his head moving from side to side, up and down inspecting the whole picture.
Anyways, that's his background. The trouble started yesterday as I was feeding him. He was all excited as he always is when feeding time comes. I dropped a pellet in and he snapped it up. I reached for a second pellet and my ring accidently tapped (very lightly) against his tank. He TOTALLY freaked out. He started racing around his tank smashing against the sides, into his plant and jamming himself violently between the thermometer and side of tank. All I could do was watch in horror. Then he swam out and lay down on the bottom really still. He stayed like that for a long time and I thought he had had a heart attack. He wasn't moving and even when I VERY gently tried to get his attention he didn't move. I was very upset, I thought he was dead. Finally after what seemed like hours, he sprung back to life for a moment, rose to the top to take in some air and then went back to the bottom and lay there. I thought I'd just let him rest and he'd be back to normal. This morning I was in the kitchen and saw him freak out like that again, for no reason that I could see this time. He swam around in a panic and hid behind his plant. No one was near his tank. I approached him slowly and showed him his pellets (he would usually get all excited as soon as I picked up the packet) and no response. He used to come right up to the side I was on and follow my hands waiting for his food. I slowly and gently opened the feeding window in his lid and dropped in a pellet. He saw it and didn't move. He seemed afraid to go eat. After a lot of coaxing I finally got him to come take the pellet and two more after that. This is very unusual behaviour for him as he is usually a little piggy and also very friendly and happy to see me. He no longer seems to trust me. I am worried he will never be the same little fishy he was before this trauma. Has anyone here had an otherwise friendly, bold fish that became frightened and shy suddenly? How can I win back his trust? I have to clean his whole tank today but I am worried about traumatizing him more with the net. (he is usually extra happy after tank cleaning and really seems to appreciate the clean water) What should I do?
I am planning on getting a nice ten gallon tank for him sometime in Oct. I will cycle it properly and would like to add some live plants and ornaments (some greek pillars and a rock cave) I'm thinking of a Bio Wheel filter for the tank. Anyone know if these are good? I'd also like to get him some little friends. (yes, I will put them in first, before Phlox) I've been reading about other people's experiences here and have decided I'll get maybe 4 neon tetras, an Oto, a Cory and a Mystery Snail. Does that seem like too much for a ten gallon tank? I'm hoping he isn't so skittish now that he'll be afraid of the other fish. I'll make sure he has lots of plants and places to hide.
Sorry for all the questions. I'm just worried for this little guy. I'll post up a picture of him as soon as I get a decent one. I don't want to freak him out right now, more than he already is.