Neon Tetras Swimming Into Glass

I have 3 neon tetras in a 10 gal (theyre all that's in there) and they keep swimming into the glass to try and get out it seems, not
like forcefully just running into it. ammonia is .25, nitrites are .25, and nitrates are at 0 (I'm cycling) they started doing it last night I rescaped the tank

 

Maybe they are trying to fight their own reflection. However, I have not known tetras to be very aggressive. Put some dark paper all around the tank so there is no reflection, and see how they do. Remove the paper after a few minutes to avoid stressing the fish.

 

Maybe they are trying to fight their own reflection. However, I have not known tetras to be very aggressive. Put some dark paper all around the tank so there is no reflection, and see how they do. Remove the paper after a few minutes to avoid stressing the fish.

I'm gonna post a video of it in a second, and okay ill try and find some paper cause I currently don't have any

the video is horrible quality cause it just uploaded, but would it maybe be because they don't have anything to hide in? I had a fake plant in there that theyd sometimes hide around and I took it out

 

In my experience fish that are glass surfing are stressed.

How long have the neons been in the tank?

If you are keeping these neons you may consider adding more so they feel more secure.

That tank looks awfully bare. Fish feel more secure with hiding places.

 

In my experience fish that are glass surfing are stressed.

How long have the neons been in the tank?

If you are keeping these neons you may consider adding more so they feel more secure.

the neons have been in the tank for ~1 month, I'm gonna add more because I know of the schooling, I was just told I should wait since the cycle isn't completed

In my experience fish that are glass surfing are stressed.

How long have the neons been in the tank?

If you are keeping these neons you may consider adding more so they feel more secure.

That tank looks awfully bare. Fish feel more secure with hiding places.

this is the current setup, except I took the fake plant out. I can put it back in and go and get more and maybe 3 more tetras right now, if you think it wouldnt shock the bioload?

In my experience fish that are glass surfing are stressed.

How long have the neons been in the tank?

If you are keeping these neons you may consider adding more so they feel more secure.

That tank looks awfully bare. Fish feel more secure with hiding places.

I think I'm gonna run to the store and get a couple more neons, ive been doing daily water changes anyways. maybe get a couple more fake plants cause I'm not confident enough to get some real ones yet, but in the future

 

Your aquascape looks very nice but everything is only an inch or so above the sand. The neons probably feel very exposed because they don't really have anywhere to hide if they get spooked.

I am not telling you to overstock your tank but with a schooling or shoaling fish they feel more secure in larger groups.

 

Your aquascape looks very nice but everything is only an inch or so above the sand. The neons probably feel very exposed because they don't really have anywhere to hide if they get spooked.

I am not telling you to overstock your tank but with a schooling or shoaling fish they feel more secure in larger groups.

I know about the overstock! I'm just wondering that if I add 3 more neons if it would be too much bioload all at once, I'm extremely new to all this so I have no sense of judgement

 

I know about the overstock! I'm just wondering that if I add 3 more neons if it would be too much bioload all at once, I'm extremely new to all this so I have no sense of judgement

3 neons at once will not be too much bioload for your cycle to handle.

 

Neons are small fish with a small bioload. If you keep up your daily water changes and use Seachem Prime to make your ammonia and nitrites non toxic I suspect you would be fine.

I would place some taller decorations in the tank for now. A false wall of inexpensive tall fake plants a few inches in front of the back glass, a long pirate ship, something along those lines.

 

Neons are small fish with a small bioload. If you keep up your daily water changes and use Seachem Prime to make your ammonia and nitrites non toxic I suspect you would be fine.

I would place some taller decorations in the tank for now. A false wall of inexpensive tall fake plants a few inches in front of the back glass, a long pirate ship, something along those lines.

would it be okay to do both tall plants and new fish? if the get scared the can hide too.

 

That would probably be a good idea. But especially add something with some height into the tank.

 

That would probably be a good idea. But especially add something with some height into the tank.

I wanna get some gold neon tetras, I was told theyd school together but with the ones I have now being stressed I think itd be best to just get 2-3 normal neons and then get golds later

 

I would stick with regular neons.

 

I would stick with regular neons.

I'm at the store right now, there's so many kinds of anubias is there any difference

 

The only anubias I am familiar with is anubias nano which is small and slow growing. If you buy anubias it will rot if you plant it in your sand. Use a rock to hold it down.

Whatever live plant you buy it will probably melt down and take a while to recover in your tank. I would get a couple fake taller decorations right now so the fish have somewhere to hide.

 

The only anubias I am familiar with is anubias nano which is small and slow growing. If you buy anubias it will rot if you plant it in your sand. Use a rock to hold it down.

alright good to know. use thread right to attach to rock/driftwood?

would java fern be better for hiding?

 

I like like java fern narrow leaf for hiding. And water wisteria. It grows really fast, bushy and tall. Though I do have a swordtail that likes to hide in my anubias nana.

 

alright good to know. use thread right to attach to rock/driftwood?

Or just put a rock onto the roots.

would java fern be better for hiding?

Probably but live plants usually melt and take some time to recover when they are put into a new tank.

 

I haven't had java fern melt. Nor wisteria if it was already submersed.

 

due to me being overwhelmed and confused with the whole live plant thing I just got 3 fake tall plants for now cause I'm more worried about the fishes wellbeing than anything

 

That works. No melting at all. And the fish will feel more secure. I started with fake and slowly worked my way up to real.

 

I haven't had java fern melt. Nor wisteria if it was already submersed.

I have lost probably $50 in wisteria to melting since I planted it.

 

I have an empty 29 gal laying around that I could probably use to practice live plants, with having only plants do I require a filter n do I have to worry about the cycle?

 

I have an empty 29 gal laying around that I could probably use to practice live plants, with having only plants do I require a filter n do I have to worry about the cycle?

You don't need to practice in a different tank imo. Just go to the store buy a few different types of easy plants and Chuck them in your 10 gallon. See what works and what doesn't.

 

I have lost probably $50 in wisteria to melting since I planted it.

I always lose crypts. And Amazon sword. For some reason I just can't get Amazon sword to grow.

 

You don't need to practice in a different tank imo. Just go to the store buy a few different types of easy plants and Chuck them in your 10 gallon. See what works and what doesn't.

And if you are successful your neons will love the real plants.

I always lose crypts. And Amazon sword. For some reason I just can't get Amazon sword to grow.

I know the feeling. It makes me very sad to buy a large plant and see it wither to nothing.

 

so this is what I came up with. the base of the new plants that I got kinda sucks but it is what it is. as of right now theyre still swimming into the glass.

 

That looks very nice. Now they have taller plants to hide in and behind.

I would give the neons some time to get used to the new tank layout.

 

That looks very nice. Now they have taller plants to hide in and behind.

I would give the neons some time to get used to the new tank layout.

should I check the parameters just in case something spiked after I did a water change this morning?

 

Odds are nothing bad happened from your water change but it is never a bad idea to test your water.

 

Odds are nothing bad happened from your water change but it is never a bad idea to test your water.

alright! thanks. how long should it take them to adjust?

I'm sorry for asking so many questions

 

It can be hard to tell. It took a long time for my Harlequin Rasboras to get comfortable in their tank.

Turning the light off can help with scared and stressed fish.

 

It can be hard to tell. It took a long time for my Harlequin Rasboras to get comfortable in their tank.

Turning the light off can help with scared and stressed fish.

my parameters are .25 ammonia, .25 nitrites and maybe like 2-3ppm nitrates

turned all the lights off, shut all the blinds for about an hour now I think. no changes!

 

If you have prime go ahead and add a full tank does to neutralize the ammonia and nitrites.

 

If you have prime go ahead and add a full tank does to neutralize the ammonia and nitrites.

already did, once this morning for water change and then again about an hour ago when u put the plants in cause I washed them with tap water

 

Ok so the ammonia levels should be ok since it is neutralized. In 24 hours, test the parameters again. If the level of ammonia and nitrites combined is over one do a water change and dose prime. If not just dose prime.

 

Ok so the ammonia levels should be ok since it is neutralized. In 24 hours, test the parameters again. If the level of ammonia and nitrites combined is over one do a water change and dose prime. If not just dose prime.

that's what ive been doing for about a week (cause I just got prime) but any time its went over 1ppm I do a water change and I check every morning when I get up

 

Cool. Hope it all works out for you. Hopefully your cycle finishes soon and you can add the rest of your school.

 

Cool. Hope it all works out for you. Hopefully your cycle finishes soon and you can add the rest of your school.

just hopin my tetras start feelin better! if the plants don't help and its not the parameters should I add a couple more fish?

 

You could add a couple more without causing significant issues. Just stay on top of parameters and it should be fine.