Tank Redo Not To Angel's Liking.

So I redid my tank a bit over the weekend. And I don't think my angelfish is happy about it. I mean, he's never happy when I clean or do anything in there. His smokiness fades, he flips out, gets an attitude with the corys, etc. But usually he gets over it pretty quick, like within hours of me getting the tank back together and set. This time not so much.

The past 2 days since I did the rearrange, he just parks it in front of the filter and stares at it, for hours. Or he goes in the corner by the filter. He doesn't spend much time anywhere else in the tank. I didn't change it that much. I replaced 2 smaller decorations with one larger one. The plants are all pretty much in the same place they were before.

I did switch out my airstone in the ugf uplift tube for a power head. Which, I thought might be the problem. But it's a super low flow powerhead and furthermore, it is in the corner he hangs out in. Maybe he's a total weirdo and actually likes the flow from it? I always thought angels didn't like much current. Idk. He is a strange one.

The corys, however, are loving the new tank. But they loved it the old way too. Corys don't seem hard to please. Lol!

I've included a pic of how it looked right after I got done. And in this pic, castiel isn't in the corner he is now residing in. But I wanted you guys to see the set up, because maybe there is something I can change to make it more angelfish friendly. I am looking into more plants. As I've only got really tall ones in the back, short and really short ones in the middle and front. I feel like I need something not quite as tall as the back plants, but still taller than the front ones in the middle range. What do you guys think?

Please excuse the background, I've never had the motivation to properly apply it.

 

He seems stressed from the rescape. Try adding some aquarium salt. This might help him to be more comfortable in his environment and reduce stress. Stressed fish can lead to disease.

 

He seems stressed from the rescape. Try adding some aquarium salt. This might help him to be more comfortable in his environment and reduce stress. Stressed fish can lead to disease.

I thought I couldn't use salt with corys because they are sensitive to it.

 

I thought I couldn't use salt with corys because they are sensitive to it.

Maybe try API stress coat then? I don't keep corries so I don't know much about them. Sorry

 

Maybe try API stress coat then? I don't keep corries so I don't know much about them. Sorry

He probably is stressed. He seems to stress easy. I think I'll get some seachem stressguard to try. Funny, I have anxiety and apparently so does my angelfish.

 

He probably is stressed. He seems to stress easy. I think I'll get some seachem stressguard to try. Funny, I have anxiety and apparently so does my angelfish.

Sounds like a good plan. IMO fish help with anxiety--- the tank can keep you busy when you are anxious and they always bring excitement to the day.

 

Sounds like a good plan. IMO fish help with anxiety--- the tank can keep you busy when you are anxious and they always bring excitement to the day.

Oh my tanks definitely help me! I just watch them to relax and wind down at night, or when stuff is getting really hectic. The maintenance keeps me on schedule, kinda, pretty sure procrastination is genetic with my family. Lol! Heck, even when I have a problem with my tanks, it means I'm stressed/worrying about one specific thing with my fish; instead of my brain running through 5 billion other "problems". The 3 years I've had aquariums has been the most relaxed(relatively speaking) 3 years of my life. And a good thing too, because life has really thrown some zingers my way the past 3 years.

 

Oh my tanks definitely help me! I just watch them to relax and wind down at night, or when stuff is getting really hectic. The maintenance keeps me on schedule, kinda, pretty sure procrastination is genetic with my family. Lol! Heck, even when I have a problem with my tanks, it means I'm stressed/worrying about one specific thing with my fish; instead of my brain running through 5 billion other "problems". The 3 years I've had aquariums has been the most relaxed(relatively speaking) 3 years of my life. And a good thing too, because life has really thrown some zingers my way the past 3 years.

Same
You don’t need to do anything, adding more chemicals will stress the angel out even more. Cories also can’t have aquarium salt If anything cover the tank with a dark towel/blanket for a day or two and that should calm the angel down . Keep the light on though so he/she can get used to the new tank. Covering the tank will keep the fish focused on exploring, getting used to the tank, and calming down.

 

Oh my tanks definitely help me! I just watch them to relax and wind down at night, or when stuff is getting really hectic. The maintenance keeps me on schedule, kinda, pretty sure procrastination is genetic with my family. Lol! Heck, even when I have a problem with my tanks, it means I'm stressed/worrying about one specific thing with my fish; instead of my brain running through 5 billion other "problems". The 3 years I've had aquariums has been the most relaxed(relatively speaking) 3 years of my life. And a good thing too, because life has really thrown some zingers my way the past 3 years.

I am currently studying for the CPA exam and my fish help me through long nights of adderall, caffeine and no sleep. Sometimes I sit there for hours and watch them swim and interact with the environment. I actually kind of enjoy replanting my plants (severum rips my water sprites out daily) and changing the water. They definitely do a good job at distracting from real world problems lol. My severum actually lets me pet him and feed him by hand. It is really fun! Building the trust took a while but he is amazing. I named him Walter lol

 

She’s mostly likely stressed from all the colors.

 

I am currently studying for the CPA exam and my fish help me through long nights of adderall, caffeine and no sleep. Sometimes I sit there for hours and watch them swim and interact with the environment. I actually kind of enjoy replanting my plants (severum rips my water sprites out daily) and changing the water. They definitely do a good job at distracting from real world problems lol. My severum actually lets me pet him and feed him by hand. It is really fun! Building the trust took a while but he is amazing. I named him Walter lol

I wish I would have had an aquarium when I was in college. So many caffeine fueled, sleepless nights. And when you're already an insomniac with depression and anxiety...well, it wasn't pretty. But not one person ever suggested an aquarium as a way to simmer down. I actually didn't plan on having aquariums. I was gifted my castiel as a moving in present from my best friend. Very little fish keeping experience and I was given an angelfish. Talk about a learning curve! Lol!

I've always heard about people who can "pet" certain fish. What a cool thing! Idk if I'd like that though. Oddly, I really dislike the feeling of fish. I have a super strange ocd with texture. I'm trying to work through it. My bf and I got crested geckos, which are not quite scaley, not slimely, but some weird in between. And while I find the feel of them quite strange, I'm getting used to it.

 

Same
You don’t need to do anything, adding more chemicals will stress the angel out even more. Cories also can’t have aquarium salt If anything cover the tank with a dark towel/blanket for a day or two and that should calm the angel down . Keep the light on though so he/she can get used to the new tank. Covering the tank will keep the fish focused on exploring, getting used to the tank, and calming down.

Thanks for the advice! I think I'll try that. I mean, it will kinda suck not seeing them for a few days. Especially the corys, gosh those lil things are entertaining! But if it helps cas mellow out, it will be worth it.

 

She’s mostly likely stressed from all the colors.

All the colors are the same as they were before. There's actually less color. As the larger log decoration I put in has pretty muted color compared to the 2 smaller decorations I took out. However, I procrastinated cleaning the tank for a bit too long and it was pretty algaed over. The glass canopy too. So there is more light getting through and it is clean, so it does look brighter. But this cleaning day brightness has never bothered him before. Or rather, he's not ever been stressed for so long after a cleaning/rearranging.

 

Come to think of it, he might be so stressed this time because he is in sensory overload. So, I just got new glasses after having the same pair for 5 years. And it is shocking how much more sensory input there is. I explain it to non glasses wearers that it's like standard vs hd tv. You don't even realize how much clearer and sharper the picture can be, until you see it. Then you're like, oh ya, much better. I pretty much did the same thing to my fish by brightening his tank via cleaning. And to make it more intense, I rearranged all his furniture. Lol! It's times like these I wish I had an adjustable light. Yet another reason for me to invest in one.

 

I just wanted to update, I put a slightly dimmer light on my tank and that helped calm castiel a little bit. He started going other places in the tank more, but would still go back and stare at the filter. I was thinking about it, and under the filter in a little blank spot surrounded by plants is what I've named his hidey hole. Turns out I put one of these plants a bit to close to the filter, making it difficult for him to get to his hidey hole. So I moved it out some. He immediately went there after I moved the plant. And now he is doing much better! He was upset that he couldn't get into his hidey hole. I'm glad I figured this out. But it poses a problem for the future, as I will be upgrading from an internal filter to external soon. Effectively getting rid of the space where he has his hidey hole. Idk how I'm going to be able to create another one. Because I think the reason he likes it there is because he is surrounded on all sides, including the top. I'd hoped he would use the new log decoration I got, since it is definitely big enough for him to fit it. But thus far he hasn't shown any interest. Maybe if I change the position of it? Idk. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Life with a picky angelfish is definitely an adventure.

 

I am glad you figured it out. I would really suggest you getting some real or at least silk plants and kind of staggering them enough so he can swim through but tight enough that it provides cover. I don't really see a place in the tank where he can swim where he is still sheltered. Some fish are more skittish and need the comfort of hiding places.

 

I am glad you figured it out. I would really suggest you getting some real or at least silk plants and kind of staggering them enough so he can swim through but tight enough that it provides cover. I don't really see a place in the tank where he can swim where he is still sheltered. Some fish are more skittish and need the comfort of hiding places.

Funny enough, I just put some live plants in there yesterday. They are just little baby plants for now, but they grow like weeds! Not nearly as fast in the 37 as 20, with the light being farther away and all. But still, a very hardy plant, I wish I knew what it was. Once they are bigger I was thinking of working with them and the log to make him a new hidey hole.

 

You could try getting a large cave for him!

 

I just wanted to update, I put a slightly dimmer light on my tank and that helped calm castiel a little bit. He started going other places in the tank more, but would still go back and stare at the filter. I was thinking about it, and under the filter in a little blank spot surrounded by plants is what I've named his hidey hole. Turns out I put one of these plants a bit to close to the filter, making it difficult for him to get to his hidey hole. So I moved it out some. He immediately went there after I moved the plant. And now he is doing much better! He was upset that he couldn't get into his hidey hole. I'm glad I figured this out. But it poses a problem for the future, as I will be upgrading from an internal filter to external soon. Effectively getting rid of the space where he has his hidey hole. Idk how I'm going to be able to create another one. Because I think the reason he likes it there is because he is surrounded on all sides, including the top. I'd hoped he would use the new log decoration I got, since it is definitely big enough for him to fit it. But thus far he hasn't shown any interest. Maybe if I change the position of it? Idk. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Life with a picky angelfish is definitely an adventure.

You could always get a long thinnish piece of real wood and lean it against the glass creating a cave like area, giving coverage from the top and sides.