# rubbing sides on gravel



## badforthesport (Jan 8, 2004)

i have had ich before in a diffent tank but my Fourteen 4-5" Red Belly Piranhas (Pygocentrus nattereri) are rubbing the gravel like they have ich. but i dont see nywhite spots. its been going on for a few day. anything this can be? maybe a cool strut?


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## badforthesport (Jan 8, 2004)

if one does it another will


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## tecknik (Jul 18, 2003)

They could be marking their territory. They might slide against the gravel or even a filter. Or, it can be that they have an ich due to a parasite. How often do they do it?


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## badforthesport (Jan 8, 2004)

well as i watch right now there are not even touching the gravel.


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## amoor33 (Jan 21, 2004)

mine do it too, no signs of diseases or parasites....sometimes p's have itches too my man, nothing to be worried about.


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## rb3 (Dec 31, 2003)

i have had 6 rb for a couple of months now and they all do that once and a while. i got worried at first, went to a lfs and watched the p's. saw a couple do it, then went and seen the pacu. saw one of them do it too. i asked the lady at the lfs and she said "it is normal, not only that but ick cant live in your tank with 80 deg. water any more than a couple days".


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## EZ_Ian (Feb 21, 2004)

yea dude, my Ps rub against stuff... I like to think of it as a form of freestyle swimming (sort of like freestlye walking or soemthing)


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## imachode (Jun 3, 2003)

mine ALWAYS do this on the sand/rocks/driftwood pieces. no ich visible, no dead/sick looking rbp's. no worries.


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

Check your water parameters... It might be ammonia, nitrite or low pH.

If your water is fine, and they are still flashing aggressively against objects, then it's most likely parasites (like flukes if you don't see any white spots).

An occasional scratch is fine, but if they are doing it repeatedly, there's something wrong...


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## badforthesport (Jan 8, 2004)

what product should i buY?


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

First, a basic test kit... If all the water parameters check out, then we can think about treating the tank.


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## badforthesport (Jan 8, 2004)

ki went to a lps and he said that they will be fine. didnt think i should buy anything. right now i seen my clown knife do it to so i think it came from feeders. what the hell could this be and what should i do about it?

will my ray be afftected by this?


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## mashunter18 (Jan 2, 2004)

Whats your water permiters???Did you do your tests yet??

My Cariba did that when I first got them,all my water perims were good,I did a salt treatment,and that stopped doing it.I had other pygo's in the tank already.


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## badforthesport (Jan 8, 2004)

well i didnt get a kit but im still doing water changes every other day. thats fine i hear. i was also told able salf was ok to add. true?


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## badforthesport (Jan 8, 2004)

so i hear table salt is ok so ill add it tomarrow after a water change.


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## mashunter18 (Jan 2, 2004)

I have never used the table salt myself,but plenty of people have said they use it fine,no problems.

hopefully your fish will be o.k,Im sure they will.

I do about 25% water change every 2 weeks,and get rid of big chuncks of food in between,my tanks perimeters stay right on target for me this way.I do carbon changes once a month.


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