# strange behavior



## Forked_Tongue (Feb 20, 2003)

I have some duckweed floating on the top of my 125...Im trying to start it growing since i want to cover the whole top....anyways, everyonce in a while (at least 2x a day) one of my P's smashes the surface for no reason goes down to the bottom, acts like he is chewing and then expelled a whole shibby load of air bubbles out of his gills....

Is he doing this to tickle his gills by useing air?
is he doing this to eat the duckweed

can anyone give me an answer of a possibility

thanx


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

I havent experienced this behavior. Mine do crash the surface like yours and then let out the air bubbles but I dont have anything on the surface, maybe yours do it more to get the duckweed

you need to make poll options


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

My reds do the same, taking a gulp of air at the surface. I don't have duckweed, though...

I noticed they usually do it after a feeding session, which makes me believe that the gulping and swallowing of air has something to do with countering the added weight of the food, in order to maintain neutral boiancy (ie. the normal state: not sinking, nor raising to the surface).

So, try and figure out if your fish "breach" on specific occasions (which may give some clues), or at random.


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## Outie (Feb 19, 2003)

I think what your seeing is normal, it's probably just that when they go up to surface they are getting a mouthfull of plants and they are tryinmg to spit it out. Mine do the same thing, But I have huge plastic plants floatingo n the top.


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## SnowCichlid. (Jan 10, 2003)

... I dont think it should be a problem, nothing to worry about yet. However waht kind of poll is this?


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

my reds do this too after feeding and aswell as after waterchanges.maybe there not getting enough air?


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

I always thought it was reflections from the top of the water that made them go up and attack. Never thought about it also, really. Just thought it was a normal thing, and I dont have anything floating on the surface.


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

Rhomzillaman, i never thought of it that way.


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Thats what I thought all along, Majestic Marcos. One time when my 125 gal was just filled with water, I stuck my head in there and did see a reflection when the water level was an inch or less from the top of the tank.


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

i cant see them doing this after EATING tho.


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## Mr. Hannibal (Feb 21, 2003)

I don´t know why they do that but i think is normal since i´ve seen this behavior in my Cariba from time to time for many years and they keep healthy and alive till present day!


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

I've seen other fish do it as well: I don't think it's something to worry about (unless they do it all the time, which could be a sign of low oxygen levels).


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## Nethius (Feb 23, 2003)

RhomZilla said:


> Thats what I thought all along, Majestic Marcos. One time when my 125 gal was just filled with water, I stuck my head in there and did see a reflection when the water level was an inch or less from the top of the tank.


HAHA, try that filled with Piranha!

My rbp's will swim real fast to the top of the water as well... once, they all did it in a row.. I heard bang, bang (didnt know what was up) then i looked at my tank and my other 3 did the same thing, all swam real fast to the top, looked like they might have been trying to jump up out of the water, but were hitting the glass top of my tank

maybe they were all fighting, and trying to get away from each other?!? but not sure...

it may be the reflection as well... if I move the gravel away from one spot in the tank, where you can see the glass reflection, my P's will act very aggressive towards their own reflection... they point downwards, open their mouths, then do a little wiggle


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## Genin (Feb 4, 2003)

all my reds i have kept have done the grabbing air thing. it's very sparse and not bad at all. if they do it constantly then, just like everyone else mentioned, you may have a problem on your hands.

Joe


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## piranha 13 (Feb 16, 2003)

My p's also do this sometimes.


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## bobme (Feb 17, 2003)

marco said:


> my reds do this too after feeding and aswell as after waterchanges.maybe there not getting enough air?


 could be, maybe he is happy about dinner?


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## RHOMKILLA (Feb 22, 2003)

It could be that one of them squeezed a little cheese and the others are just trying to get a gulp of fresh air. HAHAHAHA


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## 123 (Feb 26, 2003)

my rbs also do this but not after feeding


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

if theres low oxegen levels, the p's will swim with there head under the surface.


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## x-J-x (Nov 28, 2002)

My Ps do come up and do that after a water change...

Buy one of my caribe loves to put his head on top of an air stone...


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

marco said:


> if theres low oxegen levels, the p's will swim with there head under the surface.


 I'd have to argue about that one Majestic Marco. I have 2 24" bubblewand on each half of the tank, and an 802 AC powerhead with the air tube to produce bubbles. They still go up top. Who knows.. probably one of those sercret mysteries of being a fish.


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## DoorsFan (Mar 6, 2003)

maybe you should add more o2 to your tank. my rhom used to do that then i added new air stones and put it under mt powerhead he stopped.


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