fish swimming up and down repeatedly

[tzey]

Hi,

Has anyone observed their fish swimming up and down against the glass in the same spot for a long period of time?

It looks like stereotypic behaviour bored animals in tiny cages do in crap zoos pacing up and down in the same spot - should I be worried? I expect my fish to be on the look out for food all the time not acting like they're trying to escape...

 

[Will Ingram]

Has anyone observed their fish swimming up and down against the glass in the same spot for a long period of time? Yes

should I be worried? No.


When animals are fed by humans they quickly lost the urge to 'forage' so all sorts of behaviour may emerge.


The fish is probably just killing time, let it have some exercise.



W

 

[Goodygumdrops]

The only fish of mine I've seen do that for no APPARENT reason are my khulis.

 

[AndyOx]

My Cory's do it as well, especially just before spawning it would seem. I shouldn't worry unless they show any of clear signs of distress, raised respiratory rate, excessive flicking, abnormally dark/pale colours lack of appetite etc.

 

[tzey]

Yer my kuhlis used to do it as well come to think of it - swirling round and round for hours

 

[hartle]

Bottom dwellers / feeders, especially some types of corydoras will swim up and down the glass cleaning it. Usually this will occur after a water change which mimics the cooler water introduction within thier natural enviroments and kicks off spawning instincts. As AndyOx has also observed (above). Mine will do it for an entire day sometimes, it's completely harmless, apart from it annoying some other fish (namely my oto's).

 

[rawr]

It depends eally, IMO no fish should be doin that for a lon period of time. What fish is it, in what tank etc?

 

[sWozzAres]

my clown loaches have been doing this for years, once one starts, another will join in the fun

they are just playing about