Jelly Bean Tetra - Ladigesia roloffi - Federation of British Aquatic ...

this could be a sign of a swim bladder disorder. Again further investigation
will lead the fishkeeper to discover that the fish are actually ‘upside-down
catfish’, that swim happily in an inverted position when juvenile, often
resorting to a more conventional posture as adult fish.
These two examples highlight the need to know your fish!
Knowing your fish starts before you have even purchased them from your
aquatic store. When you read up on the potential size, feeding and water
quality requirements of any potential new fish, try to also seek information
about the natural appearance of the fish at different stages of their life cycle
and their natural ‘normal’ behaviour. Kribensis cichlids (Pelvicachromis
pulcher) for example show a markedly red belly at spawning time, this
could be mistaken for bacterial erythrema. Clown Loaches (Chromobotia
macracanthus), are notorious for the eccentric behaviours. At the Tetra
fishkeeping helpdesk we hear of many who play ‘dead’ and even of one
Clown Loach who destroyed its aquarium by pulling out the silicone that
held the glass panels of the tank together!
Upon acquiring your fish, you should familiarise yourself with the
individual’s natural appearance and its behaviour. In the first few days in
the tank, your new fish are likely to be very timid and may decline feeding,
however as they settle most common freshwater aquarium inhabitants will
venture out into the tank and respond to feeding.
Notice the swimming patterns of your fish, how quickly they eat food and
the method of food intake. Feeding time offers an excellent time for a brief
visual health check of your fishes.
However, as emphasised above, we must be familiar with ‘normal’
appearance and behaviour of healthy fish in order to recognise ‘abnormal’
and thus potential ill health.
Abnormal signs to look out for can be split into behavioural and
morphological deviations from the accepted ‘normal’ state of your fish.
Behavioural indicators of ill health include gasping for air at the water
surface, a common sign of gill disease or water quality problems in most
fishes – in air breathing fishes such as the Lungfish this is perfectly normal
behaviour.
Changes in the swimming activity are a sure sign of potential ill health. If a
normally active fish ceases swimming activity, becoming lethargic and
swimming only when disturbed, then this is a strong indicator of ill health.
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