Fish not eating, acting different, thinking of changing filter?

[holbritter]

Hi guys. I'm thinking I need to change the filter on my tank. I know you can't over-filter, but the flow from this one creates a pretty strong current. When I feed, the food moves kinda fast (I think?) and my floating plant ends up in the back of the tank. The filter is good for up to a 75gal tank, and I only have a 37 (thought it was a bigger tank originally). Also it's a hex, so the surface area is smaller. I have it turned down as far as I can (per the manual).

Is this bad for the fish? My little guys aren't really eating, as far as I can tell. I put the food in, one or two of them might go for a nibble, but that's it. After a few minutes, the food is still there. (TetraMin flakes) I was thinking the flakes were too big for them, so I crushed them up more, and they still did the same thing. Maybe they are moving too fast for the fish to get??

Maybe I'm over-thinking this tank too much! LOL. Just want to get it right, and not have my babies starve.

Another thing I noticed is my 3 albino corycats aren't as active as they were. Now they just seem to sit on the bottom most of the time. They were really active when I first got them....swimming up and down and playing in the bubbles. Not anymore.

[Lady Hobbs]

I have an Emporer on my 30 gallon that's good for 75 gallon. I keep the tank full of water or have too much surface movement on all my filters! The food is moved around so fast the fish had a hard time getting to it. Just try filling the tank up to 1 inch from the top and see if that slows the current down.

I don't like all that water movement either and causes me to constantly "top off" the tank. It evaporates at about 1 inch a day.

[holbritter]

Well, I just read on another thread that angels dislike any current! Could this be my problem??

If I go ahead and change the filter....from the fluval 305 canister, to an hob, what's the best way to go about this, without losing all that good bacteria??
If I have both running, I'll probably create waves!
What to do....what to do..... :)

[Lady Hobbs]

I would never get rid of a canister to use a HOTB. You'd be giving up superior filtration for filtration not as good and don't we know that angels must have things just perfect! LOL

Angels are deep water fish and prefer calm waters as you say. I know mine like to circle the food like it's pry and pounce on it. If there's too much current, the food is gone before they even think of swimming to the top.

(This does not apply to juvies who are like dogs and tear into whatever they see in a moments time.) LOL The big boys are more pickie in their old age and slower moving.

I don't have a canister yet and didn't know they would cause all this surface water. I guess there is no way to turn it down? I have no answer for you and maybe someone with a fluval can help here. Possibly some large plastic plants right under there the water falls will defuse some of that turbulance? Fish need oxygen but certainly don't need to get blow away with it.

You've given me something else to research today. :)

[Nautilus29]

maybe I missed this but do you turn your filters off when you feed them. If not try it. also I always keep my canister filters output under the water to keep it from creating alot of splashing. You can also try pointing it twards a wall of your tank. that way the current isnt going all over the place.

[holbritter]

Yes, the output tube is under water, so I don't have a splashing problem. And I don't want to turn the filter off when feeding, because when they go back on, it blows a bunch of gunk out. Or at least it did last time I cleaned the filter....what a mess!!

The attachment tube is "U" shaped, then points out. What I think I'll try is to take that part of the tube off, and let the water shoot straight down. At least that should cut down on the whirlpool effect. And I still have the bubble wand to keep some movement up on top. I can turn that up a little too.

Hobbs....these guys are juvies. they are between dime and nickle size right now, and they look like they want to eat, but are almost afraid to go up to the top. And yes, there is a lever there that you can turn down the flow, and they say you shouldn't go more than 1/2 way with it, so that's where I have it right now.

I'm gonna try the tube thing and keep an eye on it for the rest of the day.
**sigh** there always seems to be a problem, doesn't there :)

[holbritter]

Oh yeah, any thoughts on my Albino's?

[Nautilus29]

If you cleaned the filter last time that would be why. That always releases a bunch of crap into the water. If I where you I would try shutting it off once, maybe before you do a water change that way if crap does get into the water you can take it out.

[holbritter]

Good idea on that. I do my next water change Fri., so I'll give it a shot.

BTW..I took the tube off...a little bit of gunk came out, but the plants and stuff aren't bending over anymore :)

Funny thing....one of the baby angels swam under the output and was flung downward! He actually seems to like it, and keeps doing it hahaha!

[cartmanis]

Another idea, and I'm not sure how successful it would be, would be to have a circular tube of some sort (air hose with both ends attached together), or something else that will form a circle with some area inside it, and float. Attach that to the side of the tank, and put the food in there. Might help keep that area from experiencing the normal flow of the water around it, and give the food a bit longer to stay at the surface for the fish to eat it.

Just an idea, not a tried and proven thing lol.

[holbritter]

Not a bad idea at all! So far having the tube off seems to help with the current on top. If that doesn't last, I'll try it.
I'll put my cory cat problem on a different thread.

Thanks for the advice guys :)

[xoolooxunny]

they actually have "feeding rings" you can buy, but try making one out of spare tubing first, like cartmanis said. you can train them over time, and they'll all come up to the feeding ring waiting for the food!

[countryblue]

Hi there! I have a fluval-305...I just turn the flow down during feeding....as per instructions you can turn flow down with lever on top of canister...but no more than half way....

[holbritter]

Hi there! I have a fluval-305...I just turn the flow down during feeding....as per instructions you can turn flow down with lever on top of canister...but no more than half way....


Yes, that's where I had it, but I think because it's a hex tank, with a smaller surface area, even half wasn't enough. Taking the bottom of the outflow tube off has been working great so far :)