# Flowerhorn trying to kill it self



## jlam86 (Dec 7, 2010)

Hey Everyone!

Been having the strangest week with my flower horn. It keeps trying to kill itself or something. Some days, it'll be perfectly fine. Other days, it'll go absolutely bizerk and ram into the glass of the tank and keep jumping to hit the lid! It gets so bad to the point where she gets all cut up and beaten, kind of knocks itself stupid, floats on it's side for a bit, recovers and does it again in a few days... 

She's about 6" long and in a 60g right now. No tank mates as she murders all of them. what to do? There is nothing in the tank except a powerhead, and black sand...


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

sounds like it needs a padded cell . Man, these things really seem to have psychological problems....no wonder I have yet to get one lol


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## roshan (Jul 19, 2010)

very strange behaviour, have you done anything diffrently to her enviroment recently?, you might want to keepher in darkness for a longer period of time just o see if this will relax her, possibly she is lonely or hankering for somethng to beat up!!


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## jlam86 (Dec 7, 2010)

Well it is in a pretty dim lit environment all the time. Seems like when we turn on a bit more light, it gets startled more. I haven't done anything differently and it's been in that tank for oh...7 months. Just lately she is going coo coo! I tried to get it a tank mate and before I released it into the tank, it started to eat the new fish through the bag!! As soon as I released it, the flower horn went full till after it. Scary!! 

Thinking I should get a bunch of decorations to change it up for it. May be too bored...


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

sounds like she is attacking her reflection? when i had trouble with my flowerhorn it started when i removed an ornament she had outgrown. people on here recommended some dither fish. what kind these would be i have no idea. maybe she needs to breed.


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

does she have sand that is easy for her to excavate. mine was really unhappy with course stuff she didn't like in her mouth


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## jlam86 (Dec 7, 2010)

yes. the sand is easy for her to excavate. she's been with the same type of sand for over two years. Why she'd start going coo coo all of a sudden, i have no idea. I will go buy some black poster paper and line all but the front of the tank with black in hope it is just a reflection issue. She's given herself a fat lip now and the power head came off the glass now. good grief! lol


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

I could be wrong but I don't think the black poster paper will really help if it is a reflection issue. It will still see it's reflection and probably better with the black paper IMO One of my betta's did that all the time and I tried the black paper idea but didn't make a difference as the black makes it so all they will see is their reflection as opposed to everything outside the tank. Was worse if anything. The only way to get rid of the reflection is lining the inside of the glass. As I said I could be wrong but thats my experience.


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

get her a mate man, she needs some action , and distubd1 is right black paper would make the reflection worse, i would say try and find a large male and let them work out there issues, brezilian has a few really nice hybrids and there cheap , , i would redecorate and toss him in ,


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## jlam86 (Dec 7, 2010)

Hm...i will experiment with some of the things mentioned. I really am not too sure about this male. He WILL die lol!


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

get him a bit bigger than her , i dunno i would at least contact brez, if there is something in the tank maybe it would be less crazy , something it cant push around


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## bcorchidguy (Jan 14, 2011)

Dude, paint the side of the tank, sounds like the FH is stressing about movement... find a mate, paint the sides (to keep reflection to a minium) and maybe some floating plants.


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## jlam86 (Dec 7, 2010)

Hm! I have some plasti dip that would be perfect but I am afraid it might be a bit late. She can't stay right side up anymore but nOT floating...yet


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## fuzzysocks (Dec 8, 2010)

This is entirely speculation, but is it possible that rather than mental issues, it's a disease that causes flashing? When my angels had infections and/or issues with water quality, they would go nuts and dart around the tank. At times this could be violent enough that I'd cringe at the sound, or they'd end up on their side barely moving.

Either way, I hope your fish recovers!


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

is there a chance there is electrical current in your tank, maybe a cracked heater tube, or a light fixture over open water?

just a thought maybe she is getting zapped


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## jlam86 (Dec 7, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestion. I checks the lights and the heater and all seems well. I took out the power head today so she won't get as irritated from the current.


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## Piranhaman (Jul 31, 2012)

I say get a bigger male.


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

its a 60gallon so 4ft tank right? hahaha my flowerhorn got just the opposite. She would try and hide behind the tape on temperature reader...........i eventually made an obsticle course withall kinds of tunnels and things for her and she always went out of her way to travel thru them every time she crossed the tank.
.


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## jlam86 (Dec 7, 2010)

She's gone to a better place:*( hope she enjoys fishy heaven..

RIP Anna...you will be missed

Thanks for all those who gave suggestions


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

really , sorry buddy thats a bummer? i still would like to know why?


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

sorry to hear. they can have quite the personalities


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## jlam86 (Dec 7, 2010)

I wish I could tell ya man. I really don't know. Temperature was good, water test seemed to check out fine. Sigh


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

well if you ever come over to the island you can take some babies home with ya from my hybrid surprise tank haha, yopu take a scoop you never know what your gonna get back .. but 1 thing is for sure there hybrids.

when i closed down all my breeding tanks i had 3 tanks with fry in them , flowerhorns, jag x cons 3/4 jag 1/4 con , and i thought the flowerhorns being bigger would have cleaned house but that is not the case so i have a good mix bag growing let me know


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## jlam86 (Dec 7, 2010)

^ thanks! I really appreciate the offer. For the time being, I will just focus on the rest of my other fishies and hope they bring as much enjoyment as Anna has


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