My new Glofish are hiding and staying at the bottom. Is this normal?

Question

i have a question, we recently got glofish as a gift to my mother. I bought the water conditioner, food, plants and a volcano to decorate the tank, its a 5 gallon tank so they would have alot of room to swim. But all 5 fish, just stay at the bottom of the tank, occasional moving, not to full out swimming. the swim a bit for a few seconds and hide again under the plants or filter pump, in the back of the tank. I want to know is that normal? Pet's info: Fish | Tetra

Miranda Sadar, DVM, DACZM · Accepted Answer

Thanks for your question about your fish, and congratulations on your new family members! I didn't see how recently the tank was set up, but there are a couple of things that could be going on. I would start by checking your water quality - any abnormalities in water quality can make fish have abnormal behaviors, and the water looks a bit murky in the photos you provided. There may be parameters that need to be addressed depending on what you find. If you do not have a water quality kit, they can be purchased at the pet store or an aquarium store, or you can take a sample of your water in for evaluation to these places as well. Some will charge a small fee for this service, just so you are prepared. Also, with recent tank set ups, it can be stressful for fish as they are in a new habitat. I would recommend keeping the light on for only a few hours per day to start, as the bright lights can be shocking for them (since fish don't have eyelids). Gradually you can increase the length of time that the lights are on so that you reach a cycle of 10-12 hours of light and 12-14 hours of darkness for them. I hope this gives you a place to start, and I wish you and your mom the best with the new pets!

My new Glofish are hiding and staying at the bottom. Is this normal?

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