Breeding group STILL not acting right.

[ThomasLC]

Bought a group of breeding Blue Dolphin online from a very good breeder.  They were the only fish in a cycled tank. All they did was group up in the tank in one corner.  I felt bad.  I went and bought 8 silver dollars as dither fish.  They just joined them in the huddle!!!.  I ran the tank 4 days no light.  Took all decorations out, tried just some decorations no luck.  I am at my wits end.  Water parameters are all good.  They do eat IF the food pass by the cluster but will not Attack the food.  My next though is to cover the tank in a blanket to stop ALL light from getting into the tank for a few days but feel this wont help either.  Please help!! 

[Guppysnail]

Add more hardscape. Like a good amount to fill in the tank. Structure makes fish feel safe because it gives them escape from predators even if there are no predators it’s an instinct. 

[ThomasLC]

Tried that.  Actually started that way.  Was suggested by the breeder that the object might be what is stressing them as they were grown in a 275 gallon tank.

[ThomasLC]

pH about 7.6, ammonia 0.0, nitrite 0.0, nitrate 10-20 ppm.

[jwcarlson]

How long have you had them?  Do you have cats or dogs?  I've got tanks near the floor and I always wonder if our cats bother them much.  The cats are pretty old and they certainly watch.  When they were younger they would have been little terrors.  They do occasionally swat at the tank though.

[ThomasLC]

Had them two weeks ago,  Have dogs but they are upstairs and have never even seen them,

[jwcarlson]

Sounds like maybe a lot of changes in two weeks?  Lights off for four days, adding silver dollars, full of decor, now empty of decor.  

 

On average they should be settled down, but that does seem like a lot of stuff going on in a short period of time.  I'd put a bit more structure back in and then just feed them occasionally for the next couple weeks.  Dim the lights a bit, maybe.

[ThomasLC]

Have the tank covered for complete darkness, will keep it this way for 48 hours.  Then add more decorations back into the tank and the light is only running at 25% when I was running it.