Your new aquarium is almost perfect, but you fish are not swimming much, they are sitting on the bottom of the tank. What should you do?

If you are particularly worried about the welfare of your fish and you thing their inactivity is a sign of problems, the best way to rule them out is to test your water. There are a wealth of diseases which can infect your tank, not to mention parasites. These can be introduced to your aquarium when you introduce new fish to the environment, bring in new plants and accessories, or sometimes when the tank is in need of cleaning or service. You can purchase small testing kits which will take care of diagnosing most problems, or you can take a water sample to your pet store or veterinarian, if they specialize in fish and aquatic life. Once you know what water issues you have, you will know what course of action to take. It is always a good idea to buy a good quality aquarium handbook to guide you through your first aquarium set-up.

Some fish breeds are known to love the bottom of your tank. Many types of algae eaters may stay close to the bottom of your aquarium when they find better food sources there. Sometimes when purchasing a fish, it is often overlooked that the fish breed is a bottom feeder. If you have bought a bottom feeder, expect that she will hang out there; as that is where she finds all the goodies that make her happy. Again, a good fish and aquarium book can answer those questions for you.

Your fish may also be low in the tank because of breeding. Livebearers are known to hide and stay low in an aquarium before delivering their babies. The first reason they do this is so they can be left alone. They are also trying to provide cover for the babies once they are born so the larger fish in the aquarium don’t use them as a food source.

If you have several types of fish in your aquarium, you may not have the numbers of fish you need to make a certain type of fish feel comfortable. Breeds such as Tetras like to school. Schooling fish should be in groups of three or more. Failure to provide them the family environment they are used to could make them targets for other (more aggressive) fish in your tank, or cause them to be anti-social.

Having a good handbook is a must for any aquarium owner. Knowing what to expect from your fish will help you understand why your new pets keep sitting on the bottom of the tank.