# Fish playing dead?? :shock:



## foo4sho (Jun 16, 2010)

i bought 2 strawberry tetras a fews weeks ago and the smaller one died in 2 days after i brought him home... my water tested perfect at the petstore though. Well I told them it died so they gave me a choice of any other fish to replace it for free, so i got a bigger black skirt tetra. Now when the BStetra gets close to the STetra (who is smaller), the Stetra starts drifting sideways and upside down until the BStetra goes away... is this normal?! it seems so weird. 

PS, my RW swordtail which i've had for 2 months has been starting to lay on the bottom alot and in the cave (but swims fine at feeding time), he never did this before. does anyone know why the sudden change in behaviour?


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## foo4sho (Jun 16, 2010)

does anyone know whats going on with these fish/?/


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## Earthsiege (Apr 20, 2010)

That's a good question actually, as one of my male platies does exactly the same thing around male guppies, oddly enough.

Have not been able to figure out why though.


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## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

i have seen demale mollies, guppies, and swordtails all display similar behavor as a male proches them they point their nose in the air as almost to say im open for business mate with me but i have never seen any tetras do it. very odd. the platy thats laying on the bottom i know you said him but are u sure its not a female. typically with livebearers i have noticed right before giving birth they lay on the bottom because its tough for them to swim around when they are so pregnant ive even heard of some not surviving because they cant make it to food. it may also be from over harrasment from the males or if it is a male it could be getting picked on. if this is not the case it may have an infection of sorts wearing the fish down keeping it stressed and not active. any heavy breathing or laying on its side? how much is it eating is it actually eating or spitting the food back out?


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## dan3345 (Jan 27, 2010)

it could be territorial. My male gouramis do it to each other as a warning to get away. Also while black skirt tetras are aggressive they need to be in groups of 3 or more. All tetras do though to my knowledge.


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## foo4sho (Jun 16, 2010)

the swordtail is the biggest fish in the tank, and he is definitely a male. Hes been doing better and swimming more often now after i treated the tank for ick because the strawberry tetra is getting white dots on its fins. I think i might just give the 2 tetras back to fishworld because i cannot fit anymore in my 10G to make them happy, and i like the platy/swordtals better


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