Fish Surfing

[Cynful]

Ok, so I have had a filefish for about 8 months now. He's glass surfed in all three tanks I've had him in. I started with a 15g moved to 29g now I have a 55g. He also did this in qt.

55g is about 3-4 months old and cycled.

Added a melanarus wrasse, he started surfing with him a couple weeks after being in tank.

Water params are good, ph 8.0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5, ammonia 0.

I use ro/di and tds is 0 (just changed all filters with brs ones).

I've tried changing the scape, different food, even different lights (one a T5 with blue and white and one an led).

I added 2 green chromis 3 days ago and they've kind of started copying the other two.

I'm at a loss. What do I do?

 

[FEED ME ZOAS]

Could you post some pictures of the tank? I'm not really experienced enough to provide a reliable answer but pictures might help those who can.

 

[Cynful]

Of course, I meant to add a vid. Here it is. Just changed the scape and added some fake plants today that filefish loves. I keep killing macros so thought I'd try this. Usually the wrasse and file are in the corner going up and down all the time but sometimes they go across the glass like this.

 

[dedragon]

they like to swim a lot, either i would add more rock and make rockwork with crevices to swim through or if that didnt work, buy a smaller fish that can adjust to tank like better. That guy looks pretty big and older fish just dont always adjust as well unless in a larger sized tank. Both are probably better suited for a 4 foot by 2 foot aquarium at least, but many have kept them in smaller aquariums just fine

 

[vtecintegra]

I'd guess they are bored or stressed in their habitat. Don't wrasses like a lot of rock to hunt in? I've got two small wrasses and 80% of the time I don't see them. They are constantly in the rocks hunting. I'd add a lot more rock with as many holes and caves as possible. Live Aquaria also says 3" of sand for the Melanurus to sleep in, or hide in if stressed. The sand bed in the video looks a lot less.

 

[Cynful]

It is a 4 foot by 2 foot tank. I had all the rock spread out across with holes to swim through. So I decided to try deeper rock pile with more crevices etc. The video didn't show it all at the right side. There's lots of rock and they can swim all through the little caves, etc. There's 2 inches of fine sand and the wrasse loves it so far. He sleeps in it and sometimes plays almost in it. I don't have much in the way of copepods, maybe that's it. I know both the wrasse and filefish like to hunt them.

 

[i cant think]

It is a 4 foot by 2 foot tank. I had all the rock spread out across with holes to swim through. So I decided to try deeper rock pile with more crevices etc. The video didn't show it all at the right side. There's lots of rock and they can swim all through the little caves, etc. There's 2 inches of fine sand and the wrasse loves it so far. He sleeps in it and sometimes plays almost in it. I don't have much in the way of copepods, maybe that's it. I know both the wrasse and filefish like to hunt them.

I doubt it’s the fauna, I would put it down to aggression. Wrasse won’t jump unless spooked by something or they’re being predated on (The perks of being 3-60 meters down is the surface isn’t right above you so you can dart up and lose the predator, this is the reason many of the wrasse we have try to jump, except they are no longer 3 meters down and they’re now in a 2’-18” deep box).

 

[dedragon]

I would prob just let it get used to it, but more rock in the center might help. I actually like the rock structure as well but you may have 2 little picky designers in there telling you they dont like it, jk

 

[Cynful]

I would prob just let it get used to it, but more rock in the center might help. I actually like the rock structure as well but you may have 2 little picky designers in there telling you they dont like it, jk

They're definitely picky. I've tried different scapes and it's still the same. The file fish has done this in every tank except the 15 gallon.

 

[i cant think]

I doubt it’s the fauna, I would put it down to aggression. Wrasse won’t jump unless spooked by something or they’re being predated on (The perks of being 3-60 meters down is the surface isn’t right above you so you can dart up and lose the predator, this is the reason many of the wrasse we have try to jump, except they are no longer 3 meters down and they’re now in a 2’-18” deep box).

That 60 should be 97, there are some although not many that arrive in the hobby from that depth.

 

[HB AL]

Add more rock and all will be ok. Aggression will go down if not disappear.

 

[Cynful]

There's no aggression whatsoever. They all get along super well. It's just that the wrasse and filefish glass surf all day. They do love the caves I've created but it hasn't stopped the surfing. I did add more rock and caves however. Maybe I need even more. I'm not sure. Would more fish help?

 

[i cant think]

There's no aggression whatsoever. They all get along super well. It's just that the wrasse and filefish glass surf all day. They do love the caves I've created but it hasn't stopped the surfing. I did add more rock and caves however. Maybe I need even more. I'm not sure. Would more fish help?

You could try adding maybe one or two more fish and hope, this may be something that they naturally will do though.

 

[Cynful]

Should I be worried if they continue? Or just let them be?

 

[i cant think]

Should I be worried if they continue? Or just let them be?

I would be worried if it goes on none stop but if there are breaks then to me that’s just them doing what they would do in the wild (Travel along a reef/rubble pile).