Stressed Keyholes

Last night I found a second crack in my 180ltr, so I decided I couldn't risk leaving it any longer.
I bagged all the fish up, floated them in my dad's tank and pulled the 180 ltr down. I've set up the Clear-Seal tank up, most of the water was from their original tank, original substrate. It only took a couple of hours, and although it was stressful catching them, they all seemed fine this morning.

I fed them some blood worm and the keyholes were the first to come out and scoff some down. Krobia are a bit sulky, but are showing no signs of stress. I've been trying to keep away from the tank today so that they can all settle down. At one point they were all breathing pretty heavily, but I've raised the spray bar and put an air pump and they seem much happier.

But I've just checked in on them to find both keyholes with dark colouration and clamped fins. Everyone else is ok, no signs of stress, no fighting, etc. A few fish have some bumps and scrapes from where they were doing all the could to stop me from catching them last night.

Could they just be stressed from everyone trying to re-establish territories? I know this tank is going to be heavily over stocked now, I still have the APS running on it, and I'll do regular water changes. I'm hoping it'll only be for a few weeks whilst I either fix their original tank, or get a replacement. I have an empty 60ltr that I set up to try and spread some of them out; would it be a better idea to move the keyholes to there until I can get the 180 ltr sorted? Or is that really pushing it for size?

I'm probably just over re-acting (I hate doing anything stressful to them, I always panic that I'll loose something), so should I just keep the lights switched off and leave them be over night, and then maybe do a water change tomorrow to be on the safe side?

The chances are you have disturbed something in the substrate when you moved it over to the other tank. Are all the fish breathing heavy or just the keyholes? I know keyholes are very stressy at the best of times and most prone to getting overly upset at changes. Try a 10% wc just in case the water has become a little off due to the move.

I only put a tiny bit of the substrate back because of how much smaller the tank is. It didn't smell at all which is good.

All other fish were breathing heavily this morning, but the spray bar was under the water line and wasn't disturbing the surface. Since I've raised it they all seem fine. I can usually tell if something is wrong by the cory's; they're always the first to start breathing heavily, but they're fine now.

Male keyhole seems to be a bit stropy- he keeps seeing the Krobia off, and was stalking the female earlier. I'll do a 10% change now just in case

Thanks Star.

I've been watching them closely as I was filling the tank back up.
The female has un-clamped her fins and seems happier since I switched the lights off.

To be honest, I think it's the male being a moody old git; he's found a hole in the bogwood, is sat practically on top of the poor bn pleco, and is shooing everyone who comes near him away, especially the female keyhole.

His fins have unclamped a bit too

That sounds good , I wouldnt worry too much about the keyhole and the krobia, they will have a go back when pushed far enough so I have discovered with my Krobia.

Let me know what happens with the tank

I got the new pane of glass today; just need to clean the 180ltr and check it over, hopefully none of the other panes will be cracked.

I'll let you know as soon as I do

Fingers crossed it works

How are they looking this morning?

Much better today Un-clamped fins, everyone is eating, swimming about.
But my god are they all skittish! I just moved to sit down, and the whole tank freaked out.

Keyholes look much better today, although the female has a few scrapes, nothing series. Mr Moody Bugger (the male), has very vivid colouration, which darkens when ever the female comes near him. Silly bugger, hope he doesn't feel that way about her for long!

I definitely need to get some of them separated into the 60 ltr, I'm worried someone will damage themselves.

Panic seems to be over Until I have to do it to them all over again in a few weeks time D:

They will settle quicker back in the bigger tank

Just done a massive water change and stuck some more big plants in there. I know it takes up more of their swimming space, but they all look so much happier now. The keyholes aren't showing stress colouration either XD

I've left the light off for a few days too; they seem happier without it. I'll give them a good feed of bloodworm later and then switch it back off.

Can't wait to get them out of this tiny tank.
But on the plus side, I'm already planning on what stocking it'll have in the future XD

That is great news on both accounts soooooooo what are you planning for the little tank then!!

Until the bloody albino cory's shoot to the top for air and freak everyone out >.< They're blind so they just crash into everything and everyone around them.

.........one word......................BISTO's But it'll be a while yet, until I get my own place. I tried to convince dad to let me upgrade to a 240ltr, but I was told no before I finished the sentence >.< Oh well, their house, their rules I guess.

Ahhhh bisto's lol I should have guessed really.

No worries on the 240, I will finish cleaning it up later (hopefully) and put it on fleabay

Sorry about that Star I hope you get a good price on it

Yeah, I've fancied bistos for a while now. I really miss my Apistogrammoides pucallpaensis too. It'll be nice to have a simple community again with some shoals of tetra.

awww its not your fault, it was suppose to be a 180 at the end of the day lol, I am sure I will make on it *rubs hands thinking what I could buy* lol