Have you done a water test? Certainly behavior like that may be a product of a schooling fish being by itself. But erratic & harmful behavior like that also could be because there are either a lot of waste products in the water or the pH is really low or the pH is really high.
The first could be called ammonia/nitrite/nitrate poisoning is the water test goals of 0 PPM (parts per million) ammonia, ), 0 PPM nitrites or over 20 PPM nitrates are not being met. When those substances in the water are too high, those chemicals can leak back into the bloodstream through the gills & the very movement of oxygen to the cells can be limited.
If the pH is allowed to slip too low, down into the lower 6.something or 5s, fish start darting around in what has been called "crazy-man's disease. More formally that is called acidosis. This is often caused by over feeding and/or not doing large enough weekly partial water changes.
The slipping of the pH into the high 8s or even 9 causes very similar symptoms. Alkalosis is harder to reach unless rocks like tufa, limestone and some others are dissolving in an aquarium or your water supply is very high in pH. Just topping off evaporation with tap water can lead to this or at least dangerously high mineral content too.
All three of these problems can be dealt with by making more water changes. Prepare more water by treat the water in a container or containers (5-gallon,clean, plastic buckets or plastic storage containers or 3 or 5-gallon water carboys, even 32-gallon Rubbermaid trash cans or 50-gallon food quality drums - all of these dedicated to all things fishy). The water should be treated and of the same temperature as your fish tank - meaning that the water either is stored in a warm place or a submersible heater is placed in the container. Also it is wise to leave the treated water in an open container at least over night to release noxious gases in the water & to absorb a little free oxygen into the often oxygen poor tap water.
If your aquarium is just a 10-gallon tank with the one pearl Danio, getting it 5 companions is reasonable. This time of the year room temperature may be fine for the pearl Danios & you could probably even just fill 5 empty 1-gallon water jugs from the grocery & store them nearby. If the tank has a heater (submersibles are more efficient & durable) and a sturdy glass top, one can even leave the gallon jugs on top of the tank over night to warm.
Take your gravel vacuum & remove a portion of the water. Working it through a section of the gravel will remove a lot of ammonia rich fecal material & other unwanted sediment. If you have done no partial water changes lately, maybe start with a 30% partial water change. Prepare more water, walk up the sizes of your water to 50% & try to make them at least weekly,
When your 3 in 1 water test kit, or tests at a shop where you take water samples to, indicates that your water is now at the ideal water perimeters, it is time to go Danio shopping. While pearls would be best, zebras or other like sized Danios will also be good company.
Of course if your water tests are great now, just start the companion search.
Good luck! Hope your Danio is soon a happy swimmer.
How big is your tank? Is he by himself? He needs at least 5+ buddies with him; get five more like him. These are schooling fish and your tank should be heavily planted to mimic his natural habitat.Make sure you have a lid before he tries to jump out.
Comments
Have you done a water test? Certainly behavior like that may be a product of a schooling fish being by itself. But erratic & harmful behavior like that also could be because there are either a lot of waste products in the water or the pH is really low or the pH is really high.
The first could be called ammonia/nitrite/nitrate poisoning is the water test goals of 0 PPM (parts per million) ammonia, ), 0 PPM nitrites or over 20 PPM nitrates are not being met. When those substances in the water are too high, those chemicals can leak back into the bloodstream through the gills & the very movement of oxygen to the cells can be limited.
If the pH is allowed to slip too low, down into the lower 6.something or 5s, fish start darting around in what has been called "crazy-man's disease. More formally that is called acidosis. This is often caused by over feeding and/or not doing large enough weekly partial water changes.
The slipping of the pH into the high 8s or even 9 causes very similar symptoms. Alkalosis is harder to reach unless rocks like tufa, limestone and some others are dissolving in an aquarium or your water supply is very high in pH. Just topping off evaporation with tap water can lead to this or at least dangerously high mineral content too.
All three of these problems can be dealt with by making more water changes. Prepare more water by treat the water in a container or containers (5-gallon,clean, plastic buckets or plastic storage containers or 3 or 5-gallon water carboys, even 32-gallon Rubbermaid trash cans or 50-gallon food quality drums - all of these dedicated to all things fishy). The water should be treated and of the same temperature as your fish tank - meaning that the water either is stored in a warm place or a submersible heater is placed in the container. Also it is wise to leave the treated water in an open container at least over night to release noxious gases in the water & to absorb a little free oxygen into the often oxygen poor tap water.
If your aquarium is just a 10-gallon tank with the one pearl Danio, getting it 5 companions is reasonable. This time of the year room temperature may be fine for the pearl Danios & you could probably even just fill 5 empty 1-gallon water jugs from the grocery & store them nearby. If the tank has a heater (submersibles are more efficient & durable) and a sturdy glass top, one can even leave the gallon jugs on top of the tank over night to warm.
Take your gravel vacuum & remove a portion of the water. Working it through a section of the gravel will remove a lot of ammonia rich fecal material & other unwanted sediment. If you have done no partial water changes lately, maybe start with a 30% partial water change. Prepare more water, walk up the sizes of your water to 50% & try to make them at least weekly,
When your 3 in 1 water test kit, or tests at a shop where you take water samples to, indicates that your water is now at the ideal water perimeters, it is time to go Danio shopping. While pearls would be best, zebras or other like sized Danios will also be good company.
Of course if your water tests are great now, just start the companion search.
Good luck! Hope your Danio is soon a happy swimmer.
How big is your tank? Is he by himself? He needs at least 5+ buddies with him; get five more like him. These are schooling fish and your tank should be heavily planted to mimic his natural habitat.Make sure you have a lid before he tries to jump out.
Is your tank cycled?
http://www.myaquariumclub.com/the-nitrogen-cycle-f...
http://www.myaquariumclub.com/solving-water-qualit...
Usually twitch and weird behavior is caused by ammonia burns. Is your tank cycled?