Glofish are very active fish, and it is not uncommon to see them chasing each other. That being said, you might want to know why your glofish are chasing each other. Today’s article will answer this article and explain how you can stop this behavior.
Why are my glofish chasing each other?
Most of the time, glofish chase each other as a form of play. However, it can also be caused by mating, territorial disputes, and stress.
Usually, there is no need to worry if you notice your glofish chasing each other. Glofish are very active fish, and they are probably just having some fun.
However, it might be a problem if one fish is constantly chasing the other, or if you notice one of your glofish is biting the others fins. Read below to learn what causes this behavior.
Stress
When glofish become stressed, it is common for them to start chasing each other around the tank. There are many reasons why your glofish could be stressed.
In my experience, I have found that glofish are usually stressed due to one of the three reasons below:
- Poor water conditions
- Small tank
- Not enough tankmates
It is very important to figure out the source of stress and make appropriate changes before it is too late. You can learn more in my article on how to tell if your glofish is dying.
Territorial
While most glofish don’t get territorial, it is not uncommon for one or two of your glofish to get territorial and try to chase other glofish around. This can be exacerbated by stress. I have also found that some species, such as glofish tiger barbs, are more aggressive than other species. It’s important that you have a big enough tank for your tiger barbs.
I have noticed that glofish tetras are usually not aggressive, but they still sometimes chase each other.
Territorial disputes can also occur during feeding time, when one glofish doesn’t want the other glofish to eat their food. You can help prevent this by making sure you are feeding your glofish enough.
If your glofish constantly attack each other, you will need to get separate tanks.
Mating
Like all other species, glofish mate with one another. It is common for a male fish to chase around a female fish that it wants to mate with. While this is usually fine, it can cause problems if the female fish isn’t interested and constantly has to swim away from the pursuing male.
How to stop your glofish from chasing each other
There are plenty of ways to stop your glofish from chasing each other, including adding hiding spots, getting a bigger tank, getting more glofish, and improving water conditions.
Add hiding spots
I have found that adding hiding spots is the best way to prevent glofish from chasing each other. You should put a lot of glofish decorations in your tank that allow glofish to hide from each other when they are being chased.
Hiding spots will also give your glofish more places to rest and sleep.
Bigger tank
As I mentioned above, glofish are very active fish that need a lot of room to swim. If they aren’t in a big enough tank, it can stress them out and lead to aggressive behavior such as chasing.
As a general rule of thumb, I suggest that you have at least 2 gallons of water for each glofish. If your current tank doesn’t fit that rule, I suggest you get a bigger tank if possible.
More glofish
I know this might sound surprising, but adding more glofish to your tank can actually help prevent them from chasing each other.
This is because glofish are school fish and prefer to live in large groups. If they are only living with one or two other glofish, it can stress them out and cause them to chase each other.
I suggest that you have at least 5 glofish in your tank.
Improve water conditions
The main reason glofish will get stressed and start chasing each other is because poor water conditions. It is very important that you keep you glofish in a tank with a heater that maintains the right water temperature.
You should also perform regular water changes to help prevent the build up of harmful bacteria. You should also make sure you have a high quality filter that keeps your tank clean.
I suggest that your regularly check the ph level of your glofish tank to ensure it is at the proper level.
Glofish chasing each other
As you read above, chasing is a natural behavior among glofish that shouldn’t be a cause for alarm. However, if the chasing is persistent or includes fin nipping, then there is a chance your gloish are stressed or have terrirtorial dispres.
To help prevent this behavior in the future make sure you have a big enough tank with enough hiding spots
