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I have a new tank and three zebra danios. When I was putting them into the tank on Friday, one fish jumped out and landed on the floor. We put him into the tank, he sank upside down to the bottom, but after a couple of minutes he perked up and seemed fine. Now, they all looked pretty much the same to me at that point, and I am not sure if the one I am now worried about is the same fish. I think I have two females and a male, not sure, but two are slightly more round, one is substantially larger than the other two, and chases the other two around, but especially the smallest, which I think is a male. He appears to have some missing scales, he keeps his fins tight against his body when at rest, and when he is not being chased he hides behind the filter intake, or slowly swims to the bottom, and rests there for a few seconds, until he gets chased again. It also seems like his tail end is drooping, just starting today. The other fish seem absolutely fine. What should I do about my poor little danio? I put stress coat into the tank the day I put in the fish, and again today. The people at the store said I should just get three fish, but now I am worried that maybe there are not enough of them and that is why they are bothering him so much.

It's very possible that the "flying" fish that hit the floor is suffering the after affects...

Just the trauma of hitting the floor and the possible internal injuries are enough to cause a fish to act in a sick way.

If that is the fish in trouble, there's really not much you can do but wait and see.

I don't recommend dosing Stress Coat but do recommend dosing the "New Improved Cycle", a bacteria starter that will insure a proper startup of a new tank.

Since you didn't state the size of your tank I can't really recommend how many fish should be purchased.

I can recommend that you purchase a test kit to test for water parameters, a very important factor in keeping tropicals alive.

--garyroland.

I have a 5 gallon Eclipse tank. I added stress coat in part due to the fact I did about a 20% water change. I use bottled spring water, but the people at the store said to add some of the stress coat when I change water. I also added stress zyme, which sounds similar to the product you recommended. It says it contains live bacteria to control nitrite and ammonia levels.

..but "the NEW and Improved Cycle" is far better, just about everyone uses it(if it is available to you)Id recomend getting it instead of the other products.
Cycle ensures that the bacteria contained in the bottle are dormant.Many other products are already active when packaged,meaning that they have already started their life cycle in the bottle before being added to an aquarium.
which cant be very effective when placed in the tank..
I would also advise buying "Melafix" an antibacterial,this might also help your danio,its an all natural healing tree extact..
Check your LFS for some products to keep on hand when something like this happens..
Melafix is well worth the money

Sue..

Melafix shouldn't be added for an undiagnosed condition...

It seems lately that everybody is dumping Melafix for just about any reason they can find. The fact is the product is nothing more than an anticeptic for fighting some bacteria, if indeed the fish has a bacteria problem to begin with.

Fish store employees, who are supposed to know the ins and outs of tropicals, sometimes fail the test and provide little, if no, beneficial knowledge.

It would be wise on your part not to dose the products mentioned into such a small tank. I personally would hate to swim in a concoction contained in those products.

I can just imagine how the fish must feel.

--garyroland.

would be wise on your part not to dose the products mentioned into such a small tank. I personally would hate to swim in a concoction contained in those products

God only knows whats contained in Buckley,s Cough Medicine,tastes like no other....but dammit it works..

I disagree with GaryRoland on the Melafix..and I dont "dump" it in my tank,I use the proper doseage mentioned on the package for the size tank needing it(I know you werent saying me alone)..Further more..Being an Antibacterial aide,if its a cut,wound,damaged fin,little stress of some sort that the fish ended up with,after his flying leap.I personly didnt see any harm in calling for Melafix to be used.
Im no expert, not many of us are in here, we go on what has worked for us in the past,and hope we can be of some help..

sorry but 30yrs experience(so its stated)Gary unfortunatly I thing you are wrong this time..

I apologize for anyone taking offence to the last bit..

Hope your fish is doing better

Sue..

Actually Sue I appreciate the disagreement...

But, there was no mention of any cuts or abrasions, fin damage, etc.

If you could watch my large adult black Angels (9) fight and tear each other up in my 90 gallon, you'd see that, without meds, the wounds are soon healed.

Hobbyists tend to overdo the meds when no meds are called for. Fish have an excellent immune system when kept in good water quality and have no need for any preventative meds applied to their water.

Hobbyists are going nuts with Melafix, an anticeptic I've never used for wounds, and are polluting their water with all kinds of junkie products that are not required.

The poor fish never have a chance to heal on their own and that's what I consider an insult to nature as well as the fish.

--garyroland.

..no there was no mention of cut,abrasions..etc..but maybe it was not visable.
Fish "can" heal very well on their own. My black convict has proven that many times over. Hes 5in and has been banged up many times,war wounds are whats left.lol..
Melafix was used part of the time,so secondary infections would not set in..if no signs of healing then strongers meds would be used.(only once ive had to do that)
Using product in the tank should be used with caution,and proper water maintience and tests done.

The poor fish never have a chance to heal on their own and that's what I consider an insult to nature as well as the fish.

Well..We are all guilty to some degree,we keep these fish in a glass box..what an insult that is:88)

A "glass box" indeed...

But that's another story.

--garyroland.

..yup:88)