AboutRon Coleman Expertise I am an expert on cichlid fishes, particularly New World cichlids. My broader expertise includes the behavior, ecology and reproduction of fishes in general. (I am NOT an expert on Goldfish. Please do not ask me questions about why your goldfish are sick -- they are almost always sick due to the way that they are sold). Also, please do not use abbreviations, such as "my GT has a swollen
eye" because I don't know what a "GT" is. The more clearly you can explain your question, the better chance I have of understanding what it is that you seek. Thanks.
Experience I teach at the California State University, Sacramento in the Department of Biological Sciences, and I run a website, called the Cichlid Research Home Page . I also write for many popular aquarist magazines, and I am editor of Cichlid News magazine. I am a scientist and I spend my time teaching fish biology, ecology, behavior and evolution and doing research on the reproductive biology of fishes, particularly cichlids. I do research in the laboratory and in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. My main interest is understanding the evolution of parental care in fishes. I am interested in encouraging greater public awareness, understanding and participation in science.
Organizations belong to American Cichlid Association, Pacific Coast Cichlid Association, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, etc
Publications Cichlid News, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, Science, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, Copeia, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AUK, Environmental Biology of Fishes
Expert: Ron Coleman Date: 6/18/2008 Subject: weird catfish
Question QUESTION: I have a 46 gallon tank. I have 1 Chinese algae eater, 3 long finned rosy barbs, 3 giant danios, 3 long finned zebra danios, and 2 pangasius catfish. Its been about a week since I bought the catfish and they keep passing out for no reason. I put in more hiding places but it didn't really help. I was wondering if you could please tell me how to deal with this situation.
ANSWER: Hi Mandeep,
What do you mean by "passing out"?
-- Ron
rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: By passing out I mean they just stop moving and sink to the bottom of the tank and just lay there not moving at all. Then a minute or two later they get up again and start swimming but a few minutes later they lay down again.
Answer Hi Mandeep,
That doesn't sound unusual at all. Catfish normally sit still on the bottom of the tank. It would be much more unusual for them to keep swimming.
-- Ron
rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>
