Goldfish are the most common fish that every aquarist prefers to add to their home aquarium. However, some goldfish behavior like rubbing can be a matter of concern.
So, why is your goldfish rubbing against the plants? Is it normal? Let us find out.
External parasites like ich cause itching in goldfish, making them rub against plants. Other factors like contaminated water, physical injuries, and stress can make your fish rub against plants. Consider providing good water quality and isolating new fish to prevent your goldfish from such issues.
In the below article, we will discuss the reason behind your goldfish rubbing against the plants in the tank.
Contents
Is it normal for goldfish to rub against plants?
Occasionally, your goldfish rubbing against plants is not a matter of concern as your fish can do that due to boredom.
However, if you discover your fish rubbing against the plant regularly, it requires immediate attention for the well-being of your goldfish.
Your goldfish rubbing against the tank indicates severe health issues like white spot disease in your goldfish.
There can also be many other reasons like poor water quality, stress, and injury that can make your goldfish rub against the plants.
Also read: Do Goldfish Eat Plants?
What are the reasons behind your goldfish rubbing against plants?
Here are the reasons behind your goldfish rubbing against plants
- Poor water quality can make your goldfish rub against plants.
- Your goldfish is suffering from stress.
- Your goldfish is suffering from external parasites.
- Inadequate water parameters in your goldfish tank.
- Your goldfish is suffering from physical injuries.
Poor Water Quality
Poor water quality can make your goldfish rub against the aquarium plants. Contaminated water is the root cause behind ammonia spikes in the tank.
Ammonia spikes further can affect the gills of your goldfish, eventually leading to the passing away of your fish.
Poor water quality can also lower the tank’s oxygen level making your goldfish gasp for air at the top of the tank’s water surface.
Contaminated water also prohibits the growth of beneficial bacteria in the tank as beneficial bacteria need oxygen to break down nitrite and ammonia.
Lack of beneficial bacteria can also result in the spike of the ammonia and nitrite levels in the tank.
Stress
Stress also plays an essential role in making your goldfish rub against the plants.
Your goldfish shows signs like aggression, erratic swimming pattern, and hiding when suffering from stress.
Other reasons behind your goldfish suffering from stress are
- Unstable water parameters
- Aggressive Tankmates
- Unfavorable water conditions
- Overcrowded tank
- Irregular supply of food.
Excessive stress can make your goldfish prone to several diseases, eventually leading to the passing away of your fish.
Also read: What To Do If My Goldfish Is Stressed?
External Parasites
External parasites like white spot disease can make your goldfish rub against the tank’s aquatic plants.
White spot disease or ich can cause itching to your goldfish, making them rub against the aquarium decors like plants, rocks, and other ornaments.
Introducing new fish or invertebrates without isolating them can lead to such issues for your goldfish.
Poor water quality can also be a reason for white spot disease in your goldfish.
Other external parasites that can make your goldfish rub against the plants are as follows:
- Fish Lice
- Gill flukes
Also read: How To Cure Goldfish Ich?
Inadequate water parameters
Inadequate water parameters can also make your goldfish rub against the aquatic plants.
A spike or a drop in the tank’s pH level can make your goldfish suffer from itchy skin, eventually leading to your goldfish rubbing against the aquarium plants.
Sudden fluctuations in the water temperature can also shock your goldfish, making them suffer from several health issues.
Injuries
Physical injuries can also make your goldfish rub against the tank’s aquatic plants.
Adding aggressive tankmates like betta fish can physically injure your goldfish.
Adding aggressive tankmates can lead to nipping and chasing, leading to injury in your goldfish.
Some injuries can cause itching in your goldfish skin, making them rub against the plants.
Adding non-peaceful species can lead to extreme aggression in the tank making your goldfish suffer from severe health issues like stress.
How can we prevent such issues in goldfish?
Here are the ways to prevent such issues in your goldfish
- Provide good water quality
- Provide a stress-free environment to your goldfish
- Avoid adding non-compatible tankmates
- Isolate the new fish or invertebrates before adding them to your tank.
- Wash the aquarium decors before adding them to your tank.
- Provide adequate water parameters
Good water quality
You should provide good water quality to your goldfish to prevent such issues.
It will be advisable to perform a 30% water change weekly in your goldfish tank to keep the tank water clean.
You can add a water filter to your goldfish tank as it helps eliminate the harmful toxins from the water and help to maintain the tank’s water quality.
It would be best if you always kept checking the ammonia and nitrate levels in the tank with the help of a test kit for the well-being of your goldfish.
| Particular | Goldfish |
|---|---|
| Ammonia Level | 0-0.25ppm |
| Nitrate Levels | 0-40ppm |
It would be best to check the tank’s ammonia level with the help of an API Ammonia Test kit as it provides accurate results.
You can buy it from Amazon API TEST KIT
Therefore, we advise you to provide good water conditions to your goldfish for your fish’s well-being.
Also read: Do Goldfish Need Filters?
Stress-Free Environment
You should provide a stress-free environment to your goldfish to prevent such issues.
You can provide a stress-free environment to your goldfish in the following ways:
- Add hiding spots to your goldfish tank.
- Avoid pairing your goldfish with aggressive tankmates.
- Avoid overcrowding your goldfish tank.
- Provide good water quality in your goldfish tank.
- Maintain adequate water parameters in your goldfish tank.
- Provide high-grade food to your goldfish.
- Provide a regular supply of food.
Avoid adding aggressive tankmates
You should avoid adding aggressive tankmates to your goldfish tank to prevent such issues for your goldfish.
Pairing your goldfish with aggressive tankmates like betta can lead to severe aggression in the tank, eventually leading to stress and injuries to your goldfish.
Therefore, we advise you to place your goldfish with peaceful tankmates like guppies for the well-being of your fish.
Also read: Can Goldfish Live With Guppy?
Isolate new fish
It would be best to isolate new fish and invertebrates for at least four to five weeks to prevent such issues.
Fish and invertebrates can carry several contagious parasites and diseases.
So, isolating your new fish in a separate tank will give you time to detect if they are suffering from any health issues.
Wash the aquarium decors
It would be best to wash the aquarium decors before adding them to your goldfish tank to prevent such issues for your goldfish.
Your aquarium tank decors like rocks, caves and other ornaments can carry numerous parasites leading to infection to your goldfish.
You should isolate the aquarium decors and live plants for 2-3 days before adding them to your goldfish tank for the well-being of your goldfish.
Provide adequate water parameters
You should maintain adequate water parameters in your goldfish tank to prevent your goldfish from rubbing against the tank’s aquatic plants and other aquarium decors
| Particular | Goldfish |
|---|---|
| Water Temperature | 68-74°F |
| Ph Level | 7.5 |
Also read: What Is The Ideal Water Temperature For Goldfish?
Conclusion:
- Your goldfish regularly rubbing against the aquatic plants is a concern and requires immediate action.
- Poor water quality, stress, external parasites, or physical injuries can make your goldfish rub against the tank’s aquatic plants.
- You can prevent such issues for your goldfish by providing good water conditions, a stress-free environment, and adequate water parameters.
- Excessive stress can lead to severe health issues for your goldfish, eventually leading to the passing away of your fish.
- Always place your goldfish with compatible tankmates like guppy to develop a healthy environment in the tank.
Reference: NCBI ScienceDirect