So up untill yesterday my swordtail has been acting very skiddish, usually when i go up to the tank all my fish come to the front and dance for food but lately when i go up to the tank my swordtail darts to the back and hovers over the bottom, i shut off the tank lights to maybe help ease the stress and sat back for a second to watch him, after awhile he started to swim around like normal then i moved my arm a bit and there he went, right into his little hut, i thought maybe it as poor water quality maybe? so i did a 50% water change, my new heater comes in the mail tomarrow so maybe having a constant temp. again will help? (my old heater died about 5 days ago) I dont know what my water chemistry is at the moment cause i have to get another API kit as well.. i plan on going to my local LFS as soon as i can to get it tested there as well as maybe pick up a few more plants for more cover? anyone suggest some type of floating cover maybe? im not sure what to do..

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10g- 2 hi-fin fm platys, 3 koi & red wag sword fry
40g Breeder- 6 danios, 4 female swords, 1 male swords
"I was born with nothin and I still got most of it left."- Seasick Steve

Duckweed, dwarf water lettuce and Hornwort are all good floating plants - I've heard Riccia works too.

It may be the temp', but like you said - I'd get the water tested. Is it possible it's being bullied by the other fish? Did someone accidentally knock the tank and give the fish a scare? There's a lot of things that can make a fish become shy.

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20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

i doubt he's getting bullied lol, his buddies are a handfull of glofish and a gold incan snail, usually they have a pretty good pecking order, the swordtail will eat first while the glofish sit in the back and snag anything he's missed lol, hopefully the heater and some more cover will help, thank you

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10g- 2 hi-fin fm platys, 3 koi & red wag sword fry
40g Breeder- 6 danios, 4 female swords, 1 male swords
"I was born with nothin and I still got most of it left."- Seasick Steve

Nice to see that your instinct is to do a water change. Always a good response when fish are acting weird. Sonds like stress to me. I've had a number of fish do the same thing, even Angels.

I have a male molly like that, won't come out of the cave often, so i got him some women, he still stays in the cave. Guess fish have different personalities too sometimes. Good luck!

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"Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn".-- Benjamin Franklin

thanks for everything guys, my first instinct is to almost always do a water change, a wise old fish lover once told me that the solution to most of your problems is to do a water change lol, so i did that and i've gotten them a new heater, I also work at a print shop so i made em a new background and still need to go get some more plants for the tank but he seems alittle better, still jumpy but he's swiming up to the front of the tank more and more so we'll see still need to get my air system up and running to give my tank alittle more intrest too, so much still too do!! whoever woulda known that one little 'ol ten gallon would get me more into the hobby more than ever before!

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10g- 2 hi-fin fm platys, 3 koi & red wag sword fry
40g Breeder- 6 danios, 4 female swords, 1 male swords
"I was born with nothin and I still got most of it left."- Seasick Steve