Paradise fish sick?

Question
Hi Karen,

I have one paradise fish with other danios and black widows. It has been quite active for almost a year now but for the past two days it just lies down and doesnt eat anything and usually remains at one spot for a long period of time. Could you please advise?

I'd appreciate any help.

Thanks,

Val

Answer
Hi Val,
That is rather odd behavior, although I have heard of them sitting in one area of the tank and I had one that always had a tendency to just stay in one area all the time.Is it possible that he is having a hard time competing for food with the other fish? I know sometimes when I first get fish they will all get along for a while and then as they start to mature there can be problems that develop. If you don't see any obvious signs of disease then you could even try different types of food. Frozen bloodworms might work. I don't know if you have already tried them or not. Of course the other fish will compete for the bloodworms and paradise fish are not that good at competing for food.
One other thing that you might want to check is your water. Sometimes water quality will change very quickly and will affect some fish more than others. Does he seem to do any better if you do a water change? I've seen fish improve with just more frequent water changes. You might also add more plants to make him feel more secure.
Try these things and see what happens. Be sure to keep observing him for any signs of illness.
Hope this helps,
Karen