Erratic swimming behaviour

[oracle54]

I have an adult Leopard Catfish which has suddenly started darting around the tank at high speed with little or no sense of direction, even hitting the lid occasionally. It has only just started doing this,and there have been no changes in habitat recently. When the fish stops racing about, he swims either on one side or back, or even standing on his tail.Any thoughts please, as my local aquarist supply shop is unable to help ?

[Birger]

Sorry, there are many different catfish that can get called leopard catfish and we need some info on conditions, tankmates etc.
Then there is a better chance to help you out.

A picture would help if you do not know the species name.

Birger

[Richard B]

Any update on this - additional info etc?

[fishgirl247]

my flathead does the same thing. mine has some goldfish with him that he's been eating and i think that might be why mine does it while he's hunting.

[andywoolloo]

have you checked the water parameters? What does it test for for A NI NA PH? Any strange behavious I check the water first and do a partial water change.

Or maybe an outside pollutant got into his tank, someone cleaning something that maybe go tinto his tank fume wise?

[apistomaster]

"Mad Catfish Disease", perhaps?
I'm assuming the fish in question is a Corydoras species. I have seen individual Corydoras do this and it usually is a precursor to death. I do not know the cause but an infection involving the brain is what I suspect.
I would remove the fish to a quarantine tank for observation.
If it is a disease it isn't likely to be very infectious but it also isn't something we can treat successfully.

[fishgirl247]

my flathead does the same thing. mine has some goldfish with him that he's been eating and i think that might be why mine does it while he's hunting.

i wanted to add that mine does not swim on his tail. when he's done, he quietly just "lays down" and goes to sleep. i didn't want anyone to think that maybe mine was sick, but i suppose it's a possibility since this is my first cat.