Breeding stripes...

[Tragedy]

Penny (Penelope) has been here for a week now, and she STILL has breeding stripes. I'm wondering if this is normal? How long do breeding stripes normally stay around? I'm worried it might be stress stripes, not breeding stripes, and I have no clue why she'd be stressed. All I can think is that she's afraid because of how big her tank is?

Here's the breakdown of the week:
Last Friday - Brought Penny, Reid, and Colts home. Had their tank set up, let them get into it. She was split with Colts. Penny already had stripes.
Saturday - Noticed heater in tank wasn't working. Kept light on and turned up heat. Water stayed around 74.
Sunday - Finally got heater, water temp spiked to 82 but dropped down to 80 where I like it. Noticed fuzz on Colts' face, removed him from tank. 100% water change.
Monday - Carefully watching her for fuzz, no change. Decide to un-split the tank and let her have all 5 gallons.
Tuesday - Today - No change, about to do a 20% water change. Did 20% Wednesday.

Tank -
All readings normal (can get specific if requested), tank is not cycled yet so I do 20% every 2 days. Tank is kept at 80 degrees. Water flow is extremely slow (doesn't even push her, she's not even 2 inches long). Tank is pre-treated with salt. I do 100% on all my tanks on Sunday.

Penny -
Acts fine, very active, flares and eating fine. I fast her every Sunday (my other ones as well). She is fed pellets. Show's no fin damage, actually has the best fins out of all of them. Aside from being very small and the bars, she's extremely beautiful and healthy looking.

[doggyhog]

They are vertical right?

[Tragedy]

Which direction is Vertical? |D

[dramaqueen]

Up and down.

[Tragedy]

Oh. No =/ They're side-to-side. I'm going to assume that means she's stressed out. I never bothered to look at what breeding stripes look like since I don't want to breed... D:

Great. How can I help her not be stressed?? She has lots of hiding places (especially since she's so small she goes and hides in the rocks and stuff). I don't want her stressed =(((((

[dramaqueen]

Stress stripes are like this. ------------- Breeding stripes are like l l l .

[doggyhog]

Yep. If she's tiny, that means she's probably really young and the stripes SHOULD go away when she grows up. :)

PS. a good way to remember the directions of Vertical and Horizontal is Horizontal is like the Horizon.... :P I'm a nerd.. ya.

[dramaqueen]

Try keeping her tank/bowl in a quiet, dark place and maybe that will calm her down.

[Tragedy]

Well my room is always quiet and slow, since I'm practically never in here. I think I'll drape a towel over her tank so that the light stays out. Should I leave her light off for a few days?

doggy - Yup Id say shes really young lol. Shes barely bigger than a marble!