Hello! There is a 30 gallon tank where I work. It currently holds 5 skirt tetras, 1 platy (who seems to think he's a skirt tetra), and 10 neon tetras. The neon tetras always, and I mean ALWAYS, hide near the bottom of the tank under leaves and the main decoration. Is this because they are scared of the more boisterous skirt tetras or is this just normal neon behavior? If they were in a species-only tank, would they swim around more? I will try to post a picture of the aquarium later.
Normal Neon Tetra Behavior?
- Thread starter BeckyCats
- Start date
SnailPocalypse
Fish Addict
I too have neon tetras and mine hide too mostly of the lack of plants,Do you have any plants in your tank?
First in general, neons are not active fish, nor boisterous, but sedate and quiet. However, once they are settled in the aquarium (they may take several days to settle to a new home) they should come out more than what you describe. So that means they are likely frightened of something.
Water conditions, the aquascape, and other fish species can all influence a fish's stress level. Fish need hiding spots, or they will be stressed. The fish doesn't know it is safe, only that it is vulnerable. The natural habitat of a species is the key to the sort of aquascape it requires to be healthy. Plants can help, as can chunks of wood, or even artificial decor. Provided the fish is not forced into the open all the time, it should be OK once it settles.
The above pertains to both posts 1 and 2. Now to post 1, the Black Skirt Tetra may well be the problem. This species is feisty, active, and often beligerent and harassing for a tetra. I would remove this species. The platy is not frightened of the Black Skirts because platies are fairly active and not normally shy or timid themselves.
Byron.
Water conditions, the aquascape, and other fish species can all influence a fish's stress level. Fish need hiding spots, or they will be stressed. The fish doesn't know it is safe, only that it is vulnerable. The natural habitat of a species is the key to the sort of aquascape it requires to be healthy. Plants can help, as can chunks of wood, or even artificial decor. Provided the fish is not forced into the open all the time, it should be OK once it settles.
The above pertains to both posts 1 and 2. Now to post 1, the Black Skirt Tetra may well be the problem. This species is feisty, active, and often beligerent and harassing for a tetra. I would remove this species. The platy is not frightened of the Black Skirts because platies are fairly active and not normally shy or timid themselves.
Byron.
This is the tank. It is about 30 gallons. I brought in the plants. There is water sprite behind the faux wood decoration that just hasn't grown up yet but should one day fill out the back nicely.
You can see the neons at the bottom. Ordinarily they aren't out this much, but this picture was taken right after a water change and all the fish were freaked. In the second photo you can see them all huddled up.
You can see the neons at the bottom. Ordinarily they aren't out this much, but this picture was taken right after a water change and all the fish were freaked. In the second photo you can see them all huddled up.
Byron, based on the pictures above, do you think the problem is more likely the skirt tetras or the decor? I suspect the skirt tetras if you say that neons are not normally supposed to hide all of the time. The way they are huddled together at the bottom in the second picture is about how they usually look. (By the way, the water looks cloudy and there are bubbles on the glass because a water change was just done right before I took the pictures.
So, if indeed the skirt tetras and the neon tetras are not good roommates, we will have to rehome one of the species. Can the 9 neons live in a ten-gallon tank or is that too small?
The aquascape is fine (nice work too) so I wouldn't consider than an issue here. I would suggest some floating plants though; you would be surprised how floating plants calm down forest fish, and these fish are all from forest habitats. Overhead light is not good for fish, some react more than others, but shading it with a few floating plants works wonders almost always.
As for the neons behaviour, they may still be settling in. It is normal for fish to be out more after a water change, because nothing invigorates fish like a water change. Many species will even spawn from the stimulus of a water change. The Black Skirts may or may not be causing stress; I would have to sit in front of this tank for an hour or longer, and maybe several times, in order to pin this down. Neons are quite delicate fish, and after several decades of commercial inbreeding the strains are much less resilient now, and prone to problems more than say wild caught fish would be. I would leave the fish as is for the present, and see how things develop.
Byron.
As for the neons behaviour, they may still be settling in. It is normal for fish to be out more after a water change, because nothing invigorates fish like a water change. Many species will even spawn from the stimulus of a water change. The Black Skirts may or may not be causing stress; I would have to sit in front of this tank for an hour or longer, and maybe several times, in order to pin this down. Neons are quite delicate fish, and after several decades of commercial inbreeding the strains are much less resilient now, and prone to problems more than say wild caught fish would be. I would leave the fish as is for the present, and see how things develop.
Byron.
I have both Neons and Black Skirt tetras and they are fine with each other now, when I added the Black skirt tetras the neons were a bit upset for about 3 weeks, I put it down to the Neons thinking the Black Skirts will eat them.
The skirt tetras have been here for awhile. The neons were added about 3 or 4 months ago. They have never seemed to feel comfortable.
Regarding floating plants, I was letting a clump of water sprite float at the top. The larger piece that is planted in the back came up and was floating at the top yesterday, which seemed to stimulate spawning behavior amongst the skirt tetras. I planted the big piece back down today but I left some of the smaller pieces that were there before. When I go back to work, I'll bring in more of my water sprite from home specifically to float since they obviously liked it so much.
I am still worried about the neons though, because it seems like they should be used to things after several months.
Regarding floating plants, I was letting a clump of water sprite float at the top. The larger piece that is planted in the back came up and was floating at the top yesterday, which seemed to stimulate spawning behavior amongst the skirt tetras. I planted the big piece back down today but I left some of the smaller pieces that were there before. When I go back to work, I'll bring in more of my water sprite from home specifically to float since they obviously liked it so much.
I am still worried about the neons though, because it seems like they should be used to things after several months.
SnailPocalypse
Fish Addict
Ok so Also to do a experiment I put more plants and wood in my 10 gallon yesterday for my neons now this morning they are all schooling around the tank.So possibly you need more plants for them to hide under?Also the clumping is just them schooling to feel safe.
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