A singular pristella tetra 🤔

[rebe]

Will a singular pristella tetra, who schools with a group of 18 rosy tetras be okay?
I'll be making a post soon about some fish updates when I've taken pictures.
I've just gotten home and I  think that one member of the group is actually a different tetra

 

[Magnum Man]

it got mixed in, when you bought the Rosie's ???

I have 6 in with my Rummy group, & they are actually pretty independent... they quite often go off on their own, & school with the Rummy's quite often... so if you really aren't planning on buying more, or gifting that one away, it'll likely be OK... at least much better than some others

 

[GaryE]

It'll be fine, although on a quest.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Pristellas are similar enough to rosies that it should be OK. It has been my observation that tetras prefer their own species, but in the absence of their own species they will school with others, especially when the have a similar shape.

 

[rebe]

it got mixed in, when you bought the Rosie's ???

if you really aren't planning on buying more, or gifting that one away, it'll likely be OK... at least much better than some others

Yes, I'll have some pictures within 5-10 minutes of the fish. There was a tank with the rosy tetras, and I got them all. (Which turns out to be 18 rosy tetras and a singular pristella.) The shop that I got them in didn't have a pristella tank as far as I can remember, so they must have also been given it by accident, from their supplier. Either they didn't notice or didn't say anything.

I don't have any friends locally with aquariums and I live in a rural village with no fish keeping or aquarium group. There is only one LFS within the distance I can travel anytime soon, and I would not trust them with the hardiest fish on earth. Terrible place really, their focus is on rabbits not fish. So giving them away doesn't feel like a possibility really.

I could potentially get some more pristellas once my 280L is up and running. It feels like my QT (54L) is at max capacity already.

Right, I'm finding some clear pictures that I've taken and I'll put them on this thread

 

[rebe]

Pristellas are similar enough to rosies that it should be OK. It has been my observation that tetras prefer their own species, but in the absence of their own species they will school with others, especially when the have a similar shape.

Are there any behavioural red flags that would indicate that being the only pristella tetra is taking a toll? Maybe just general sickness? I've never kept rosy or pristella tetras before

 

[rebe]

It'll be fine, although on a quest.

On a quest to find it's own species?

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Are there any behavioural red flags that would indicate that being the only pristella tetra is taking a toll? Maybe just general sickness? I've never kept rosy or pristella tetras before

The usual stuff. Look for hiding, aggression, poor color. If the fish is out in the open*, active, eating well, interacting with the other fish, colored nicely, it's probably fine. If 'twere me, I wouldn't stress about it, since it sounds like there isn't much you can do anyway.

*some species are naturally shier than others. I've never kept pristellas; red phantoms like to hide out no matter how many there are.

 

[Ichthys]

The fins on Roseys and Pristellas are very different in colour/pattern.

It will be ‘ok’ but imo it will be at least slightly stressed. If you added a group of its species it would jump ship and join them….

 

[WhistlingBadger]

The fins on Roseys and Pristellas are very different in colour/pattern.

It will be ‘ok’ but imo it will be at least slightly stressed. If you added a group of its species it would jump ship and join them….

True. But the OP isn't able to get more, at least for a while. My answer referred to that specific situation.

 

[rebe]

These pictures aren't great, but I'll be taking some more tomorrow when the tank lights are on again
They all seem happy and healthy so far (to my relatively untrained eyes)

 

[rebe]

But the OP isn't able to get more, at least for a while.

If you added a group of its species it would jump ship and join them….

I've been watching the new fish, and I'm really enjoying the pristella tetra so far. Once the QT is empty and they're with my hengels rasboras in the 280L, if there's still room for more schooling/upper+midwater fish then I'd definitely get some more.

I am thinking of ordering fish online once my QT is free, I want to get some more hengels to add to my group of 12 and a golden ancistrus. Maybe some catfish but I'm not 100% sure. If I do, then I could get some more pristellas. I'd say I could fit 10 hengels and 10 pristellas in the 54L QT for example

We'll see how it goes. I can ask online, but I don't think a fish keeper would drive 1h+ to collect a single pristella tetra, even if I gave it to a good home for free.

I do like the idea of getting some more, they'd look beautiful with my hengels rasboras

 

[Ichthys]

I also see a Pristella. They would tend to live above the Roseys, if you got a group.

 

[rebe]

I also see a Pristella. They would tend to live above the Roseys, if you got a group.

They seem like lovely fish, definitely ones to consider