Black skirt tetra chasing eachother

[Tl52505]

Is it normal for my black skirt tetras to nip at eachother. They also eat all of the food before the fish at the bottom can get any. Ideas to help with that

 

[Rocky998]

Is it normal for my black skirt tetras to nip at eachother. They also eat all of the food before the fish at the bottom can get any. Ideas to help with that

Hello! How many blackskirts do you have? What is the tank size? And what are the tank mates?

As for feeding the bottom feeders, you should feed the black skirts in another section of the tank and then put food in another section of the tank so it can sink for the fish on the bottom.

 

[Fishmanic]

When I had black skirts in 35 gallon tall hex tank, a couple of larger ones would nip at the smaller ones. They are now in a 29 gallon rectangular tank with a longer length and they no longer nip. What size is your tank?
To help in feeding the bottom fish: float flakes or small round pellets for the top fish on one side of the tank. For the bottom fish soak larger shrimp pellets in a bit of tank water and lower the pellets with your hand toward the bottom on the other side of the tank. If you have pleco, you should also drop in an algae wafer for each one evey other day preferably when light are off for the day.
You could also add flakes by pinching in your fingers or with long tweezers , soak them as lower it toward the bottom and then release.

 

[SomethingsFishy24]

From the other 2 posts, sounds like you are having a rough time. No worries, they'll get you sorted☝

 

[Colin_T]

Black skirt/ widow tetras are renown fin nippers. This can be reduced by having lots of them in the tank (10 or more).

Yes they are greedy and will eat any food you put in the tank. If you feed them a little bit at a time, they will eventually get full and the other fish can get some food. I would spend 5-30 minutes in front of each tank feeding the fish. Just offer a bit at a time, let them eat, then offer a bit more. Do this until everyone has been fed.
Remove uneaten food after feeding.

 

[GaryE]

Black skirts are well known for aggressive, nippy, greedy ways. They had become very uncommon aquarium fish around here because of that, but when they were genetically modified to create glo-tetras, the real form made a comeback. They're really hardy, and on farms, they breed like they eat, so they are inexpensive to produce.
There are so many easier to keep, gentler tetras, but...

 

[Tl52505]

When I had black skirts in 35 gallon tall hex tank, a couple of larger ones would nip at the smaller ones. They are now in a 29 gallon rectangular tank with a longer length and they no longer nip. What size is your tank?
To help in feeding the bottom fish: float flakes or small round pellets for the top fish on one side of the tank. For the bottom fish soak larger shrimp pellets in a bit of tank water and lower the pellets with your hand toward the bottom on the other side of the tank. If you have pleco, you should also drop in an algae wafer for each one evey other day preferably when light are off for the day.
You could also add flakes by pinching in your fingers or with long tweezers , soak them as lower it toward the bottom and then release.

There are 4 black skirt tetras, 5 neon tetras, a dwarf gourami, and 2 dumbo guppies in 37 gal tank. The only fish that don’t get the food are the neon tetras and the dumbo guppies

 

[Slaphppy7]

Black skirts are well known for aggressive, nippy, greedy ways. They had become very uncommon aquarium fish around here because of that, but when they were genetically modified to create glo-tetras, the real form made a comeback. They're really hardy, and on farms, they breed like they eat, so they are inexpensive to produce.
There are so many easier to keep, gentler tetras, but...

Like black phantom tetras...just as attractive, and very peaceful, like most tetras, when kept in adequate groups...

 

[Slaphppy7]

There are 4 black skirt tetras, 5 neon tetras, a dwarf gourami, and 2 dumbo guppies in 37 gal tank. The only fish that don’t get the food are the neon tetras and the dumbo guppies

The nipping is most likely from having an inadequate group of the BS tetras....ALL tetras are social fish, and do best in groups of at least 10 individuals

Any chance of returning or rehoming the BS tetras?

 

[Rocky998]

The nipping is most likely from having an inadequate group of the BS tetras....ALL tetras are social fish, and do best in groups of at least 10 individuals

Any chance of returning or rehoming the BS tetras?

"BS" tetras

 

[Byron]

There are 4 black skirt tetras, 5 neon tetras, a dwarf gourami, and 2 dumbo guppies in 37 gal tank. The only fish that don’t get the food are the neon tetras and the dumbo guppies

This is your problem...you need a group of 10-12 Black Skirt Tetras. This will confine the nipping, usually. But before getting more, remember, they are still active nippy fish and tankmates have to be chosen carefully; re-homing the four is the alternative, and finding a more peaceful shoaling fish.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Isn't it simply a case of a completely misunderstanding of their behaviour?
I am keeping these fish almost my entire life and they have a way of social behaviour that is often misunderstood as nipping / agression. If these fish are kept in a decent shoal / ratio and tank they are perfect aquariumfish.

Same with Silvertips. Those chase males and females relentlessly which is completely normal. On Marketplace (Gumtree) often offered fot free cause of that.

There are several other fish which are "agressive" when spawning / mating.
Even Corydorasmales are a pain in the .... when doing so.

Think we should try to understand fishbehaviour better and provide the right circumstances. If so there appears to be a lot less agression / nipping.

 

[GaryE]

There are fish with inclinations toward nipping/biting. They certainly can be managed with the right numbers, water flow etc. Years ago, I had an undescribed Geophaus, sp Araguia. They were absolutely violent. I added a powerful water pump and created a strong flow through the tank, and suddenly I had 'regular' Geophagus behaviour. I'd been keeping a fast water fish in slow water.

Where we get into trouble is when a fish like the black skirt becomes one of 3 or 4 tetras available, as is often the case in the large American chain stores. If you have a small tank, bought as a boxed kit, then a tetra of this eventual size and behaviour becomes a poor choice, and a poor offering on the part of the seller. They're easy to breed, hardy and cheap for the stores, but I don't see them as a great choice for the clientele of a Petsmart or Petco.

 

[Rocky998]

Isn't it simply a case of a completely misunderstanding of their behaviour?
I am keeping these fish almost my entire life and they have a way of social behaviour that is often misunderstood as nipping / agression. If these fish are kept in a decent shoal / ratio and tank they are perfect aquariumfish.

Same with Silvertips. Those chase males and females relentlessly which is completely normal. On Marketplace (Gumtree) often offered fot free cause of that.

There are several other fish which are "agressive" when spawning / mating.
Even Corydorasmales are a pain in the .... when doing so.

Think we should try to understand fishbehaviour better and provide the right circumstances. If so there appears to be a lot less agression / nipping.

Or sometimes you get one that rejects nature and decides it wants to live alone

 

[DoubleDutch]

Or sometimes you get one that rejects nature and decides it wants to live alone

Definitely. Privacy is a huge thing in a Black Skirt's life hahaha