Black Widows

[DRD1812]

Are black widow tetras generally 'nippy' as I got some on saturday and my male betta's tale is starting to shrink. No other fish has even been interested in him.

 

[black angel]

yes, i have had the same problem with my widows. they fin nip anything.

 

[bunjiweb]

Yeap, my mate has Black Widows and they nip themselves as well as others.

Ben

 

[dolly_daydream]

hi
yep they nip i have guppys with only half of a tale due to the widows and the larger they get the more nippy they become,

 

[DRD1812]

bugger

 

[shrimpster97]

are black widows the same as black skirts? if so my dont nip fins. but the long finned one does look a bit nipped.

 

[Lateral Line]

black widows the same as black skirts?

Yes, Black Widow is the more common European name for what Americans call Black Skirts. In a suitably sized group, they are normally pretty inoffensive, say 6 or more fish. Many tetras in small groups, pairs or individuals are nippy, and having toothed jaws, can inflict more damage then a similaly sized barb for example.

How many have you got?

 

[DRD1812]

I've got 2 are you sure if I got 4 more they would stop demolishing my bettas tail?

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> are you sure

No, nothing is certain when dealing with live stock. I've had a Silver Tip from hell once, it had half a 55 to itself and did not tolerate ANYTHING else in it's half. What is normal is that in larger groups, tetras keep their pecking and attention on other members of the group rather then anything else. Same is true of many fish, aggressive barbs, (most are not of course), Zebra Danios, etcetra.

A group of 2 is not a group, and I am not really suprised there is a "bit of action" from them.

Sad that it may be, an awful lot of "harmless" community fish will peck at long trailing fins. There are people that keep bettas in communities however. Perhaps you should ask on the betta board for suitable tank mates. It may be better, (groan!), to swap your Black Widows for something different.

Certainly, a group of 6 Black Widows, in a normally stocked tank, would not be regarded as aggressive.

 

[DRD1812]

ok then so its more like that would stop attackin my betta. I'll give it a go and I've already asked over there but thank you for the advice, if they don't stop when I have a group I'll put them in my spare tank and have to buy a filter for them.

 

[rich]

That's a bit of a blow. I bought black widows because they were labelled as being peaceful community fish. My wifes really keen on adding a betta as well.

 

[jmelnek]

I have six of them and they do not bother anybody else, have wanted to add a betta but I am still very causious.

 

[sylvia]

Oh no! I thought black skirts were the same as black phantoms... so all those of you who I've told I adore black skirts - I meant black phantoms... widows nip!

... now that's why we need to use scientific names...

 

[DRD1812]

Ok they killed my betta the same day I'd bought 4 more (he was dead when I got home with them) so I waited a while for them to get used to the tank got another betta forgot that most male betta's attack females woke up she was dead he was dying after being ripped to shreds like the other luckly I'd set up another tank put him in he still died...

So plan of action get a male and female betta male in the little tank by him self female in the big tank and walla.

 

[SRC]

Aww that really sucks.