Cochu's Blue Tetra

[dwarfgourami]

Coming back to the thought of these, they are so pretty, but I'm wondering if I'd find them disruptive. Read somewhere that they are fin-nippers and also that they are very restless and greedy. The tank is a 240 ltr, planted and bogwooded, containing some non-breeding platies, breeding poeciliopsis, breeding bristlenoses and a few female guppies, but with room for one more school. Would these blue beauties rock my happy boat?

The other options I had in mind were either black neons or black phantoms. What would you choose?

 

[Lateral Line]

You won't keep any of your breeders fry with them around. In a group of say 6+ they are not really a huge problem. That said, given the choices you offer, I'd take the Black Neons. They are hardy, colourful, contrasting, peaceful, and a thoroughly nice fish.

 

[lljdma06]

I keep Cochu's blue tetras (Boehlkea fredcochui) in a 20g tank with serpaes, black neons, corys, and otos. They are a rambuncious fish and very active, and their colors are stunning in a tannic tank. Mine constantly cruise around the tank, swimming the middle to upper levels. They are voracious when it comes to food. They sometimes harrass my otos, but it's not very serious. They also pick on the other tetras a little, who fight back. I keep them in conditions similar to yours. I don't think they're a great fish to have with any fish that's breeding. They're not overly aggressive, they're just very active and have to have their noses into everything.

If I were to put a tetra in with your breeding fish, the black neon has my vote. Far more placid, based on my experience.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Thanks to both of you, that more or less confirms what I thought. So I have to choose whether I want these very attractive fish or whether I want to keep the tank the mixed-generations nursery tank it is at the moment. Hmmm....I think I might go for the black neons. Particularly as my local small lfs always has very healthy looking ones. And it's a tetra I've never kept.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Any particular reason why you both mentioned black neons above black phantoms?

 

[lljdma06]

Any particular reason why you both mentioned black neons above black phantoms?

Now, I question myself. Before, I said so because I thought that the black phantom was in the same genus as the serpae, which is a blood characin, but now with my trusty Baensch atlas (Vol. 1) I see that they are not. Actually, the black neon is also a Hyphessobrycon like the serpae, which I find odd, they really don't behave the same way.

I, however, will stick to my recommendation of the black neon. I've kept all three species. Serpae and black phantoms are more active, like the blue tetra. Male black phantoms and serpaes will scuffle in the tank for dominance. It's not particularly violent, it's actually rather pretty, but they will rush at high speeds chasing eachother and will not seem to care if an oto or corydora gets bumped along the way. I have not observed this behavior in Black neons, which tend to hang around, more like neons or glowlights. I think you're breeding poeciliopsis and breeding bristlenoses will prefer fish that are less active. It's funny how classification works. Could be that my Baensch atlas is old too. I know the serpae classification has been changed.

Megalamphodus megalopterus - Black phantom tetra
Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi - Black neon
Hyphessobrycon callistus/serpae - serpae tetra (There are several subspecies on this one)

I hope that answers your question a little.

llj

 

[dwarfgourami]

[I, however, will stick to my recommendation of the black neon. I've kept all three species. Serpae and black phantoms are more active, like the blue tetra. Male black phantoms and serpaes will scuffle in the tank for dominance. It's not particularly violent, it's actually rather pretty, but they will rush at high speeds chasing eachother and will not seem to care if an oto or corydora gets bumped along the way. I have not observed this behavior in Black neons, which tend to hang around, more like neons or glowlights. I think you're breeding poeciliopsis and breeding bristlenoses will prefer fish that are less active. It's funny how classification works. Could be that my Baensch atlas is old too. I know the serpae classification has been changed.

Thanks, I agree that it seems funny that black neons and serpas should be so closely related; they don't seem to behave anything like each other. I have been enjoying watching the black phantoms display to each other in the lfs tank- that's what made me think of them. The shop has two very handsome males and quite a few females in a tank, looks greatly entertaining.

The poeciliopsis, by the way, are the most hyperactive fish I have yet come across, but in a livebearer sort of way, that is the males cruise with their noses stuck permanently up the females' anus and only break off to chase each other madly across the tank, with no damage ever done.

But the babies might prefer something a bit more peaceful, and it also leaves more scope for later additions, so I think I'll go with the black neons.