Lone tetra

[reacole]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and looking from some advice. I have a lone tetra in a 30L freshwater tropical tank. He has been on his own for probably about a year now. I had 6 of them in there but in time (5 years or so) the other 5 died and with lockdown and the rest of it, I didn't get a chance to buy him any friends. I appreciate tetras are schooling fish but I almost feel like it would be more disruptive to add new fish now that presumably he is used to being on his own?
Or would you think it'd be a good idea to add more fish anyway? If so, how many would you add? I had guppies before which to be honest I prefer to tetras as they seem a little more outgoing. My experience with tetras is that they are quite shy... what would you do?
Could I get say 3-4 guppies and 3 tetras perhaps? Is it too many? I only have ever had a maximum of 6 fish in there as it is only small...
Grateful for any thoughts! Thank you.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and looking from some advice. I have a lone tetra in a 30L freshwater tropical tank. He has been on his own for probably about a year now. I had 6 of them in there but in time (5 years or so) the other 5 died and with lockdown and the rest of it, I didn't get a chance to buy him any friends. I appreciate tetras are schooling fish but I almost feel like it would be more disruptive to add new fish now that presumably he is used to being on his own?
Or would you think it'd be a good idea to add more fish anyway? If so, how many would you add? I had guppies before which to be honest I prefer to tetras as they seem a little more outgoing. My experience with tetras is that they are quite shy... what would you do?
Could I get say 3-4 guppies and 3 tetras perhaps? Is it too many? I only have ever had a maximum of 6 fish in there as it is only small...
Grateful for any thoughts! Thank you.

Welcome to the forum.

What kind of tetra do you have? This is only about a 8 USG tank, most tetras aren't suited for a tank this small.

 

[reacole]

Welcome to the forum.

What kind of tetra do you have? This is only about a 8 USG tank, most tetras aren't suited for a tank this small.

Hi, thanks for getting back. I am not sure - I have attached a picture of the little guy. Although I have had the tank for 10 years or so, I am no expert and I took the advice of someone at the shop when I got my tetras a few years ago. What do you think? When I had guppies they lived happily for 2-3 years in there. The tetras probably longer, but only one is left now.

 

[Slaphppy7]

That's a glowlight tetra, Hemigrammus erythrozonus

Even though the tank is a bit too small for them, you could safely add 5 or 6 more, IMO...tetras are social fish, they need to be in groups to be comfortable

One of the most important rules in fishkeeping: never trust advice from a pet store employee, 99% of the time, they haven't a clue

​

 

[reacole]

That's a glowlight tetra, Hemigrammus erythrozonus

Even though the tank is a bit too small for them, you could safely add 5 or 6 more, IMO...tetras are social fish, they need to be in groups to be comfortable

One of the most important rules in fishkeeping: never trust advice from a pet store employee, 99% of the time, they haven't a clue

​

Thanks - this is very helpful and I shall bear that in mind re: pet store employees... What do you think about mixing tetras and guppies? Could I go 4 and 4? All male?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Thanks - this is very helpful and I shall bear that in mind re: pet store employees... What do you think about mixing tetras and guppies? Could I go 4 and 4? All male?

Too many fish for a tank this size....and, guppies are hard water fish, tetras prefer soft water

Any idea of the GH (general hardness) of your tap water?

 

[reacole]

Too many fish for a tank this size....and, guppies are hard water fish, tetras prefer soft water

Any idea of the GH (general hardness) of your tap water?

Oh, so it seems like the tetra thing was a total no-goer (thanks pet shop employee!). I live in London, UK and water is the hardest!

 

[Slaphppy7]

Oh, so it seems like the tetra thing was a total no-goer (thanks pet shop employee!). I live in London, UK and water is the hardest!

Yep...many of us have learned the hard way, as well...

That being said, if the others lived 5-6 years in this hard water, and the one lonely guy is still alive, I wouldn't hesitate to add more, as I mentioned above...they may have been tank-raised in harder water than what they inhabit in Nature, anyway...either that, or rehome the lone glowlight, and get guppies

Problem with guppies is that they are livebearers, and breed like mad (usually)...that little tank could be overwhelmed with too many fish, quickly...

 

[ClownLurch]

I’d get “The Lone Tetra” some mates of his own kind. He’s managed in the “wrong” water. The ones your LFS sell will no doubt be going into hard water anyway.
I lived on my own for years. I wonder if I was known behind my back as The Lone Something? Idiot probably.

 

[reacole]

I’d get “The Lone Tetra” some mates of his own kind. He’s managed in the “wrong” water. The ones your LFS sell will no doubt be going into hard water anyway.
I lived on my own for years. I wonder if I was known behind my back as The Lone Something? Idiot probably.

It was meant as a descriptive word, not a judgement. He lives in a tank on his own. He is lone meaning solitary / with no company. Anyhow, there is little I can do about the water but I can definitely get him some company. Thanks.

 

[Myraan]

If most people think 30 litres is too small for these guys - might not it be better to decide on more appropriate stocking? Shrimps, various nano fish, a Betta even? and use those as his new friends until he passes? It's not ideal - but maybe better than subjecting the new young tetras to too small a tank, when will it end... do you get more new tetra when these new ones age and so on.... That said the advice of a 2 foot minimum tank for tiny tetras seems incongruous to the general advice given for large aquarium fish is 6 times length and 2 times width to allow easy turning. I mean while 30litres is a nano tank its not like the footprint is 12inch by 4inch (make it 6 feet deep and enough room for a shoal of 20?).... joke What I'm getting at is a small shoal of small tetras in a 1 foot cube while not ideal is probably more appropriate than any size of home aquarium for oscars, stingrays, arawanas and other popular fish. Not to mention the tank dimensions quoted as "suitable" for red tailed catfish and other such tank busters.

 

[reacole]

If most people think 30 litres is too small for these guys - might not it be better to decide on more appropriate stocking? Shrimps, various nano fish, a Betta even? and use those as his new friends until he passes? It's not ideal - but maybe better than subjecting the new young tetras to too small a tank, when will it end... do you get more new tetra when these new ones age and so on.... That said the advice of a 2 foot minimum tank for tiny tetras seems incongruous to the general advice given for large aquarium fish is 6 times length and 2 times width to allow easy turning. I mean while 30litres is a nano tank its not like the footprint is 12inch by 4inch (make it 6 feet deep and enough room for a shoal of 20?).... joke What I'm getting at is a small shoal of small tetras in a 1 foot cube while not ideal is probably more appropriate than any size of home aquarium for oscars, stingrays, arawanas and other popular fish. Not to mention the tank dimensions quoted as "suitable" for red tailed catfish and other such tank busters.

Good points well made @Myraan. I did think about this too but giving my lack of knowledge, I really don't know what would be the best option here. Agreed that if the tank is not suitable for tetras then I shouldn't get more. However (and I'm no expert here) I would think that - whilst this is far from the ideal scenario - these fish come from pet shops and they have probably been bred for that purpose, hence why living in a 30L tank with a few mates is probably a better option than living in the pet shop tank in a much smaller space with 100s anyways...

I like the idea of a betta, but don't they need to be on their own in the tank? Worried it might kill the little guy?!?

And when you say 'various nano fish' which do you mean? Thanks.

 

[Myraan]

chilli rasbora, celestial pearl danio... but i dont know much about them either for all i know they need larger tank also