neon tetra

[bunjiweb]

Hi People.

Yesterday I bought 6 beautiful neon tetra, lovely little things.

When i put them in they were swimming about peacfully as a small shoal, but this morning they have split up and are there are 2 which have become dominant and the shoal has split up

Any ideas how to get them to be friends again?

Ben

 

[Lateral Line]

When a group of schooling fish are moved from one place to another, a power struggle frequently arises. It takes time for the members to get to know their place in the new setting. Usually takes a week or so, nothing to worry about, rarely causes any damage.

As for schooling, this is a defensive behaviour and is often only apparent in situations where the fish feel threatened. Usually, large open spaces will cause schoolers to school up. In crowded "busy" tanks, there is no advantage, so they go their own way.

 

[NEON98101]

Yeah, my Neon school when some threatning situation happen. Like when I try to catch some fish, redecorate the tank or when other fish is in the breeding mood. Like my cory or lemon tetras are in breeding chase mood, neon tend to gather in big group. Of course, if they are in their own breeding mood, they too chase and power struggle among males.
So bottom line is when Neon is schooling they are threatened in some way. Like the no decorated pet store tank with bright light. Or they arekept with some big fish which may or may not eat them for a snack. So I do not try to make them intentionally school them.
In another word, when they are not schooling, they feel secure and comfortable in your tank.
And also, if there are less then 6~7, it just ain't enough to school. Since forming school is form of surviving and protection strategy from their predator. It makes look bigger than their little indivisual size. And also, when some bigger fish try to catch them, they can scatter and sort of make the predator to confuse and lose track of the target. Even if the predator catch one poor schooling fish, the rest of them escape safely and maintain their speicy survival.

 

[millym]

as said when they fell threatened they will school..but when relaxed & comfortable a bunch of neons will head off on their own to potter around by themselves.