Tetra Schooling Mix

[kevin_kay]

Hello, this is my first post in this forum, nice to meet all of you!

I had four 20Gallon Tetra species tanks (1 black-skirt tetra tank, 1 Buenos Aires Tetra tank, 1 Columbian Tetra tank and 1 Black phantom tank, all containing 10 of each type) running for a while now. Well I sold each tank setup and got a 100Gallon tank(longer than deeper) fully equiped. So I cycled the tank blablabla........ so I mixed the Tetras in the new tank and the four goups at first they spread around no schooling I guess just to look at there new home. one week later they have not gotten back to there original crews/species (which I originally wanted), they have formed a mega 40 fish group. QUESTION, seeing that gave me an idea. If I do the research blablabla.......take out the nippy tetra species(ex:sarpae) can I just get 4 of every non nippy/aggressive tetra out in my fish store(I think there are 10 more different varieties left there) more since they aren't really following the best kept in 6 rule now. They aren't even schooling with there own? However, I'm also thinking its because they ahve never seen so much open free swimming water!lol. Do peacefull tetra species always school like this? Are they still adjusting after more than a week? Will other non-aggressive/peaceful fish like SOME species of rainbows, barbs, rams, mollies, platys, swordtails and danios, etc.... do the same? Again, after researching blablabla.....correct fish, will all peacefull fish school together in one single group like this?? Thanks in advance

 

[kevin_kay]

Well, I added a few more species of tetras 10 of each (Congos $$$too much -> not worth it -> bought them, anyways, red eyes and silver tips blood fins) they seemed to fit in fairly well over the last few days (I had to take out the red eyes - too nippy. I think to finish off the tank I'll add some Checkered Barbs and Corydoras's. Here's the Giff for people who don't know which fish/Tetras to choose: (Personal Taste and experience from only Tetras I have had - there are others)
(1) Black Phantom - Smaller, beautiful eye pattern, peaceful and looks a lot like a mini shark. Not very nippy
(2) Sarpae - Smaller, beautiful(looks like an orangey red version of phantoms, VERY nippy even if kept in a large shoal, nips anything and does damage fins.
(3) Black Skirt Tetra - Medium. Beautiful FLAT shape different than most tetras, peaceful (nips a bit but makes little or no damage)
(4) Silver tips - Medium, plain, peaceful, very little nipping.
(5) Buenos Aires Tetra - Bigger, can be aggressive nipper but chases more than nips. Nice coloration.
(6) Columbian Tetra - Bigger, VERY beautiful in the right lighting shades or purple, blue, red, pink or green, $$$ can be costly, can be nippy but don't do too much damage with a nip.
(7)Red eye tetra - Smaller, plain, nice red eyes, can be very nippy but mostly against its kind.
(8)Congo Tetra - Bigger, beautiful in the right lighting looks like a rainbow of colors when happy. $$$Can be costly depending on where you live again, again can be nippy

Well these are the tetras I've had so far. Over all they like to chase and nip by nature the thing is some nip allots and some less. All fish are different and have different personalities so you can never fully predict how they will act. However, if you want a schooling fish that is generally cheap in Canada(don't know about other countries), is normally peaceful, can be mixed easily with others of its kind, and MOST IMPORTANT, DOES NOT POOP ALOT and generally does leave much food left over the Tetra is GOOD!

The Tetra downside is that you do not get much color IF you are a color person. If you are, you can easily mix some platys in. Also, they are small but for a:
- Less than 5Gal, Please DON'T it’s not fair to the fish
- 5 Gal (really don't like them), but if you really want get 4 of one species.
- 10 Gal (my personal min), can get as much as 8 to keep them happy. (Black will be blacker and color....)
- 20+ can get a lot, juts be careful not to overstock.

Conclusion about MIXING Tetras: They can a do mix well if you get the right kinds. In a 20 Gallon tank if you put only one kind they will clearly school (when startled) and un-school when they think it’s safe. However, if overstocked with multiple types in a smaller tank you will never see them school the right way it will look more like scattered chaos, not enough room to school. AND in larger tanks with mixed kinds, they DO sometimes school as a large group of fish but what I noticed is that there are mini sub schools of 3-5 fish within the large school when they do get startled for whatever reason. And when left alone/calm, they un-school and school, the larger more aggressive ones chase and nip to establish territory, the calmer ones seem to find the same spots to rest if they are tired of being chased/fighting for there own space. And, the smaller ones and timid ones go into plants to hide. So MIXED tetra tanks do school but in a different way. I hope there are TETRA people (who mainly have tetras) in this forum and I would really like to know what they think and how they would describe their tetras so I can know which ones to get next!!!!!