Tetra Staying at bottom of tank

[styla12]

Hi All,

I added 4 Neon tetras and 4 Glowlight Tetras to my 240L tank about a week ago.

They all seem to hide in the bottom right corner of the tank next to a plant and haven't been swimming across the rest of it. They seem to all start moving around when food comes in then after eating go back to their usual spot. Attached a photo.

None of my other fish have been aggressive towards them or anything they're just left alone so not sure what the problem is?

My water parameters:
Temperature: 25.5 degrees
pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20

Thanks for your help.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

All of your parameters seem right. Are there any other bigger fish in the tank?

Sometimes new fish will hide, as they are still getting used to their new home. I also suggest getting 2-4 more neon tetras. They feel more comfortable in big groups. I have 8 in my 29g tank and they swim all across it.

 

[Colin_T]

They are hiding due to stress. If there isn't enough plant matter in the tank and on the surface, they won't be happy. Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) is a good floating plant that will provide shade and encourage the fish out. If the plant grows too much you can plant it in the substrate where it grows into a lovely light green shrub.

Having more tetras in the group can help them become less nervous. These fish naturally occur ing roups of thousands and sometimes even tens of thousands. So having 6 or 8 in a tank is really unnatural for them. Increasing the numbers to 20 or 30 of each would make a huge difference.

Assuming the filter is established, you could easily add another 10 neons and 10 glowlights.

The light coloured substrate doesn't help either. These fish occur in water that is heavily stained with tannins and it is hard for other fish to see them. In a nice clear aquarium they will stress a bit. Floating plants and increasing their numbers will definitely help them.

Do you have a picture on the back of the tank?
If not, then put a picture on the back of the tank and that will help the fish feel more secure.

 

[styla12]

All of your parameters seem right. Are there any other bigger fish in the tank?

Sometimes new fish will hide, as they are still getting used to their new home. I also suggest getting 2-4 more neon tetras. They feel more comfortable in big groups. I have 8 in my 29g tank and they swim all across it.

I have some Mollies, platties and Rams. But they all seem really calm and none show any aggression towards each other.

Hmm I could get more neon tetras but does that also means I should get 4 more Glowlight Tetras too then? I have a 240L tank so about 60g. I feel like I am fully stocked though so not sure what to do.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

You are definitely not fully stocked. They might be scared of the ram, even if it is nice, it’s still big and can be scary.

Get 4 more neons and 4 more glow light Tetras and see how it goes.

 

[styla12]

They are hiding due to stress. If there isn't enough plant matter in the tank and on the surface, they won't be happy. Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) is a good floating plant that will provide shade and encourage the fish out. If the plant grows too much you can plant it in the substrate where it grows into a lovely light green shrub.

Having more tetras in the group can help them become less nervous. These fish naturally occur ing roups of thousands and sometimes even tens of thousands. So having 6 or 8 in a tank is really unnatural for them. Increasing the numbers to 20 or 30 of each would make a huge difference.

The light coloured substrate doesn't help either. These fish occur in water that is heavily stained with tannins and it is hard for other fish to see them. In a nice clear aquarium they will stress a bit. Floating plants and increasing their numbers will definitely help them.

So I have quite a few plants in my tank but all in the substrate:
Amazon Sword
Water sprite
Tropica Limnophila Sessiflora
Tropica Ludwigia Repens

Also I have some driftwood and decorations so many hiding spots.

Didn't know water sprite was a floating plant! I have it planted in 3 different spots so perhaps I could take one piece and let it float. Can you please help guide me on how I can make it a floating plant. Do I need many of them or can I start by taking one out the substrate? Also do I need to do anything with the roots or literally just pull it out and let it float?

Also, will floating.plants make my tank look messy?

Thanks so much for your help

 

[styla12]

If I was to have:

8 Neon Tetra
8 Glowlight Tetra
15 Guppies
8 Mollies
8 Platties
8 Swordtails
6 Rams

Would this be overstocked for a 63g tank?

 

[Colin_T]

Just dig one of the Water Sprite plants out of the substrate and let it float up to the surface. The leaves will float on the top of the water and the roots will hang down into the water column.

Water Sprite grows quickly on the surface and within a few weeks you should have more plants.

For tetras, you want about 1/3 to 1/2 of the surface covered in floating plants.

 

[utahfish]

If I was to have:

8 Neon Tetra
8 Glowlight Tetra
15 Guppies
8 Mollies
8 Platties
8 Swordtails
6 Rams

Would this be overstocked for a 63g tank?

Yes overstocked and mis stocked. Tetras and especially Rams require soft water, mollies guppies platys and sword tails require hard water. Mollies and sword can get well over 3 to 4 inches each and rams as well and swords can be nippy and could bully your rams. Stick with hard water fish or soft water fish, mixing the two will just cause stress which leads to disease which leads to death. Depending on what hardness your water is then keep the fish that fit that water. So a molly platy guppy tank or a tetra ram tank

 

[styla12]

Yes overstocked and mis stocked. Tetras and especially Rams require soft water, mollies guppies platys and sword tails require hard water. Mollies and sword can get well over 3 to 4 inches each and rams as well and swords can be nippy and could bully your rams. Stick with hard water fish or soft water fish, mixing the two will just cause stress which leads to disease which leads to death. Depending on what hardness your water is then keep the fish that fit that water. So a molly platy guppy tank or a tetra ram tank

Ok thanks for the help.

I keep hearing different views from people on stocking levels some say it's overstocked but shops like Pets at home say I'm fine.

My water is hard so if I was to go for platies, guppies and Molly could I keep around 60 of them in total in my 63g tank. Assuming around 35 guppies and then the remaining split between platies and mollies. If not how many fish can I really have?

 

[styla12]

Just dig one of the Water Sprite plants out of the substrate and let it float up to the surface. The leaves will float on the top of the water and the roots will hang down into the water column.

Water Sprite grows quickly on the surface and within a few weeks you should have more plants.

For tetras, you want about 1/3 to 1/2 of the surface covered in floating plants.

Perfect thanks mate. I'll give that a go then. What are your thoughts about the stocking level of my tank question I posted?

Sorry for so many questions I really appreciate your help.

Hoping to create the best stress less environment for my fish.

 

[utahfish]

Ok thanks for the help.

I keep hearing different views from people on stocking levels some say it's overstocked but shops like Pets at home say I'm fine.

My water is hard so if I was to go for platies, guppies and Molly could I keep around 60 of them in total in my 63g tank. Assuming around 35 guppies and then the remaining split between platies and mollies. If not how many fish can I really have?

I tend to keep my tanks understocked because it leads to less problems in the long run. Guppies dont get very big dont need to be kept in groups and dont produce a ton of waste so the inch/ gallon rule applies to them pretty well. Where as mollies platys swords all can get 3-5 inches have deeper bodies and produce more waste so take that into account. Since none of them are shoaling fish then theres no minimum amount of groups one needs to keep like with tetras. Inch per gallon rule doesnt always apply but i think in this case it does.
If you had 10 guppies thats 10 inches 15 platys,or mollies or swords mixed then at 3-5 inches each thats about 60 inches of fish which would put you at 70 inches of fish which would be slightly over stocked especially if any reach 5 inches. Also swords can be aggressive to eachother and other fish and should be in groups of 1 male to 3 or 4 females to lessen aggression. Or one could just have all females

 

[Essjay]

Don't listen to anyone who works in Pets at Home. Most of them know nothing about fish. They have a terrible reputation.

 

[styla12]

I tend to keep my tanks understocked because it leads to less problems in the long run. Guppies dont get very big dont need to be kept in groups and dont produce a ton of waste so the inch/ gallon rule applies to them pretty well. Where as mollies platys swords all can get 3-5 inches have deeper bodies and produce more waste so take that into account. Since none of them are shoaling fish then theres no minimum amount of groups one needs to keep like with tetras. Inch per gallon rule doesnt always apply but i think in this case it does.
If you had 10 guppies thats 10 inches 15 platys,or mollies or swords mixed then at 3-5 inches each thats about 60 inches of fish which would put you at 70 inches of fish which would be slightly over stocked especially if any reach 5 inches. Also swords can be aggressive to eachother and other fish and should be in groups of 1 male to 3 or 4 females to lessen aggression. Or one could just have all females

Makes a lot of sense mate thanks so much for your help.

 

[utahfish]

Makes a lot of sense mate thanks so much for your help.

Fair dinkum!