Tetras Together

[mrchelsea]

Hi

Im new here this is my first post!! I have recently started this hobby which i cant get enough of i have a 28 litre tank in which i have 4 serpae tetras and 6 penguin tetras (soon i will be rehousing them as i want a bigger tank already!!) My question is what sort of behaviour should i expect from these fish?? 5 of the penguins all tend to just stay in similar places not really doing much, the other one takes up the centre of the tank and bullies the other ones if they venture out of the places they have taken up.. is this normal?? My serpaes are MENTAL!!! they are all over the place chasing each other round, and charging into to each other like battering rams.. is this normal?? So far the serpaes and the penguins have left each other alone so it is really just a question on their individual species behaviour and behaviour towards others in the same species

Thank you

 

[aquababy]

Hi mrchelsea &

Don't worry your'e in safe hands here. I was a newbie a couple of weeks ago and the members here have helped me sooooo much. They got me through cycling my tank, helped treat sick fish and were comforting when I had fish losses. I'm still having problems but I know there will always be someone here to talk to. Just like you I have a 27/28 litre tank ( my first aquarium) and I want a bigger tank. I have 3 neon tetras, 2 rummynose, 1 bronze cory,2 pandas and 2 minnows. The rummynose and tetras are fantastic together(very peaceful). The bronze cory loves the pandas and its so cute when they eat together and sleep cuddling up. The bronze cory swims like a mad fish when he finds food. Its like he calls to the pandas. When they follow him and eat with him he wags his tail like a puppy dog. I haven't had a great time with the minnows. They fight each other alot like your serpaes. The boys are the worst. They flare their fins and then charge at each other. They do it alot more when the lights are on. They're good at tearing each others fins apart. Good luck with your new hobby( I think your'e going to need it) .

 

[mrchelsea]

Hey thanks

I have found out today that i have been given rubbish advice from my pet store and have cycled my tank wrong and my fish are gpoing to die unless i take them back to the store So thats not good.. on a plus note however i have reserved a juwel ri0 180 litre tank for collection in october so when i cycle thst tank i will be sure to seek advice from here first!!! This is hard work this fish game

 

[aquababy]

I shouldn't worry too much about the cycling process. I had my tank running for a month before I put my first fish in. From then on ammonia,nitrate,nitrite everything went sky high but amazingly my fish survived it all. They are tougher than we think. I had most of my fish losses afterwards. If you do get ammonia and nitrite peak you could just do lots of 10-15% waterchanges. There is a chance you will have fish loss during the cycling process but then like me you might have this problem afterwards. I hope someone more experianced and advanced in fish keeping can give you more advice. I wouldn't want to put your hopes up high and then have you disappointed. All I can do is advise you according to my own experiance.
When I put my first fish in I would wake up every morning hoping everything was fine and I wouldn't have to take out any dead fish. When I did start to have problems I couldn't find any helpful advice, everything I was reading in books, online and being told at the petshop contradicted it wasn't until I found this forum that I finally got genuine help. So don't give up just yet.

 

[Dan81192]

As a rule.

DO NOT LISTEN TO YOUR LFS

always research on forums such as this. LFS will sell you stupid for loads of cash and you will get home to find it cheaper on here or elsewhere.

 

[mrchelsea]

Thanks Guys!!

This place is great for advice i have had loads of help today hopefully i will be as much of an expert myself very soon