The Prison System Works

[Hmongol]

I guess the prison system works for fish as well as humans. I had this red eye tetra that was bossing and harassing and chasing all the other tetras and even other different fish. He would harass them even when it was feeding time, so I decided to lock him up by buying a fish breeder box to put inside my tank. I left him in there for a day and when I did let him out I immediately noticed that he was very calm again. After a few days of watchin his movements, he barely chased anyone anymore. I guess you can say that it was a happy ending but I wonder if that could have also tramutized him.
What do you think?

 

[Mikaila31]

I think once he recovers from the stress of the breeder box he will go back to doing what he use to. Fish are not people. There is a difference between learned behavior and innate behavior.....

 

[Hmongol]

I think once he recovers from the stress of the breeder box he will go back to doing what he use to. Fish are not people. There is a difference between learned behavior and innate behavior.....

I agree with that, but I'll let you know if he retains his old ways once again.

 

[seizethecupcake]

I tried this with a terrorist guppy. He has a *horrible* personality so I isolated him for a while. Eventually, I added him back in with his tankmates and he resumed his wicked ways. Hopefully your tetra is reformed!

 

[Randomitity]

I teach my fish through treats >.> my female GBR no longer chases my female bettas unless they start chasing each other then she wants to join in as well

 

[Geoff-]

It certainly works for transient periods, I have 6 serpae tetras in a 90L tank and added a pair of german blue rams, my dominant tetra attacked the smaller ram viciously until i managed to net one of the tetras (can't remember if it was the bad one, i think it was). The rest of them chilled out, they were obviously scared by the net and that they now seemed to be missing 1 member. It let the rams settle in, and then when I released the tetra everyone got along and my rams survive today. Actually, 2 days later they laid eggs and the female (bullied one) was chasing all the tetras away! Haven't had any eggs since, unfortunately... maybe they need to be bullied again

 

[sarah40011]

a friend of mine did this with goldfish, they were chasing and nipping all the time and their fins were getting really raggy, he separated the group and added them back after a few days, problems solved. guess sometimes fish need a break from one another?!

 

[Tizer]

Red eye tetra are agressive fish when alone or in pairs, you need 6+ to stop them having a go at other fish and even then they can still show signs of agression.

I think perhaps the owner should be put in a box and punished instead.

 

[Hmongol]

Red eye tetra are agressive fish when alone or in pairs, you need 6+ to stop them having a go at other fish and even then they can still show signs of agression.

I think perhaps the owner should be put in a box and punished instead.

But why? I do not harass anyone?

Anyway I thought I'd update my status. It seems as though he has been calm for a few weeks now( I know it is him because he has a distinctive tail), but unfortunately another has taken his place and now bullies him instead. Sigh...

 

[blue acara]

The prison system doesn't work for humans with most reoffending after a short time. Your red eye tetra was an alpha individual and now another has taken its place. Solution is to add more red eyes and add more tank decor/sight dividers to distract and possibly get a bigger tank.