This is the last straw!

[ladynaoko]

Since I got my danios well over a month ago they've always been a bit hyper (heck, they're danios.. what do I expect?). Unfortunatly they've also been bullies. They used to chase my poor platties around and whenever my pleco showed his pretty little face they'd try nipping at his fins and make him run off.

Then I got Steve the Betta.
They tried bossing Steve around a lot when he first got here but he didn't really care, simply moving away whenever they tried anything. Yesterday they were chasing him EVERYWHERE and I kept a close eye on them. They started to chill out so I left them alone for a bit (mainly because I went to bed). When I woke up this morning and went to check on the tank - the danios had ripped Steve's fins to shreds during the night

This is the last straw. Those danios are out of here!!!


I don't know what to get in replace - a nice peaceful shoaling fish I think. Any suggestions?

 

[drobbins27]

Whats the tank size? Are Silver Dollars an option

 

[ladynaoko]

21.5 UK gallon (that's around 26US gallons)
So I highly doubt SD's are an option.

 

[ladynaoko]

URGH!!

I so feel like hitting my dad. I just showed him Steve and explained everything to him... and guess what he said. "leave them together, they have to learn to get on". I told him the danios have been acting like this for so long and they're the only "active" fish in my tank, the rest are slow swimmers (hence the fin nipping). "I don't care! your fish should swim faster!"

He just doesn't want me to get rid of the danios because he likes them...

 

[Drac39]

That stinks bud,My Parents encourage my fish hobby I`d try to explain to him that they are bullies,and a danger

 

[wuvmybetta]

If your dad likes the danios so much, perhaps you should ask Dad to buy you a small 3 gallon tank set up for Steve .Tell him Steve needs peace and would prefer to be alone, he could also use a shot of Bettamax .The danios won't stop, it's their thing

 

[ladynaoko]

he's not home tomorrow so I'll change them (hopefully) while he's gone.

I would get a setup just for Steve but alas - no room left in my bedroom and if the tank was put somewhere else he'd get harrassed by the cats.

 

[wuvmybetta]

Maybe he'll like the replacement fish even better than the danios. Is it stocked with a pleco,platties and a betta after they're gone? How many platties? Just asking so that everybody can ponder on fish suggestions

 

[noelberg]

Most small tetras, especially the more tube-shaped ones, are great community fish and will do well with any peaceful fish. I like pristella, Von Rio (or Flame tetras), and neons. Lemon tetras are decent too. Glass catfish could be another decent addition if you're not looking for color.

Good luck, and a speedy recovery to Steve.

 

[wuvmybetta]

No tetras with the betta, she's try to get rid of nipping Sorry noelberg )

 

[Opcn]

a betta barracks perhaps? also you dont have enough ZD'sfor them to keep to themselves.

Opcn

 

[ladynaoko]

thanks for your help guys

wuvmybetta: I've got 5 platies in there at the moment (and about 4 or 5 fry that survived being born in the community tank ) plus my pleco, cory cats, betta and 2 kuhlii loaches (one which hasn't been seen in weeks)

noelberg: I was pondering tetras of some sort but I have heard they can be a bit nippy - is this true?

opcn: I was also thinking about trying to get more danios into the group, but I wasn't sure if the problem would stop after that because I've heard so many conflicting statements about it. What did you mean by a "betta barracks"?

 

[Lateral Line]

In small groups, I have often found Zebra Danios to be fin nippers. For a peaceful fish, look no further then Rasboras. Get 4-5 Harlequins, they'll never bother anything.

 

[cometcattle]

I would stay away from neons, they are starting to shred my bettas fins. The ones that dont seem to cause any problems are the rummy nose tetras. The are beautiful and the tightest schooling fish I have ever owned.

Good luck

 

[ladynaoko]

my dad came home today before I could change the danios. *sigh*

tomorrow I'm going the lfs so it's the last chance for them - do I trade them all in & get a completely different type of fish or do I buy another group (it's 5 for £5 so I'll be getting 5) and hope that the problem stops?

if I choose to get more should I get all zebras, all leopards or a mix of each (since I have 1 leopard in the group already)?