Danio problem, please help!

[holbritter]

I just got 6 zebra danio 2 days ago. They are the only fish in my tank right now (55g hex) One of them is larger than the rest, and is chasing the other one's being a bully! I haven't actually seen him/her nip or anything, just chase. I was going to separate it, but boy!!! he/she is hard to catch! I've been trying for a while, but think I'm probably stressing them too much.

Anyone have this problem with Danios? Any suggestions?
TIA

[Abbeys_Mom]

I would leave the danio in, add lots of places for the fish to hide and wait a week. They could just be getting there territories straightened out and will stop once they do. Moving a newly moved fish will cause more stress. If they haven't settled down after a week, you can try moving then decorations around or separating the largest male to another tank for a while. I hope they get adjusted alright. It's always stressful for us when they are chasing each other :)

[Slinky_Bass]

I agree with Abbeys_Mom, practically all my fishes aggression/territorial issues have been solved doing just that (and my fish can be pretty feisty sometimes, I've got some very bold and nippy skunk loaches and bossy angels!)

[freshwaterfishlover]

I have 4 Giant Danio and had the same problem about a month ago. I got 3 out and could not seem to get the last one out. I tried for 2 hours. The next day I bought a larger net and tried for another 2 hours. I finally got him. It was like I won a million bucks.

[holbritter]

Thanks guys!

I'll give it a week. Phew...wasn't really looking forward to trying to catch him again!! But...I can understand the million bucks feeling! :hmm3grin2orange:

[kimmers318]

Is this your first time with danios? They are spastic little buggers no matter what ya do....always have to be getting into each others way, chasing each other and generally livening up the tank!

[jeffs99dime]

yeah, danio's are very fast and very, very spastic and nippy.

[holbritter]

Great...... I have spastic fish.....figures!

They ARE fun to watch :) It's my first time with Danios. Actually, it's my first time with any fish except an Oscar.

Here's something funny (to me at least!) Just this morning I saw 3 of the little ones chasing the bully!!

Guess they were letting him know that they got the message already....he's top gun....we get it.....now leave us alone! Hahaha

[mariposa]

I've noticed the same thing with my Danios. I only have 3 but I also only have a 10 gal and its got a Betta male in there and hes my baby and hes not going anywhere. hehe... I worried about the bigger one chasing the smaller ones but there isnt much of a difference in the size and they all seemed to chace each other equally. They really do make my tank interesting.

[Wallyfish]

My Danios do that often but they're glofish.

[holbritter]

I finally caught him!!!
I decided I had to, after watching the other danios stay towards the bottom of the tank, and he was the only one "allowed" at the top. Especially at feeding time. Right now he is in jail, in a clear plastic container that hangs over the tank. Do danios jump? Hope not...don't want to go through that again!

I'll be taking him back to my LFS and they will exchange him for a smaller guy :)

[jeffs99dime]

they "can" jump, but usually they won't