Aquagirl
12-04-2008, 07:35 PM
When I started up a new 10 gallon tank my father bought me 2 glowlight tetra and 2 pristella tetra. Because the tank was new I didn't add any fish for a while and when I was ready to the tetras were breeding (then eating the eggs ...) and schooling all together and seemed happy so I decided not to add any more tetras. It stayed like that for about 3 years until the female glowlight tetra died. I didn't know what caused the death so left the tank alone and didn't add any more fish for about 6 months.
Two weeks ago I added 3 new glowlight tetras and 2 new pristella tetra so each would be in schools of 4. The pristellas get along fine but I think my oldest glowlight tetra may have gotten used to being alone because he chases away the three new fish when they try to go near the rock caves I have set up in the corner of the tank. He is much bigger than the new glowlight tetras and he doesn't nip at their fins enough to hurt them just chases them until they are on the other side of the tank then returns to swim near the caves (one in particular seems to like antagonizing him and returns to the caves as soon as he is chased away). I very slightly changed the cave set up when I saw how he was becoming territorial over it but that seemed to make him even more protective of it. Also they don't really school together except at feeding time.
Is this just normal behavior when fish establish a hierarchy? How long does it usually take for Glowlight tetras to establish their pecking order?
I don't know if this matters but the tank is 10 gallon lightly planted with anabuis bulbs and water lillies and I do water changes of about 15% every 2 weeks. I also have a couple otto cats in there that I've had for almost as long as the original tetras.
Two weeks ago I added 3 new glowlight tetras and 2 new pristella tetra so each would be in schools of 4. The pristellas get along fine but I think my oldest glowlight tetra may have gotten used to being alone because he chases away the three new fish when they try to go near the rock caves I have set up in the corner of the tank. He is much bigger than the new glowlight tetras and he doesn't nip at their fins enough to hurt them just chases them until they are on the other side of the tank then returns to swim near the caves (one in particular seems to like antagonizing him and returns to the caves as soon as he is chased away). I very slightly changed the cave set up when I saw how he was becoming territorial over it but that seemed to make him even more protective of it. Also they don't really school together except at feeding time.
Is this just normal behavior when fish establish a hierarchy? How long does it usually take for Glowlight tetras to establish their pecking order?
I don't know if this matters but the tank is 10 gallon lightly planted with anabuis bulbs and water lillies and I do water changes of about 15% every 2 weeks. I also have a couple otto cats in there that I've had for almost as long as the original tetras.