Bloodfin Tetra Questions

[Trillianne]

I have a small (starter) school of 5 bloodfin tetras in my 25+ gallon tank. They are all doing quite well imo, and I'm ambivalent about them breeding. (If they do its always fun to have babies, but that is not my goal).

I have a couple questions that I didn't find answers to:

From what I have read about determining gender I think I have 1-2 females and 3-4 males. (3 of them have definite notches on their anal fins) I would not like my 1-2 females to end up overly harassed, especially since one of them is the smallest of my school. Should I make a priority of getting another female(s)? Or am I worrying for nothing?

One of my tetras is not as vibrantly colored as the rest, but (s)he's also the smallest in the school. Based on the coloring of the others I'm assuming that this is a maturity thing, where as the fish ages and grows he gets more vibrant. Can someone confirm or deny?

Thank you!

[fish00053]

The color will come out with maturity. Also food can enhance the brillance of the color also. As far as male and female I honestly couldn't tell you. I have 25 or so in my 125 and I haven't noticed. Although I will say that I have a few that are a little fatter around the mid section. Unfortunately if they lay eggs they will be eaten by everything else I have in the tanks.

[rich311k]

The fish should color up with age, good food and lots of fresh water.

[Trillianne]

Thanks for the replies thus far. I thought the coloring was just a maturity issue.

Would still like to hear opinions on the gender splits of the school if it matters, if someone knows. :)

[terrapin24h]

Thanks for the replies thus far. I thought the coloring was just a maturity issue.

Would still like to hear opinions on the gender splits of the school if it matters, if someone knows. :)

With tetras i don't think it matters. Kind of a "love the one you're with fish" If there are females available that are in spawning mode, they spawn. If not, no big deal. Generally with tetras, you have to separate the males and females for a time, feed them high protein foods, and mess with the water(temperature, level) to trigger spawning. I don't think they are like cichlids or live bearers where females can be harassed to death to breed.

--chris

[Time-Out]

In the wild, I can't imagine them sitting down and counting themselves to make sure there are enough of each gender. You could get a few more just to bulk out the shoal, however. The more, the merrier.

[Trillianne]

In the wild, I can't imagine them sitting down and counting themselves to make sure there are enough of each gender. You could get a few more just to bulk out the shoal, however. The more, the merrier.

Hah..... well they are in a school... maybe they are learning to count! :hmm3grin2orange:

I'll probably be adding more bloodfins at some point. Just starting the tank out and want to grow it gradually. I know there are neons in the future as tank mates (bf likes neons!), and the school will likely grow a couple more at a time until we get the right amount of each.

Having read a few posts on mollies and gouramis and other fish that are particular with group make up I figured it was a good time to make sure. Sometimes you get good and patient fish catchers and sometimes you get that one person that gives you that "are you for real" look when you start going "no, the other one that looks 90% identical to the one you caught!"