Mixed tetras

[Pleco380]

Before I came to this forum I made some fish mistakes. Many were stocking mistakes. Now I'm trying to fix them. I just sold the CAE, leopard pleco, clown loach, 2 giant danios. I'm trying to make room so the current fish I have can grow happily to their adult sizes. Eventually I'll have to sell the tetras too so they don't get eaten. But for now all the fish are young so the tetras keep the tank with some colour and movement.

Anyways, I have 9 tetras. 4 bloodfin, 2 bleeding heart, 1 neon, 1 serpae, 1 pristella. I now know these all are schooling fish. The question is: I will eventually sell them but the largest fish is about 3" now and I figure it'll at least be a year till the tetras are in danger.

I don't want to add to the schools because I don't want to overstock and won't have them for years and years anyways. Should I leave it be or sell them all and have 1 or 2 schools of 1 or 2 species? I am gonna give away the serpae because he's nipping fins and the SD's need time for their fins to heal.

Sorry about the long post. Thanks in advance for the help.

[jcarr71]

Is this for the 80? You're not overstocked anymore by my view at all. But yeah, you definitely need to focus your tetra schools to probbaly two schools. Those are probably some really unhappy fish to be frank. I'd build the bloodfins to 10 quickly since you already have four and pick one of the others. Honestly you could even do three 10 fish schools in the 80, but I am going to speak from experience and not recommend that course. See, I used to think variety was what I really wanted, but I've discovered the beauty of really big shoals. In an 80g, I'd much rather do two 15 fish shoals than three 10 member shoals. The uniformity really brings everything out.

Of course there are more issues with the stocking than the tetra schools. How big are those raphael cats now? Long bodied small tetras like neons will start disappearing rapidly when they get big enough. The red tailed shark one day is going to get bored and start hunting. The silver dollars need a school too and might munch on small fish eventually... etc.

One problem at a time is the way to address this, however, and it is nice to see you are doing so. I definitely did the same sort of thing when I started.

[Pleco380]

The striped raphael is about 3". The spotted is about 2" and the shark is also about 2". People are gonna think I'm a weirdo selling all these tetras and then getting more but I know it's best for them. The lonely ones do sometimes stay in the corner anddo nothing. So a school of say 8 bloodfins and 6 pristellas. Is that okay? Because tetras are small I don't think that's overstocking. Or should I forget about the tetra idea?

[jcarr71]

Is this the 80g tank? You could definitely make the schools larger than that if it is. In a big tank you can have lots and lots of little tetra sized fish. But yeah, that is definintely a step in the right direction. Just know that as the three catfish grow, they are eventually going to become highly likely to eat these tetras

[Pleco380]

Yes it's the 80g. I'll have to sell the tetras eventually which is why people will think I'm weird for selling those ones then getting more then sell them too. I like the bleeding hearts too. There are only 2 catfish btw.

[Gisela]

I would get that small tetras out right away, I think they get very soon in danger to be eaten or harrassed. If you still want tetras in that 80 gallon go for larger tetras like red/blue colombian tetras or Buenos Aires Tetras, also Congo Tetras.

[Pleco380]

How about a large school of bleeding hearts? Say 12?

[Pleco380]

Does that sound okay? The LFS only had one Buenos Aires Tetra last I saw. Congos are nice. I like the bleeding hearts or how about black skirt tetras or any other recommendations?

[Pleco380]

Even if it's not a tetra. I just want some fish that are small but not small enough to get eaten. Also I don't want them to have a really high bioload.

[Pleco380]

I meant to NOT have a high bioload. I also found penguin tetras to add to the list. I'd just have a school of one type of tetra but what is best? Penguin, Bleeding Heart, Lemon, Black Skirt, or Congo? Or maybe not even tetras?

[Pleco380]

This is what I saw at the LFS today for tetras: 3 Buenos Aires tetras, tons of Diamond Tetras, neons, head and tail light, red eye, Black Skirt, Serpae, Pristella, Bleeding Heart, Bloodfin, Glass Bloodfin, Lemon, Silver Tip, Black Phantom. Maybe barbs for my tank? I'm a little skittish about barbs after some odessa's terrorized my tank last fall. But maybe someone has had a good experience with another kind?

[Excellence]

I am releaved you sold the CAE. It's a Terminator waiitng to grow older and bigger.

Nothing to add really beyond what jcarr has already said. Those fish have to be in shoals. It's like being the only american indian in an arabian city. You need at least 8 in a pack. Decide how many group variety you want, but as said, be advised bigger fish will start looking at the smaller.