aggressive bloodfin

[rick rice]

Hey everyone,
I have a fifty five gallon tank. It is well settled and in excellent condition. I change 15 gallons of water every week. I added two bloodfins two weeks ago. They have been doing well. Yesteday I added a pair of flame tetras. Today I noticed the larger bloodfin was picking on one of the flames. He was trying to eat his eye. When I started watching one eye was already missing. The bloodfin was picking on all the fish trying to get to their eyes. Right in front of my eyes he plucked the flame tetras remaining eye. I have never seen fish do this. I have been keeping community fish for many years. I have since isolated the bloodfin. I plan to take him back to Petco tomorrow and try to get another smaller one. The other bloodfin is quite a bit smaller and is not showing any signs of aggression. I will say that the offending fish is one of the largest tetras in the tank. I have cardinals, neons, black neons, serpaes, black tetras, white clouds, zebra danios as well as the flame tetras. Can anyone shed some light on this mystery. Has anyone seen this before. Is it territorial? Is it illness? Is it maybe size bullying?
thanks,
Rick Rice

[cocoa_pleco]

i would try adding larger groups of each tetra. tetras are schooling fish meaning they need 6+ of their own kind. i have a feeling if you add more bloodfins and more flames they will keep to themselves and not fight