mzjaym

Hi all,
I was hoping somebody could tell me if they have had similar problems with aggressive leopard danios?
I recently set up my 20 gal tank after taking a few years off from the hobby. In the past I have mainly kept 3-4 large showy fish in the tank, but this time I went for lots of little guys with color in hopes of a cleaner tank.
I have 10 neons, a male betta, 2 tiger barbs, 3 plattys, an albino pleco, and (had) 2 guppies. Most of these guys hang in the middle toward the bottom of the tank, so when I was at the pet store they suggested a danio to have some action at the surface.
I had not researched danios prior to purchase (my bad) and didn't know they were schoolers. I took the shopkeeper's word that they would fit into my little community, but the danio spent lots of time chasing everybody else. Two days after adding him, I found my male guppy and a tiger barb finless and deceased. Some of the neons are showing some battle scars, too. The offending leopard danio is now residing in my old betta bowl in a permanant "time out."
I was just curious if anybody has any thoughts? I feel horrible that I brought this pestilence into my tank, and the hapless danio will probably kick the bucket in that little bowl before I have a chance to return him to the petstore.
Thanks for your time and attention!
Jaymie

jgon_

Danios get pretty stressed when not school with at least 3 others, they will terrorize other tank mates trying to stand up for themselves. Of course school danios are whole other story, really peaceful, darting around the tank all day.

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!!!!! gotta love nawty fishies...

id return him as you know they are schoolers and you are stocked already...but, at the same time, your betta could be the nawty guy also...they dont usually play well in community tanks and it would surprise me if he is attacking when the lights go out..or visa versa he will be nipped by your neons or barbs (which are schoolers also )

Betta_dude

Ok, what you need to do is take the betta out and put him in a 3-5g tank. They don't do well with tiger barbs. Then get 2 more leopard danios and 2 more tiger barbs. they are schooling fish and thats why the danio did that.

Lucy

Hi mzjaym welcome to Fish Lore

I'm sorry you're having trouble with your tank. Clean water, Stress Coat, Vita-Chem and some Garlic guard or garlic juice should heal the little guys up.

With frequent water changes, the danio should be ok for a short time until you can return him, if kept in clean warm water

Are you sure it was the danio? I would have blamed the betta. They normally don't play well with others and should be in a tank (at least 2.5) by themselves. I'd be fearful for not only the damage he could do the other fish, but what they could do to him.

Good luck, I hope everyone heals nicely.

Edit: Wow, I typed slow. Everyones given good advice.

mzjaym

Thanks for the quick response, guys. I'll follow your advice and move Big Ed back to his old 2 gal tank he occupied previously. How I'm gonna keep him down on the farm after livin' in the big house, though, I don't know. ;^)