Trio123

I looked through some old threads and I still have a questions about these guys. First I cant tell the difference between males and females other than the size, I looked for the elongated fin but I cant find it. I thought before I had four females and one male but now after some more research I believe I have four males and one female. One is much smaller than the rest and the other four do a tail wiggling thing with her which sure looks like mating behavior to me. They are very nippy with eachother but leave everybody else pretty much alone. Thier fins are nipped up a little so I am worried about them getting a secondary infection. I think most tetras are more comfortable in a school of more females than males... are Congo Tetras that way? I havent thrown my Little Lady into a football locker room, have I? I dont think I have room really for any more fish-

1 African Knife
1 Farlowella Cat
1 Pearl Gourami
1 Angel
5 Congo Tetras
1 Cory Cat
1 Bamboo Shrimp

Maybe one more female if I could be sure it was a female... any answers or suggestions would be really helpful, thanks!

Butterfly

Usually tetras tend to nip at each other until the figure out the heirarchy. One of the reasons you keep them in a group is so they will nip at each other and not the other tank mates.
Sorry I can't help with sexing them.
Carol

angelfish220

from reading online, it is the male with the elongated center part of his tail. if you understand what I mean

Tavel

The males are smaller, but have longer dorsal fins and tail fins.

Female



Male (notice the elongation in the tail fin)




You have enough of them that I don't think you'll have a problem with fin nipping. They'll still do it, but it will be spread out enough to keep them healthy.

Trio123

wow, that is so obvious! now if I could only get them to hold still a second :P So you guys think they are fine though... I dont need to get another female, they will just nip at eachother until they figure out thier hierachy?

angelfish220

I think that they will sort things out.

Trio123

thanks! I just paranoid

mcdonald.kk

I had this same problem when I got my neons. It really freaked me out to see parts of their fins missing. Sure enough though, after a little while they sorted themselves out and their fins have grown back. I can definitely discern a pecking order now with mine. keep an eye on them when you feed them, maybe drop flakes at a couple locations to make sure the lower status ones are getting enough to eat. They should be fine.