Do Tetras Eat Each Other?

I have a 20 gallon tall hex tank. I have 2 fake planets, a pineapple decoration, and gravel on the bottom. My water levels all fall into the "safe" category, but I'm using test strips because it was what I could afford at the time. I added a red minor tetra and a white finned rosy tetra last Sunday, so a week ago. When I added them to the tank, the red one wouldn't eat, it would wait for little scraps to fall down then eat those but it was still very little.

So last night, I was just looking in the tank and couldn't find the red minor fish and I found it face down "stuck" in a plant. I got him out of the plant and he swam around and seemed fine. This morning, when I went to go feed them I found the red one again, stuck in a plant. But it was still swimming around after I got it un-stuck or brought it back to life or whatever, but it looks like its missing its bottom fins, like the white finned was nipping at it or something, so now I have questions.

1. Do tetras eat eachother?
2. Should I have gotten the same type of fish instead of two different ones? Should I have gotten more?
3. Will the fins grow back or is it pretty much done for?
4. if I have to get a quarantine tank, do I have to cycle it? or is it just a bowl with tank water in it?

I'm really not good at this fish business.

 

1.) Some tetras can be nippy with eachother, yes
2.) Yep. Tetras are schooling fish and require at least 6 of the same species in a school.
3.) Fins can grow back, clean water will speed up the process of healing.
4.) You either cycle it or do daily water changes. The former is a lot easier than the latter.

 

1.) Some tetras can be nippy with eachother, yes
2.) Yep. Tetras are schooling fish and require at least 6 of the same species in a school.
3.) Fins can grow back, clean water will speed up the process of healing.
4.) You either cycle it or do daily water changes. The former is a lot easier than the latter.

ok, so should I quarantine the fish or just keep up with the water changes? Should I go get more fish or is that an awful idea?

 

I would return one of the fish if possible and then purchase at least 5 more of the one you plan on keeping. Tetras do need to be in a group of their own kind to be comfortable. If they don't have any of their own kind they can either become nippy or will hide because they are afraid.

 

I think the red minor is on its last legs anyway. It keeps floating down to the bottom of the tank. Now potentially dumb question: if I add more of the same fish after the red one goes, is there going to be like a dominance battle or anything? Basically am I going to have to go through all this again?

 

I think the red minor is on its last legs anyway. It keeps floating down to the bottom of the tank. Now potentially dumb question: if I add more of the same fish after the red one goes, is there going to be like a dominance battle or anything? Basically am I going to have to go through all this again?

I can't say for sure but I don't think so. It is possible that the one you already have will be thrilled to have buddies and the new guys will be in a new space so it will take them time to set up a pecking order.