Feisty Fish This Morning

[jennalynnj]

I don't know if it is fight club this morning, if they are feeling playful, or maybe it is some thing else but MAN all 5 tetras are feisty today. They keep going back to their own territories, resting a bit and then they all just start going again. I have seen two tetras get angry and thwap each other around, but not really all 5 at once. I tried to attach video but it says it is not supported. Honeslty some of the time it is like fighting but some they are rubbing on each other... maybe they are just extra playful today

 

[AngryRainbow]

Is it a mix of males and females? They may be spawning. Watch closely and you may see eggs being released when they're going at each other. I was able to with my black neons

 

[jennalynnj]

Really? I honestly have never tried to determine sex! I thought tetras didnt breed in captivity for some reason..

 

[AngryRainbow]

My black neons spawned often, but I'd always laugh because as soon as I saw eggs, every other neon in the group would swarm in and eat them. Seems pretty counterproductive as a species, but I didn't mind since I wasn't looking to breed them.

 

[jennalynnj]

Shows what I know when they basically only are bred in caprivity lol. I can't really see a difference in their dorsal or analfins, but I am new to this so maybe...it does seem like certain fish are getting chased.. but that could be a pecking order type thing I suppose.

I don't know if any of these are clear enough pictures..

 

[AngryRainbow]

Its hard for me to tell. But with skirt tetras, the females are a bit bigger than the males, and the males have slightly longer fins. I had hifin skirts so it was more drastic, not sure if its as noticeable in the regular skirt tetras.

They may also just be feisty and extra nippy today, not spawning.

 

[jennalynnj]

Yeah. The little one is getting chased the most so I think it is the latter. I got excited for a minute...even though I really have no room to move the adults for longer than 2 days AND no room for the fry once they grow lol... but I was still excited

 

[Victoria99]

I'm new to this too, so I could be wrong, but with my neons, it looks like aggression to me. They get cranky every morning before I turn the light on. I've pretty much determined that they're the same as me- not morning people! In this case, they are not morning fish! Once I turn the light on, they're fine though. Kinda funny

 

[jennalynnj]

My skirt tetras are oppsosite. They are all calm and serene, floating everywhere and getting along until I turn the light on. I have tried adding floating plants for shade because they don't seem to like the light, so they all go to their territory and fight over spots sometimes, but usually it is just a 2 fish argument not all 5 "siblings" in a tiff.

Maybe a dumb question but do different species get "excited" when another species is breeding?... one of my shrimp molted yesterday... maybe she is sending out pheromones and the whole tank is going nutso?

 

[Cindy22]

I'm new to this too, so I could be wrong, but with my neons, it looks like aggression to me. They get cranky every morning before I turn the light on. I've pretty much determined that they're the same as me- not morning people! In this case, they are not morning fish! Once I turn the light on, they're fine though. Kinda funny

mine seem to be fighting constantly.... especially morning. I think they're just aggressive fish. The pet store always says they're peaceful, but they nip fins off of other fish and kill them. I had to separate mine to their own tank. Good luck, this is an amazing hobby! I've only been doing it for 8 mths now.

 

[Victoria99]

mine seem to be fighting constantly.... especially morning. I think they're just aggressive fish. The pet store always says they're peaceful, but they nip fins off of other fish and kill them. I had to separate mine to their own tank. Good luck, this is an amazing hobby! I've only been doing it for 8 mths now.

That's crazy! I had no idea they could be so aggressive! Mine are pretty chill most of the time

 

[Cindy22]

That's crazy! I had no idea they could be so aggressive! Mine are pretty chill most of the time

They have definitely chilled out since they're in their separate tank and I bought more females. I have them in my bedroom and last night they were schooling, all 11 of them, very nice to see, and of course my 60 gallon is truly peaceful now, and no more deaths!!! I just got my first canister filter in the mail yesterday for my 60, haven't opened it yet. I'm excited about it!!!

 

[pagoda]

My Neon's joust alot, the Black Neon's just squabble (usually over wanting the same piece of flake when there is plenty to go around), the Pristellas just barge everyone out of the way cos they have never heard of making an orderly queue, the Glowlights sit and sulk alot, the Von Rio's play hide & seek and the Serpae's just lord it over everyone and look down their noses at the silly shenanigans of them all

They might all be Tetras but every variant has its own quirks and character....its what makes them fun to watch

 

[Cindy22]

My Neon's joust alot, the Black Neon's just squabble (usually over wanting the same piece of flake when there is plenty to go around), the Pristellas just barge everyone out of the way cos they have never heard of making an orderly queue, the Glowlights sit and sulk alot, the Von Rio's play hide & seek and the Serpae's just lord it over everyone and look down their noses at the silly shenanigans of them all

They might all be Tetras but every variant has its own quirks and character....its what makes them fun to watch

Wow, I would love to see pics. I have no idea what all those fish are, lol. I love my platys, but had I known what I know now I would have done research and checked the different varieties of Freshwater available. I let the PS tell me what I needed. Anyhow, I really wanted the look of a salt water tank and all the strange and colorful fish available. I also wouldn't have chosen live bearers It's easier for me to watch eggs get eaten than to see the live lil' babies, I can't do it.

 

[pagoda]

This is my "teenager scruffy bedroom" aquarium with Pristellas, Neons, Black Neons, White Cloud Minnows and Bronze Cories......I say "teenager scruffy bedroom" cos the Cories generally demolished everything that was manicured and tidy for a more "natural riverbed" look...scruffy

 

[Cindy22]

Oh, I love it. I love the old underwater pipes. I tried to have a dark water tank with live plants and real driftwood, etc... but my plants were being yanked up and eaten daily so I went to plastic. One of these days I'm gonna try again. but it's easier, at least for me. It makes me want to get more neons. My skirts were killing them left and right. Love your tank. It looks like a riverbed!

This is my "teenager scruffy bedroom" aquarium with Pristellas, Neons, Black Neons, White Cloud Minnows and Bronze Cories......I say "teenager scruffy bedroom" cos the Cories generally demolished everything that was manicured and tidy for a more "natural riverbed" look...scruffy

View attachment 624079

Hey, do your neons have fry ever, lay eggs? If mine do, my platys must be eating them.

 

[angelcraze]

I had a group of 8 Congo tetras (6 females) that would spawn every morning. I saw the eggs dropping since they were larger eggs. Unfortunately the others would all frenzy eat the falling eggs. I also had 8 Columbian tetras as well in the tank and I got 2 little babies to grow up despite the frenzy. I actually got 3 to make it to adulthood altogether without intercepting at all.

They also tend to breed after a water change, particularly a large one with slightly cooler water. As long as you condition them with good nutrition and water params, they will spawn.

 

[Cindy22]

I had a group of 8 Congo tetras (6 females) that would spawn every morning. I saw the eggs dropping since they were larger eggs. Unfortunately the others would all frenzy eat the falling eggs. I also had 8 Columbian tetras as well in the tank and I got 2 little babies to grow up despite the frenzy. I actually got 3 to make it to adulthood altogether without intercepting at all.

They also tend to breed after a water change, particularly a large one with slightly cooler water. As long as you condition them with good nutrition and water params, they will spawn.

Ah, TY. I'm gonna be setting up my new filter today so I'll also do a vacuum. I keep the temp at 78, but right now the water is warmer due to the weather here, so Ill just wait and see when it cools off. Maybe I'll get lucky.

 

[angelcraze]

Ah, TY. I'm gonna be setting up my new filter today so I'll also do a vacuum. I keep the temp at 78, but right now the water is warmer due to the weather here, so Ill just wait and see when it cools off. Maybe I'll get lucky.

Not even a vacuum. Just the influx of cooler fresh water like a large rainfall during a storm. Fish (especially cories) like to breed during the stormy season. My angelfish and lemon tetras often spawn before I get the tank refilled lol. Could be the drop in water level as well, idk? My congos and Columbian tetras would breed every morning, whereas my angels normally spawn in the evening. But a large WC encourages most fish to breed. Haven't found one that is not encouraged.

And for the record, I agree with siphoning, I've always siphoned my tanks because a 'clean' tank is important for the health of the fish since pathogenic bacteria (like the one responsible for Columnaris) lives in the substrate mulm. I just meant that it's the fresh water that gets them going.

 

[Cindy22]

Not even a vacuum. Just the influx of cooler fresh water like a large rainfall during a storm. Fish (especially cories) like to breed during the stormy season. My angelfish and lemon tetras often spawn before I get the tank refilled lol. Could be the drop in water level as well, idk? My congos and Columbian tetras would breed every morning, whereas my angels normally spawn in the evening. But a large WC encourages most fish to breed. Haven't found one that is not encouraged.

And for the record, I agree with siphoning, I've always siphoned my tanks because a 'clean' tank is important for the health of the fish since pathogenic bacteria (like the one responsible for Columnaris) lives in the substrate mulm. I just meant that it's the fresh water that gets them going.

Yep, my skirts are at it every morning. They probably always have but now they're in my bedroom and I see it going on. No babies, yet.. probably eating the eggs. And my Cory's, so much egg laying I started breeding them, lol. I absolutely love those guys. Maybe I could add a little ice in a water piture, see what happens. Thanks for the advice and sharing!

 

[Victoria99]

They have definitely chilled out since they're in their separate tank and I bought more females. I have them in my bedroom and last night they were schooling, all 11 of them, very nice to see, and of course my 60 gallon is truly peaceful now, and no more deaths!!! I just got my first canister filter in the mail yesterday for my 60, haven't opened it yet. I'm excited about it!!!

Wait, you can sex Neons? How?!

 

[Cindy22]

Wait, you can sex Neons? How?!

My black and white skirts are very easy to sex, my females are twice the size of the males. I have two females full of eggs right now, but no place to move the others so I haven't had fry yet, and same goes for the Neons. To figure their sex, the Neon females blue stipe is a lot more curved, (sort of like a hunch back) very pronounced and the males stripe is straighter, much straighter, and the females usually are bigger. I wish a few eggs would make it, you can barely notice my 7 in my 60 gallon. The last few times I bought more I introduced disease to my tank. Only one lived. So, I'm hoping to wait it out and see if they'll multiply eventually on their own.

 

[Victoria99]

My black and white skirts are very easy to sex, my females are twice the size of the males. I have two females full of eggs right now, but no place to move the others so I haven't had fry yet, and same goes for the Neons. To figure their sex, the Neon females blue stipe is a lot more curved, (sort of like a hunch back) very pronounced and the males stripe is straighter, much straighter, and the females usually are bigger. I wish a few eggs would make it, you can barely notice my 7 in my 60 gallon. The last few times I bought more I introduced disease to my tank. Only one lived. So, I'm hoping to wait it out and see if they'll multiply eventually on their own.

Thanks! That's so good to know!
I hope you get some more neons

 

[Cindy22]

Thanks! That's so good to know!
I hope you get some more neons

Awe. TY!!!