I'm Trying To Help My Friends With A Tetra

I have semi-recently gotten into the aquarium hobby. My friend has a skirt tetra. They have had it for years. it had been with different types of tetras for a while, but now he's the only one. I've tried to politely tell them that tetras are schooling fish, but they say he has always seemed a bit hostile to other fish. Could this be true? It has been with other tetras, but never his own breed. If you have any other advice about helping this tetra, I would love to hear.

 

Tetras get aggressive when they aren’t in school. A runny nose tetra won’t school with a white skirt tetra. They will only school and feel secure with the same species of tetra. He’s aggressive because he doesn’t feel secure in his environment.

 

Okay, I'll be sure to tell them. Is a ten gallon okay for skirts?

 

No, they should be in at least a 20 long but a 29 or bigger is always better. Adding more fish to the school and adding more hiding places will help with aggression.

 

I'm not sure they could get a 20 gallon or bigger right now, but I'll try and see if I can find one on craigslist or something. Worse case scenario, would it be better to add like 2 or 3 or just leave the 1 in there. Thanks for helping me so much

 

I have a school of 5 long skirt white tetras and they are in a 20 high with 2 separe tetras which came with the tank when I adopted it, they always have been 2 together the previous owner said. I also have a school of neons (7) in the same tank. People say I'm overstocked but I do about a 40-50% water change and gravel vacuum once a week. My fish all seem fine and my white ones don't bother my orange tetras and the 2 alone don't bother any of the long skirts and don't seem scared or weird. It all comes down to personality of the fish. I think since my 2 out of place tetras always been together they don't really need 4 more of the same kind.

Honestly a 20 gallon is fine. People on this site like to say you need a 40 gallon tank for like 2 schooling fish and its just their opinion but as long as you give them space to swim and hide, clean the tank regularly you'll he fine

 

I'll see what I can do, and see if I can get them to get a test kit. Thanks a bunch!