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BettasAndAnOscar
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Recently, I went to PetCo to get a flow regulator for my air pump, and came out with 6 neon tetras. They would spend a little while in my 7 gallon QT, and then go into my 29 gal tropical community. All of the neons are very young.
During the car ride home, I noticed that one of the neons was missing half of his tail. Oh, well. He seemed to be swimming fine without it.
This morning, I noticed he was stuck to the filter intake. I netted him out, and put him in a betta cup with a little water. He had no tail left. One of the other neons might've got it. None of the other neons had trouble with the filter, but I turned it down just in case.
He can sort of swim. He keeps himself upright, and wriggles around. Now, I've seen cichlids love a happy and full life with no tail. Could is work for a neon?
The only thing I'm really nervous about is that neons are schooling fish. Would it be less stressful for him if I turned the filter off and put him back with his friends? My LFS is entirely sold out of sponge filters, and I think that would make it hard for him to swim, anyway. The bubbles would throw him around.
Will be regrow his tail? Will he eventually be able to go with the other neons, or should I go to the pet store and grab another neon? How crucial is it that there be 6 in a school? I would prefer not to get another tetra, for risk of introducing diseases to the QT tank. What would you do to make Stubbs's life as good as possible?
Thanks!
Also Mr. Wiggles (oscar) got really spooked by something last night and banged his face up. That's a whole other story, though.
During the car ride home, I noticed that one of the neons was missing half of his tail. Oh, well. He seemed to be swimming fine without it.
This morning, I noticed he was stuck to the filter intake. I netted him out, and put him in a betta cup with a little water. He had no tail left. One of the other neons might've got it. None of the other neons had trouble with the filter, but I turned it down just in case.
He can sort of swim. He keeps himself upright, and wriggles around. Now, I've seen cichlids love a happy and full life with no tail. Could is work for a neon?
The only thing I'm really nervous about is that neons are schooling fish. Would it be less stressful for him if I turned the filter off and put him back with his friends? My LFS is entirely sold out of sponge filters, and I think that would make it hard for him to swim, anyway. The bubbles would throw him around.
Will be regrow his tail? Will he eventually be able to go with the other neons, or should I go to the pet store and grab another neon? How crucial is it that there be 6 in a school? I would prefer not to get another tetra, for risk of introducing diseases to the QT tank. What would you do to make Stubbs's life as good as possible?
Thanks!

Also Mr. Wiggles (oscar) got really spooked by something last night and banged his face up. That's a whole other story, though.