of (any tetras
species in the
Serpae
several
Hyphessobrycon eques
complex) get mixed reviews
Will I have to return the tetras in order to
restore peace to my tank?
Eleanor LaPlante
Racine, Wisconsin
A
when it comes to their suitability in the
community tank. Some hobbyists report
having no aggression problems with them
whatsoever; others complain that they
behave like a pack of wolves, chasing
and nipping every fish in sight. The
success or failure of keeping these fish in
a community tank may depend on a few
key factors.
protective b
could temperature The
very well be the problem,
as lower water temperature
can stress tropical fish. The
ody slime is often compromised
by such stress, and bacterial and secondary
fungal infections can result. They may
have already attacked your fish. There
is nothing like getting tropical fish back
up to their normal temperature to turn
around the kind of problems that you are
experiencing. A good heater is inexpensive
and doesn’t use a lot of electricity, so it is
really a must. The change in temperature
is especially difficult on the fish in a small
tank. Water is a great heat conserver, but it
has its limits—especially when there isn’t
much of it.
I would suggest you invest in a heater and
set it to 78°F at the lowest. (But don’t go the
other direction and set it much above 82°F.)
I think you’ll see a great improvement in
your tiger barbs. D
and the fi
Faded Tigers
I have a 10-gallon tank with
10 tiger barbs. They have
been fading in color recently,
ns look tattered. I have been
keeping them at room temperature, as the
room where the tank is kept is normally
at least 70°F, but it does drop down to
60°F or lower at night in the winters.
Could this be the problem with the fish?
Greg Carroll
via email
A
One of those factors is the type of fish
being kept with them. Serpae tetras are
notorious fin nippers, so it’s best to avoid
keeping them with any long-finned fishes,
such as your fancy guppies, or fishes that
aren’t quick enough to evade them, as seems
to be the case with your cory catfish. Tiny
fishes such as neon and cardinal tetras tend
to elicit harassment from them as well.
The other factor is the number of
serpaes being kept together in the tank.
When kept in schools of five or more,
they are reportedly less belligerent toward
heterospecific tankmates. I would err on the
side of caution by keeping serpae tetras only
with fast-moving, short-finned fishes that
are capable of standing up to them. If you
plan to continue keeping guppies and cories
in the same tank, you will probably need to
return the tetras to your local fish store or
move them to a tank of their own.
Q
