Tetras

[Steve]

Alright I gotta ask this because I know most people that are into fish have at least had Tetras at one point or another during fish keeping...what the hell is the trick to keeping them little buggers alive??

Last year I got about 9 of them and put them into a 10g tank I had with a beta. Within 2 months I lost all 9 tetras, and the beta was not doing the killing he's pretty calm for a beta. Now last week I set up that 29g tank and seeded it with filter media plus some startsmart and the water parms are good Amo-0 to .25 at the very extreme most (just a very very slight hint of green) Nitrite-0 Nitrate - 30. I stocked it last week Thursday I believe it was, with a beta which is super laid back (tetras swim right into him and he doesn't even care) plus I added 6 Cardinal tetras because I heard they were supposed to be hardier than the neon tetras I had before.

Saturday one tetra died. Last night another was swimming upside down and alive but not in good shape so I put him down. Today I see another one is missing, he still has to be in there but maybe under the wood dead I'm guessing I'll have to find him tomorrow.

I don't get it what am I doing wrong, are tetras that hard to keep alive??? I have no problems with cichlids or any other fish which are supposed to be more "advanced" needs, yet for some reason my tanks seem like a Hospice for tetras for some reason.

[linuxrulesusa]

I can't keep regular neon tetras alive either. 

Black neons seem hardier, ditto rummynose, lemon/pristella, and some of the other larger tetras.  You have to watch serpae tetras, as they're nippy, and some of the ones like BA tetras or similar just need a lot more room, like a 4' tank.

Suggestions might include trying a bigger tank - neons and smaller tetras get skittish if there's not enough swimming area; more cover - they like fake or real plants; and, trying a different source that might have healthier stock or have kept them for several weeks successfully as they have a high dieoff in shipping.

- On the bigger tank, I see you're trying in the 29. That should be enough room - but I'd still consider adding more plants for cover.  Based on some videos I've seen, in the wild they live in semi-murky shallow streams/water with lots of grass and weed type plants.

The so called 'neon tetra' disease wipes out a lot of tetras and IIRC there's no worthwhile meds to treat it - in my opinion, spending $15+ to treat $2 fish doesn't seem worth it; others might disagree.

I know you say the betta is not killing them, but are you sure there's no marks on the dead tetras?  If not, then probably it's disease.  If there are marks, the beta may be bumping them off in the night when you're not watching.  They can be sneaky about killing sometimes, even though they seem calm when you're watching. 

[Steve]

I'm pretty sure the source isn't the issue. The first batch was from a different place than the last one. This last one came from Royal on Woodward, I know Matt & Sue there really well and Matt said this batch of Tetras had been in the shop for a month (he ordered 500 to stock the shop) and the ones I just got had been there for a month healthy so I don't think that would be the cause.

The beta could be the issue, but if so then he's been real sneaky about it like you said because during the day or anytime I watch him he seems totally indifferent to the tetras.

I've got a nice piece of wood a few rocks and a "tree" covered in Java moss in there so there should be enough cover for them I would think. I really don't know what it is, I'm at a loss as to why I can't keep them alive. I guess the only thing could be like you said maybe the beta is doing it at night.

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

Try quaranteeing the Beta in a fry net or something similar and see what happens...

[Steve]

Try quaranteeing the Beta in a fry net or something similar and see what happens...

That's a pretty good idea. Why didn't I think of that lol I'll pick up a fry net tomorrow and try it.

[Steve]

BTW I looked for the tetra I thought was dead. Can't find him. I do have three left...but two died and one is MIA. No idea where that one is at , he's not in the tank though.

[Kaia]

I keep neons with my rams and cardinal tetra with my haps.. Sounds like its the betta

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

I keep neons with my rams and cardinal tetra with my haps.. Sounds like its the betta

Now that is new,  I have been told by several sources to not mix Cichlids with Tropicals...

Heck, I was even told not to put a pleco in with Cichlids,  but I did anyway and he is doing fine...

A big school of neons is very cool... Also rams have always been one of my favorites...

[Somethingsfishy]

Steve, I've read that many tetras (including cardinals and neons) are sensitive to the water parameters in newer tanks.  At least one author recommended waiting around 6 months until things are good and stable before adding them.

A long time ago I had trouble keeping them alive, but now, following this advice, mine are doing great. 

Good luck with the ones you have left.  I hope they survive!

[Kaia]

I keep neons with my rams and cardinal tetra with my haps.. Sounds like its the betta

Now that is new,  I have been told by several sources to not mix Cichlids with Tropicals...

Heck, I was even told not to put a pleco in with Cichlids,  but I did anyway and he is doing fine...

A big school of neons is very cool... Also rams have always been one of my favorites...

Ya ya! Well everyone has their own way of doing things. Screw anyone who says DO NOT. I don't like people who say DO NOT. Rather they should say "in my experience...." If its something you like try it. I have a budda and a Dempsey with Malawi lmao! They are fine. Will they always be fine?!? Don't know. I wouldn't suggest doing this with high priced fish though the Vics and the tetra that's a little weird but it works. Rams are South American. My reasoning is they are used as dither fish and it seems to work. Cross breeding shouldn't be an issue. lol I can't speak for the tank establishment theory. My tanks were set up for about 2 months before intro of the neons to the ram tank. I did find that the neon died with the Vics O-o

[Kaia]

Oh... And the pleco thing... I had a couple standard plecos once with juvie malawi and they died.. Their eyes went missing. Now my large Malawi are in with little yellow pleco and they don't bother them... It's all trial and error. What work for one might or might not work for another..

[Arturtle]

I have had bad experience with tetras too.  I bought at least 6 large adult buenos aires tetras to use as dithers for some aggressive cichlids, I believe it was for the large pair of festae I had, and those things just kept picking off the weakest link.  If I didn't watch them harass the fish till their death I would swear otherwise.  It was more frustrating that they were fine in a 20g tank at the lfs, put them in a 125g and they kill each other.  I got down to two of them and fed them to something, which was probably grammodes or turtle food, my turtle at least got the ones they scaled.

[Kaia]

Africans might be another story.

[Ron]

Some live longer than others IMO. Rasboras made it 3-4 years. Neons made it around 2. Phantoms made it around 4.

They are little fish. Smaller organisms tend to have a faster metabolic rate, which also means they typically expire sooner than larger fish with slower metabolic rates.

I also think some people take them for granted because they are "beginner" fish. They are beginner fish because they are cheap and can live in small starter tanks. They still take some degree of special care to last a long time. I also think being small, they are more sensitive to water conditions than larger, hardier fish.

[kodyboy]

I have had a shoal of serpae tetras with a group of yellow labs and demasoni a few years ago that worked out great and looked awesome.