Six Tetras...What else to add??

[daytonaguy1111]

I have Six Red eye Tetras in my newly cycled tank of 29 gallons.. and i was thinking of mixing in some different kind of tetras ..but i also would like some other suggestions about what to add ..thanx

[Tempest]

<looks confused> Your other thread about the tank seems to indicate it isn't cycled yet. I'd give it a while more before I got to buying more fish. :) I would wait a couple of weeks. That should give the tank time enough to finish getting the nitrites to 0 and to clear up the water. If you look at some of Wetmans posts, he is really informative on all those other things your new tank is growing besides just nitrifying bacteria.

[daytonaguy1111]

yeah actually i wasnt talkin about buyin anything right away ... but was wantin advice for when i do but thanx

[NJ Devils Fan]

I pretty much have a tetra tank. I have 6 serpae, 5 neon, 3 red eye, 2 rummynose tetras along with a few plecos and cories. I like the serpaes a lot, they add a lot of color to the tank and are often with one another. On the other hand, I don't care much for the red eyess because all they really do is stay on top in the back and come out when I feed them. Lemon tetras are nice, next time I go to my LFS, I think I will get a few.

[daytonaguy1111]

My red eyes do the same thing they hang around the back and the top ...Its good to know im not the only one noticing that....Yeah i think ill try some different tetras ...they can all be mixed right without bothring each other right ?

[NJ Devils Fan]

yep, they all get along.

[Tempest]

I'm not sure of the scientific name but I found another tetra I really like. It's called a Von Rio tetra here. They are shaped like the Serpai but have a body colored gray with darker stripes like a blackskirt tetra but they also are red colored on their bottom sides. Really pretty.

[daytonaguy1111]

wow that sounds cool lookin ...the black skirt tetras here are real cheap .. are they that cheap everywhere ( .99cents each ) ?

[Tempest]

Nope... I have a feeling most of the common fish are cheaper where you are. I think a lot of breeders are nearby. :D

[daytonaguy1111]

do you know..how much they are where you are for example.. just wondering ..most all of the other kinds of tetras here are around 1.99a piece but id like to know the going rate in other areas of the country ??

[brianfl]

Most tetra go for 1.99 down here.

[Tempest]

It varies quite a lot here.. The von rio tetras were 3/13.95.. I paid about the same for cardinal tetras.

I've seen neons selling for 99 cents at a Petco here but who would wish to buy them with 7 or 8 dead in the tank.. Yuck.

I trust the places where I *do* buy them a bit more. For example, I waited for two weeks on the cardinals because the shop told me they had just gotten the shipment in, it had gotten too cold, and they were losing part of them. I bought 9 survivors and haven't lost a one of them in the six months I've had them.

[thecowman]

I have 3 lemon tetras that I have had in my 25 gallon community for about 4 years now. Great little fish, always active, never had any health problems and never bothered any of the other fish. I would highly recommend getting these if they appeal to you. I've had nothing but success with mine.

[Myrt]

The Emperor Tetra, Nematobrycon palmeri, is our hands-down favorite. The male has a gorgeous turquoise-blue eye and a fancy 'trident' tail; the females are green-eyed, so it's easy to pick which kind you want. They are a bit larger than some of the tetras, but not as big as the Congo, and they seem to be aware of things in the tank the way smaller tetras aren't. There is a bit of 'chasey' behavior sometimes, but nothing really destructive.

[TKOS]

I was going to say Emporer Tetra as well. Very pretty fish.

[Aderynglas]

Hi,
I also have tetra tanks :D,

Neon Tetras - small but stunning

Columbian tetras - blue body, red fins, grows about 2" peaceful and stunning :)

Diamond Tetras - also grows to about 2", colours take a while to develop but beautiful when adult :)

Rosy Tetras - don't look like much in the shop but once at home in the tank go a lovely deep rosy red colour and display to each other almost all the time :)

Bolivian Rams and blue rams are also in the tanks along with cories and a bristlenose cat.

As with most fish these tetras don't really show their best colours in the shop and can take up to a week or two to settle and start showing good colours, but they are well worth the wait :)