Serpae Tetra - Social outcast?

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Bigbob55

AC Members
Oct 12, 2005
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In my 55G I currently have a pictus catfish, 5 serpae tetra's, some snails and ghost shrimp.

a few days ago, one of the serpae tetra's wasn't looking so good. His fins are kinda chewed up, and he wasn't swimming with the rest of the fish as he normally does. He stayed in the corner of the tank, and is a little discolored, has some darker spots on him, and he seems to not have as much energy.

He eats fine, I fed him, and moved him to his own 10G tank. I have had him for about 4 months, and he's been fine until now.

Do you think he is just very stressed, and the other fish may be picking on him? He is on the small side, or do you think he has a disease?

I was gonna buy some more serpae's to make a bigger school, probably 3 more. Maybe I should add them to his 10G tank, so he can "make friends" and then add those 4 to the 55G after a week or so?
 
Serpaes are oportunistic fin nippers, so I don't think the new fish would make "friends" with the one that isn't doing so well. Serpaes will attack and eat other fish if they are weak enough.
 
fish psychology 101

In the wild, a sick fish will draw predators and spread disease. It is best for the rest of the fish to drive that fish away.

Do everyone a favor and put that fish into a 10 gallon quarantine tank, then you can look at treatment options without risking that the fish dies in the tank and the other fish eat the body and ingest whatever killed it.

Get a cheap tank at Walmart, add a heater, if you do big water changes every day or so you can skip the sponge filter. Otherwise get a small cheap air pump and a cheap sponge filter.
 
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