View Full Version : They actually attacked him!!
nancec
06-17-2006, 4:34 PM
:mad:
I decided to put my betta, Wolfie, in the 10g tank with 6 neon tetras. I couldn't believe it when I saw the tetras attacking the betta's fins. They really were annoying the heck out of poor Wolfie. I removed the betta immediately.
Why would the tetras do this?? I thought they were supposed to be peaceful fish.
DeputyChiefJR
06-17-2006, 4:41 PM
Notorious fin-nippers..not much you can do, they may be peaceful but doesn't mean they don't have bad habits around certain fish...
nancec
06-17-2006, 4:46 PM
As I said, I did remove him. He's a very mellow betta & I've had him a yr & 1/2. I don't want to see his beautiful fins torn up.
Would a more aggressive betta be better in the tank with the neons? My red Rufus likes to flare all the time.
fishcatch22
06-17-2006, 6:59 PM
maybe, but if he's any thing like mine, he'll chase the neons. (took mine two days to stop chasing my glowlights, though it was funny to watch!:D )
Roan Art
06-17-2006, 9:46 PM
Notorious fin-nippers..not much you can do, they may be peaceful but doesn't mean they don't have bad habits around certain fish...
Neons aren't fin nippers. I think you're thinking of other tetras.
That's almost bizarre. Usually it's the other way around -- the betta goes after the neons.
Roan
dorkfish
06-17-2006, 9:53 PM
Charcins have teeth in the jaws(most fish don't), so can definitely nip, but neons usually don't. How much decor do you have in the tank, did the betta do anything to upset the neons, and are you sure you didn't just buy evil fish?
Maybe it's a problem with teritory, but again, neons don't usually do that either.
I've heard of Neons and other small tetra being fin-nippers.
My cardinals tore a big chunk of fin from my male guppy once but it never happend again.
I think the reason for it is that the betta is too slow to catch them so he can't defend himself.
god61021
06-18-2006, 7:54 AM
our new petsmart sold me a baby arrowana for my pond ("thats what they do in japan.") it took the koi (which were the same size) about 20 mins to rip all his fins off.slow moving fish that hang out at the top of your tank are just too easy of targets for faster fishes curiosity no matter how aggressive they are suppose to be imo.plus petsmart were full of **** a pond is NOT a good place for arrowana but hey they made the sell.
nancec
06-18-2006, 10:29 AM
Charcins have teeth in the jaws(most fish don't), so can definitely nip, but neons usually don't. How much decor do you have in the tank, did the betta do anything to upset the neons, and are you sure you didn't just buy evil fish?
Maybe it's a problem with teritory, but again, neons don't usually do that either.
I have 6 neons & 4 fancy guppies, along with 6 fake plants. Wolfie, the betta, went into the tank yesterday (the others were in only on Friday). Wolfie has always been a very mellow fish & only flares when he feels like it. All he did was swim around exploring his new territory. Didn't even seem phased by the other fish & didn't bother them at all.
I read through all the species profiles I could find & nowhere did it say that the neons are nippers. They're supposed to be "peaceful community fish."
And yes, I think I do have "evil fish!" They made me very upset. I love all my fishies, just like I do my cat, & I hate to see this happen. Poor Wolfie seemed to be enjoying himself in the tank & I felt very bad taking him back out.
RockabillyChick
06-18-2006, 10:56 AM
the neons may have been stressed being in a new tank. was the tank cycled before you added all those fish? that's an awfully large bioload to be going in all at once into an uncycled tank.
Fish Kate
06-18-2006, 10:58 AM
I read through all the species profiles I could find & nowhere did it say that the neons are nippers. They're supposed to be "peaceful community fish."
And yes, I think I do have "evil fish!" They made me very upset. I love all my fishies, just like I do my cat, & I hate to see this happen. Poor Wolfie seemed to be enjoying himself in the tank & I felt very bad taking him back out.
Why don't you pick up a tank divider and let Wolfie have one end of the 10gal?
dorkfish
06-18-2006, 12:54 PM
Why don't you pick up a tank divider and let Wolfie have one end of the 10gal?
I would think that 6 neons and 4 guppys would be quite crowded in half a 10g.
Fish Kate
06-18-2006, 1:02 PM
I would think that 6 neons and 4 guppys would be quite crowded in half a 10g.
I didn't say half. I said one end. And I don't know how crowded Wolfie is at the moment. It might be a trade-off.
I've never heard of it myself but I do think that Neons and other fish will be tempted to nip at a betta or a male guppie simply because there is no risk to them. It could also be aggression produced by a lack of cover in the tank.
nancec
06-18-2006, 3:47 PM
Wolfie is getting a present on July 1st. His very own 5gal tank. I'll fix it up w/decor & plants (fake). I think he might be very happy in it.
(PS.....the tank was cycled.) :)
fishcatch22
06-18-2006, 4:48 PM
my betta, blue, is very weird. when a new fish(es) come into the tank, he immediately flares at them and chases them, but doesn't attack them, for around half an hour. after that, he's quite kind to the newcomer(s) and even lets him/her/them eat with him when he kills a snail!:D
nancec
06-18-2006, 7:25 PM
The neons don't seem to bother the fancy guppies at all. They're all too busy chasing each other around.
BTW.......I lost a neon today. I'm very upset about it. I did a 50% water change. Unfortunately, I do not have a test kit yet. & no $$ to get one right away. It's at the top of my list, though.
jjanoch
06-18-2006, 11:26 PM
I have 10 cardinal tetras in a 20g with my Betta, and while I occationally see 2-3 of them paying attention to his tailfins.....they run when he quickly turns towards the attention. I've watched but his tail does not seem damaged, so I must assume this action doesn't happen all the time.