Feisty tetra harassing larger goldfish!

[darylann]

I now know that the goldfish has no business living with the tropicals, but when I started this, the LFS salesperson shrugged and said, "Sure, you can keep 'em together!" Anyway, until we get another tank for only goldfish (soon...before he starts eying up the others as snacks!), this one's growing like a weed! He's about 3 inches long, but lately has been acting "frantic," like he's trying to get out through the side of the tank. Could this behavior also be stimulating or irritating the painted tetra who resides in this community tank. The little tetra, about 1 inch long and usually rather docile, has taken to harassing the goldfish and doing lightning-fast hit and runs on him! Does anyone know what's going on here, and how one spanks a little fish and tells them, "No, no! Play nicely now!"

 

[Maj0rFiSh]

The tetra is probably just going crazy where hes been dipped and injected

J/k, he probably isnt used to having a goldfish in there, id suggest removing the goldfish put him in another tank maybe, how long has the tetra been acting like this, you may have to see how it goes for now.

 

[Karnaaj]

Any time you keep a schooling fish like your painted tetra by itself you are asking for trouble. I would see about returning the goldfish or the tetra or preferably both.

 

[darylann]

The behavior isn't continuous, I'm observing. When the tetra isn't being obnoxious, the two of them buddy around like best friends!!! Who knows?!?

I'm not happy, either, with the "painted" tetra issue. I had no idea such atrocities were committed on little fishies till after buying him and learning through this forum. Meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out how to get the little fellow some of his own kind to school with, without buying more "painted" versions, as I refuse to support this cruel concept. I never thought of returning the one we have... would rather find some suitable mates for him.

I'm buying an established 29-gallon tank, and will put the goldfish in there when ready. That will solve one problem, anyway.

 

[LMOUTHBASS]

For the sake of the tetra you might as well buy him a few more of his type and THEN never buy painted fish again, it's not fair to him that he's stuck all alone with a fish 3 times his size - or buy a glass fish i believe they are the painted tetra without the paint - if not they are the same body shape and he'll probaly take to them

 

[SnakeIce]

just curious about this painted fish, is it mostly clear with color in it? or is it white with a pastel overlay of color.

if it is the glass fish, those fish are brackish, and males get blue edgeing on thier fins when colored up naturally.

if it is white with color it may be an albino form of the black tetra(black skirt, black widow are other names for it) and you could get regular colored fish to acompany it.

either way more similar shaped fish that get to about the same size might help the behavior if you can't get the same kind. now that is not to say the fish will stop the behavior with more of its kind, only that they will understand that behavior language, and be able to talk back.

but the tank would not be able to support more fish and it needs more waterchanges and attention as it is than I tend to think is most enjoyable. there is a diminishing return on work and what you can keep. I try to make it the most enjoyable which means I keep fewer fish than the numbers I could possibly keep healthy in a tank.