Good Tetra Tank Mates & Other

[srstickler]

Hello All,
Here's my tank - 29g

My Fish -
7 Tetra's - 1 Black, 2 Neon, 2 Serpae, 2 Fruit & 4 Whiteclouds
1 small algae eater

Maybe against better judgement I decided to add a couple
more fish. Using the 1 fish per gallon rule, I have some room.

I went to the LFS and he suggested Harlequin Rasbora's.
I got 3 (not enough from what I've now read) and brought them home. Acclimated them in the bag...etc.....

As soon as I let them out, they were promptly attacked and killed by the tetras. The whiteclouds didn't attack. I have plenty of structure and plants to hide, but they still got it.

My questions are simple
LFS guy told me they were compatible, why did Tetra's attack?
Why don't Tetra's then attack Whiteclouds?
What can I buy that won't be attacked? More Tetras only?

All the other fish have been in the tank for 4 months without any other fish being introduced.

2nd Question - My Algae Eater is doing an awesome job with my tank walls and the gravel, but he isn't getting the job done on my faux plants, what other fish will get this brown algae? (An Oto, for example?) I'd prefer to not use chemicals.

Thanks for the help!

SRS

 

[ChilDawg]

Which tetras did the killing?

Also, the rule is 1"/gallon, but it only applies to thin-bodied fish such as neons and rasboras.

I would think about finishing off the shoals of tetras prior to the introduction of other species.

 

[srstickler]

I'm sorry, I meant 1" to the gallon, not one fish. Typing too fast there.

As for the killers, the Black and the Serpae's did the killing.

Everyone else enjoyed a few bites of the carcass before I fished them out of the tank.

The Black was by far the most aggressive.....

 

[Skittyfish]

I have Serpaes, Head-n-Tail lights, cardinals and a red-tailed flag tetra along with other fish and have never had any killing! I thought tetra's were rather peacefull. My serpaes do pick on one another (5 of them left after 16 months-started with 7).I also have clown loaches, ottos, a pleco, and dwarf cories with never a problem.

Maybe you should buy more serpaes and neons, or more black skirts (they get pretty good sized). And maybe also provide a little more cover for them.

 

[enufluvfor3]

I just got rid of my serpae's for that reason. My cory's are all tattered and they try to intimidate the molly's. Dinally I had enough and gave them to a friend who will put them in a tank by themselves. They were relentless at the attacks and when not nipping would be still and wait for the cory's to go up to the top and then back down to do their little intimidating act. They are beautiful fish, but I never could stand a bully.

 

[Pam Lowrey]

Just adding my 2 cents worth...

I'm still very much a beginner at the whole aquarium thing, but my male betta did a good job of holding his own when I put some neon tetras in with him. He chased them around some at first, but now gets along with them rather peacefully, with only the occassional short chase anymore. Maybe one of those would put your black tetra in its place? Unless the black tetra is a fin-nipper, then the betta's fins would be in tatters after a while.

 

[Skittyfish]

Serpae's are notorious fin nippers. But having a school of them makes them less hostile to others. One all alone is going to harass everyone else. Same for the black. They are schooling fish and like to be kept with their own kind. My lonely flag tetra thinks he is a cardinal so for now he is fine, but he is very pretty and I would like to have some more, only my LFS got this one in on mistake.

 

[CharlyBaltimore]

Aren't tetras related to Piranhas??