Tetras and schooling?

Question

I have 6 tetras (4 neons and 2 black neons) and I've recently discovered they're probably not going to school together. As it stands my neons don't even school (they've been together for roughly 2 weeks). Is this because their group is too small, because my tank is too small (10 gallons) or because the temperature is set at 88 to kill an Ich infection?
How can I encourage schooling, given that the supplier of my fish wont accept the black neons back and I have nowhere else to put them. My neons and black neons also occasionally show aggressive behaviour, though never towards the guppies, I expect this is normal and they're establishing a pecking order, but is it? Also, i have 4 guppies in my tank so would adding 2 more neons be overstocking? I also have a small 5 gallon fry tank which I'm raising my fry in until they're big enough to either switch with my community tank or give away.
Any help would be much appreciated.

Answer 1

John V's shot in the dark was pretty accurate. They do school at all times, but the less threatened they feel the looser the school will be. Put a threat in there (well don't really) and watch how tight they school. A ten gallon tank is small enough that one can take comfort in knowing the rest are only half of a small tank away.

You can add a couple more black neons and you won't really be overstocked since these are small and low-waste fish. To the drones that simply count inches without any more thought to it you would be technically overstocked. Keep in mind the better your are at maintenance, the higher stocking you can get away with - but as far as I'm concerned any tank should get weekly maintenance including vacuuming and water changes for good long term health and cleanliness.

My own opinion though is to choose one type of neon and stick with it, because a 10 gallon tank offers little room and will look best with a larger group of one species then two smaller, even though variety is usually assumed to be nicer. Plus with more fish the aggression is always more distributed and so best for all the fish involved. SInce you can't take back the neons, all I can say is find a better fish store because that is completely unacceptable - if it were me I'd write it down as not wanting future business from me. ALL fish stores will exchange fish around here.

Make sure you have ton of aeration in the tank at that temperature, but I do agree warming the water is very effective against ich.

Answer 2

You're completely right on the pecking order, but neons don't tend to get very aggressive so it shouldn't be very bad. And no, the regular neons and the black neons do not school together. And you are also right in that they will school better with at least 6 of each or even more. And Jon V is partially right in that schooling fish do school as a protective measure. But they also school even when they do not feel threatened.

As for how many fish you can put into that tank it depends on how many guppies you plan on moving back into there from your fry tank. Here's a way you can judge how much of a bioload - when you do your weekly water changes, vacuuming out the gravel bed, how much crap do you vacuum out? If it's little bit then you're safe adding more fish, if it's decent amount then stop, if it's a ton then you've gone way too far. With neons you can really add a lot to a 10 gallon but with the guppies as well you need to compensate. Just keep an eye on your water quality and keep up on you tank maintenance and you should be fine.

Also bear in mind that your guppies will continue to breed. Whether you keep them in the same tank or a different one. Plan for it now.

Answer 3

I have 10 neon tetras and they school just fine. There are a couple things wrong with your tank. My tank is 20 gallons for only 10 fish.

1.Your tank is too small.
2. The Temp is way too high. It should be around 72F.
3. That many fish in such a small take can kill, their pee will cause a high PH level which can kill, i should know.

Your tetras should get along. They may not school together, but they should school with their own kind. And yes. 2 more neons would be overstocking because your already over stocked.

Answer 4

Neons and Black Neons will not school. Most schooling fish only school with their own kind. I've seen White Clouds attempt to school with Neons, but the Neons aren't interested. Sometimes similar fish do attempt to school.
You have a ton of problems don't you? I wouldn't even consider adding fish until the Ich is dealt with. The aggression can be lessened with plants to provide cover. They can be real or plastic. They are necessary. So is a appropriate background. This is not purely decoration, it will give the fish a sense of comfort and familiarity.

Answer 5

Sorry, yet tetras and distinctive guidance fish could desire to be in colleges of 6 or extra beneficial of there very own species. 4 isn't sufficiently huge for a school. the only exeption = somtimes their is an albino version of the fish. you have 3 or 4 or extra beneficial albino x-ray tetras and 3 or 4 or extra beneficial generally occurring x-ray tetras. guidance fish get decrease than stress and would desire to be fin nippy, aggressive, lethargic, lose colour, stop eating and be open to ailments like ich which will unfold to the hollow tank. in case you like one in each of those colourful fish, evaluate platies, they arrive in a lot of colors, yet they are each and all the comparable species, and adventure they do no longer look to be guidance fish, you're able to save them in communities of three or 4 or so. basically be clever to get all adult adult males in case you do no longer elect a lot of fry each and each month.

Answer 6

You are not overstocked at all. You have a bunch of tiny fish that don't make a lot of waste. You could add the 2 more Black Neons, and they all might end up schooling together after all... Good luck!

By the way, their waste doesn't raise the pH, it raises ammonia and nitrates.

Nosoop4u

Answer 7

I haven't done any extensive research on school chris, but I'm taking a shot in the dark at this. My guess is they don't feel threatened by anything in your tank. I'm going to use an example of my zebra danios. I started out with four and a pair of them got eaten from my Datnoid and they ended up sticking togeather, the last two. I since have upgraded some of my tanks and rearrange housing for many of them. I now have them in my 20 gallon tank, and added four more to school them up. They tended to stick togeather for awhile because I had my new shipment of Albino Tiawan Reefs in quarenntine with them. Once I moved them out, and only guppies were in with them, they kinda broke off thier pack and would do thier own thing. This might just be an odd case, but it leads me to believe that schooling fish school out of safty, and probably yours just don't feel threatend by any other occupants.

JV