I am getting tetras today, and I am wondering, is it okay to have more than one type of tetra in the same tank (ex. neon and head-n-tail light)?
2007-08-21 07:20:57 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
to the guy who says tetras are fighting fish, thats betas that you are thinking of...
2007-08-21 07:33:50 · update #1
No, I don't know of any tetras known to be aggressive. I would just make sure that they can't be swallowed by other fish in the tank. Small neons and cardinals often get eaten by other fish.
2007-08-21 07:39:32 · answer #1 · answered by Rags to Riches 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I had a 20-gallon aquarium with many different fish, similar species and otherwise, and, with minor exception, they all got along just fine. There was one little fish that insisted on harrassing the others, even ones much larger, so I took it back to the dealer, who accepted it without any problems, presumably because I was a good customer. Oddly, when the fish was returned to its tanks, it blended in perfectly with the rest of the "school". Maybe it was just homesick! I also had a miniature "shark" that grew too big, too fast, to the point that it devoured one of my cherry barbs (I wasn't home at the time). I put it in a smaller tank with some larger fish, where it spent the rest of its days.
My aquarium dealer was very helpful (I don't go to pet stores because most know little about combining different fish), but, sometimes, it's just a matter of "luck".
Also, keep in mind the "one-fish-per-gallon" rule.
2007-08-21 14:47:18 · answer #2 · answered by skaizun 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can mix & match... just be sure to get a school of at least 6 of each type, so if you're going to get neon tetras, and pristella tetras, you should get at least six of the neons and six of the pristellas. Any less than 6 and they nip at each other for dominance.
I reccommend more than 6 though. If you have 6 and one dies, its easy to tell that one is dead & missing in the tank since they get a little more nippy towards each other.
The majority of types of tetras sold in the "freshwater community" section of the store should be compatible with each other. They're all pretty whimpy. Shopping for tetras is pretty easy compared to shopping for south american cichlids, since a greater % of tetras species are compatable with each other in the same tank.
The only kinds of tetras to beware of are ones mentioning the teeth in the name.
Buck tooth tetra / (exilon paradox) will shred your other tetras to bits, but most stores don't even stock them.
Pihrana and pacu are also tetras... stay away from them.
Congo tetras can get a little bigger than average, and can be a little more aggressive.
2007-08-21 15:10:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some can be fin nippers towards other fish. Usually with tetras, they do best in schools of a minimum of 4 or 5 of the same kind. You can mix them like that, just get at least the minimum of each kind-if your tank is large enough for them.
2007-08-21 14:25:22 · answer #4 · answered by tikitiki 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
tetra is kind of a catch all word for small characins. mixing them up is fine -- but most aren't from the same species so they won't school together if that is what you wanted to know -- its still best to keep them in schools with their own species.
2007-08-21 14:37:35 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oops! Forget that last comment.
Tetras are social fish and get along much better when there are a few of them in the tank. They are "schooling" fish and get along better with 10 or so together, but I read not less than a 10 gallon tank.
2007-08-21 14:27:01 · answer #6 · answered by Michael P 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋
yes it is fine i have them like that
2007-08-25 14:05:35 · answer #7 · answered by Junise H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋