Has my API GH test kit gone wonky - no change from orange to green?

[brommer]

OK I wanted to get it all done, but my local store was all out of cories, complaining there are stocking issues because of the summer holidays @ their suppliers.

So all i got were 8 neon tetras.

They were schooling fine until it was feeding time. Then there were ~3 of them chasing each other (not all of the largest ones; one smaller one is quite feisty). Do i have some bullies or are they establishing a pecking order?

Edit:
It's a little later now. Six have "re-schooled", the other 2 are still hiding and haven't noticed the re-schooling......

Edit-2:
Maybe i spoke too soon no real re-schooling ( there's a group of about 5, kind of sticking together, and 3 the bullies?) yet I guess...

Edit-3:
Little later again. OK it's official now: re-schooling has happened ! What an odd behaviour !

 

[Essjay]

Neon tetras only school (swim together as a group) when they feel threatened. They will school when first added to a tank because the experience of being chased round a tank with a net, being put in a tiny bag, then released into a strange tank is stressful for them. As they get used to your tank, they will stop schooling altogether, unless something frightens them.

Neons are shoaling fish which is not the same as schooling. Shoaling is where in the wild a species lives in a loose group of many fish and these fish are programmed by their DNA to 'expect' to have other members of the same species in the same area of water. They don't all swim together, they just need to know there are more of them nearby.

 

[brommer]

thanks essjay.

So no pecking order then, i.e. this is normal/expected behaviour (i.e. the apparent fighting I mean) when introduced into a new tank ?

 

[Essjay]

They probably do have a pecking order. They had one sorted out in the shop tank, then you removed some and put them in a different tank so they have to sort out a new pecking order within their now smaller group. If you were ever to get more neons, they'd have to go through the process again.

 

[brommer]

Glad to hear it makes some sense ! OK - so over the next few days, things should calm down as the order gets re-established.

 

[brommer]

We're a day later now, and I guess a new pecking must have been agreed, as feeding time is fairly peaceful now.

 

[brommer]

Some days later now. Looks like 1 particular one (the feisty smaller one of before) wants to be boss and will still chase others. Two or 3 in particular; i'm assuming those others are rival males.... as he will move away from the "docile" others when getting closer and realising they're females perhaps....