Back In Business

[CBBP]

I recently (1 month ago) started my tanks up again from their dormant state. The one take still had a Glow light tetra in it (poor guy). So I bought him a few friends. I check the tank every day (unlike when I was a irresponsible kid) and they seem to be doing fine. The one is an old guy, he hs no color left because eof my abuse but the others seem fine. I have not lost any to stress and they see, nice and good and calm.

Anyway, I have had past experiences with tetras so I have so questions.

Is a QT (quarantine tank) really all that necessary? I seem to lose more that way then the other path of just putting them in the main tank.

How can I stop their colors form fading? I have seen vitamin bricks you can throw in a tank, could a human vitamin table has the same effect?

How can I get them to eat? They will not come up to the top to eat the flakes and they will not eat soggy food if I sink it.

How many should I get? I currently have 4.. how many of that species should I get? I am planning to add in a lot of different types of tetra. And plant the tank nicely.


I also have a beta but he eats fine and everything, though his first day was rough but some melafix and salt fixed it. (I bought one of the almost dead ones to save).

 

[dthoffsett]

Well, I'll help where I can. As far as color, you should look for food that says color enhancing, or just look at the ingredients for carotene, a lot of fish get their bright colors from the food they eat. You might try a pellet for for picky eaters. Or just go a couple of days between feedings, it may sound cruel, but I promise they won't starve themselves. Tetras are generally happier in a group of 6 or more. How large is your tank? Also is the betta in the tank, because many tetras will nip the bettas fins. Bettas need a tank w/slow current as their long fins make it difficult to swim in fast water, however, if you want a large number of fish in the tank, you'll need it well filtered. If you have him in his own tank, just ignore what I said. Hope I helped. And welcome back to fish keeping.

 

[CBBP]

I have an Eclipse 15 gallon tank (for the tropical tank, the gold fish tank is a 55 gallon but that does not matter) and the beta does not get bothered by the tetras. He owns the tank you see and they stay well away from him. As for the current I try to keep that down by pointing the eclipse nozzle at the side of the aquarium. But bubbler makes some current but he seems to like swimming straight into it and letting it shoot him to the top. Odd.

And I suppose I shall try my hand at the starving. Should I “train” them? I had success with this back when I used to have a lot of tetras.

And thanks for the number. Next time I go to the LFS I shall pick up several more and maybe some more of a different species.

As for filtering, I am thinking of abandoning the eclipse cartridges and throwing some of my RENA XP3’s old medium into the stop for the cartridge. Is this a bad idea? and plants work in my gold fish tank for controlling toxins I figure it will do the same for my tropical.