Fin Nippers And Very Active Fish

[Twinklecaz]

I hear these two groups of fish referred to quite a lot but I'm never sure exactlt what fish fall into theses groups. I know Tetras can be fin nippers but thats about it.

Help

 

[Gilli]

As long as you keep them in groups the larger the better then they tend to be ok. I have 12 cardinal tetras and 10 x serpae tetras and have no problems with fin nipping in a community tank. Have also kept neon tetras , and black phantom tetras with no problems either.

 

[Twinklecaz]

What about Harlequins? All I'm worried about is them being too active for my Dwarf Gourami. I'm sure I read somewhere that they are very active fish . Mind you, I do think to some degree you can find a problem with any mix of fish can't you and sometimes it's best to just such it and see lol.

Btw, thanks for replying

 

[Wills]

Harlequins will be fine with a DG no reputation of fin nippers. The main fish with nipping reputations are serpae tetras, tiger barbs and blue tetras, but these are manageable in larger than normal schools so what I mean by that is where as most people would say minimum of 6 neon tetras you might consider a minimum of 12 serpae tetras this is because in the bigger schools the nippier fish will be so wrapped up in the hierachy of their big school they forget about the other fish, Im not 100% on this but I think that the nippier fish come from larger schools in the wild so they have to be a bit more voracious to stay near the top of the school if you see what I mean that way they are more likley to get to feed and breed. Where as the more placid tetras might be in the same numbers in the wild but rather than grouping as one large school they might spread out as 4 or 5 smaller schools if you see what I mean? Its all about survival of the fittest.. But yeah thats why I imagine some species are nippier than others. And thats what we have to replicate in the aquarium.

Wills

 

[kelly528]

Any tetra, danio, barb, rasbora or minnow is liable to nip if not kept in an adequate school (a minimum of 6 fish of its species). With the exception of a few fish (ie tiger barbs or serpae tetras) it is very unlikely that you will see nipping when they are kept in a proper school.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Thanks both of you. I was getting 5 Harlequins but I've shifted things around a bit (was getting 3 Male Guppies but now getting 1 DG and also prob now getting 3 Platties rather than 4) so I should be able to up that number to 6. I would check on Aqadvisor but best not lol!