Nippy Danios...

[Becca]

When I got my 30-Gal, I had 2 fish from a small 5 gal tank setup - a tiny algea eater and a zebra danio. The algea eater passed on shortly after I setup the new tank, but the danio's still around.

He's been the cause of death/return for quite a few of the fish I've had in my tank. He thinks nothing of stressing anyone else out...so at the recommendation of several people, I got a few more Zebras for him to play with. He's actually calmed down quite a bit since I introduced the other 2 Zebras to the tank. I was worried that he'd stress them out just like he did on the previous attempts I made to add more danios.

I've had 3 Danios for a few months now and actually - everything has been just fine. Until this afternoon when I got home from work. I noticed the bigger of the three, which is the danio I've had since my setup has a few battle scars. I know he's not one of the two new I introduced from his size - the two new ones I added a couple of months ago are still smaller than he is, and his markings aren't as bright as the other two. By the way - when I say "he", I'm only guessing that he's a male.

His battle scars consist of a torn anal fin and he's now missing the top portion of his tail fin. The poor little guy won't hold still long enough for me to get a picture of it. There's so white or black outlines around where his fins are - it literally looks just like it's been nipped off. Other than that, he seems fine. No signs of distress, quite active, has an appetite, etc.

My question is - is this normal behavior for Zebras? Do they nip amongst each other enough to cause this much damage? If this is normal behavior, will his fins heal, or grow back (please don't laugh at that question - I seriously don't know!). If this isn't normal behavior, please let me know and I'll isolate him ASAP. As for now, he seems to be getting along with everyone, and everyone seems uninterested in picking on him - so I've not QT'd him.

As always, help and advice is greatly appreciated!!

 

[n00bie]

With the mix I have, they seem to get along pretty well. I think the giant helps keep them in check.




....As for the healing, I think each type of fish has different healing rates and it would probably also depend a little on how much other stress he was seeing.

 

[dixaisy930]

Maybe the other danios aren't the problem. Have you seen them nip at him? It's possible one (or some) of the tetras are nipping at him. I've even had a molly that was a fin nipper. It's also possible he's ripping it on a tank decoration.

As long as you are faithful about partial weekly water changes (you might even want to do a few extra ones), his fins should grow back.

 

[Becca]

Actually - I was watching the tank earlier and I did notice at least one of the other two danios nipped at him a couple of times...of course, he didn't stand for it and attempted to nip right back.

The danios seem to hang out only at the top of the tank, where there are no decorations, so I doubt it's anything like that. And my other fish seem disinterested in anything other than food and themselves. (Unless you're counting my male molly, in which case you can add female mollies to that list. )

 

[dixaisy930]

I wonder if adding another danio or two would help. or maybe all of them would just gang up on the one....

I guess what goes around comes around....

 

[patchwork_python]

Are danios normally nippy fish? Like tiger barbs or not as severe? I had some zebras years ago when I first started fishkeeping, had some leopard ones over the years if I remember right and can't recall any problems with them in the fin-nipping department

Be interested to hear people's thoughts on them, as now I have bigger tanks I was considering getting some giant danios, and I also like the look of the pearls.

With regards to the query, adding a couple more might help. I've done it with male platies and guppies, the more there is in the group, the more the aggression or dominant behaviour is dispersed so no one fish gets beaten up or stressed out too badly. It becomes more like a natural hierarchy.

 

[n00bie]

My giant's kinda fun to watch. He sits in the current from the filter and chases the other little guys out.

 

[Sky042]

My zebras were very nippy and responsible for the death of a few fish. They now live happily with my oscar of all fishes. They're very good at swarming around him to get the food bits that shoot out of his gills while he eats.

 

[BronzeWolf]

When i was researching on danios I learned that because they are shoaling fish they should be in groups of no less that 6.
My danios are nippy too especially one female however not to the point where any of them have been injured.

 

[Lateral Line]

Many very active schooling fish can be nippy when kept in small numbers. I have always found that to be as true for Zebras as Tiger Barbs. Normally at least 6 needed to get the external aggression down, and more for good measure.

 

[flintstone]

Many very active schooling fish can be nippy when kept in small numbers. I have always found that to be as true for Zebras as Tiger Barbs. Normally at least 6 needed to get the external aggression down, and more for good measure.

I agree with lateral line.