Serpae tetra and black skirt

[AJRenee]

I currently have 4 Serpae tetras, one black skirt, in a 20 gallon. So five fish total. It’s a newer tank so I started with 3 serpae, after they did well a couple weeks, went to get more, there was one left, and a black skirt tetra, so I bought those two. Added them about a week ago, all has been what I thought was fine. (Not trying to add too many at once.) but now it seems like one Serpae is a bully. Black skirt had bottom fin but several days ago, now I’m upset bc I noticed his top fin bit. Do I buy more black skirt first to even it out, or do I get more Serpae first bc it calms down their aggression towards others, or does it make it worse? Just don’t know which direction to go, and how to help my fish? Get rid of the bully? Haha guess I can’t win bc that will
Make me feel bad too. Just want to even put the aggression so it isn’t bullied, I don’t want it to stress and die. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

 

[Essjay]

Serpae tetras are one of the nippiest species of tetra. If you want to keep them you need a group of at least 10, preferably without any other fish in the tank.

I once had some serpaes and within a day every other fish in the tank had bits missing. They went back to the shop.

 

[AJRenee]

Serpae tetras are one of the nippiest species of tetra. If you want to keep them you need a group of at least 10, preferably without any other fish in the tank.

I once had some serpaes and within a day every other fish in the tank had bits missing. They went back to the shop.

 

[AJRenee]

Dang it. So they probably can’t co exist?
I was hoping there was hope for them to calm down on their nipping

 

[PhantomCarp]

I think you should return the black skirt and wait for your shop to get more Serpaes

 

[CassCats]

Yeah swap the black skirt for serpae, stick with the serpae tetras

 

[AJRenee]

I think you should return the black skirt and wait for your shop to get more Serpaes

Put him in a bag with my tank water and take back to store?

 

[Essjay]

Yes, that's the simplest way.

 

[Byron]

Both of these species are notorious for fin nipping, and they are feisty and aggressive to varying degrees. Your best bet at this juncture is to return the Black Skirt (he will be dead before long) and get a few more Serpae, but this has issues too. This fish should have a group of 10-12 and in a 30g minimum tank, on their own. A 20g is going to cramp them, but with more it might turn out OK or it might not. The one that has already been aggressively nipping is likely to continue to do so, but any of the others cold follow suit, as this is in their DNA.

Another option would be to return all of them, and select more peaceful fish. That is up to you. But with the Serpae Tetras in this tank, you have no other fish options except a few more of the Serpae Tetras.

 

[AJRenee]

I hate to return any of them but I like the black skirts more, I may return my Serpaes bc I don’t want just Serpae in my tank and I don’t want to overcrowd! Thank you all

 

[AJRenee]

And buying more black skirts would not help the case?

 

[CassCats]

No mixing them in that tank size wont help.

I mean, if you truly wanted to do both, id go with a 50 gallon and have BOTH in large groups. Most aggression would keep to themselves.

But if you like the skirts more, return the serpaes and get a school of 6-9 skirt tetras. They will probably be nippy at first when first added to the tank but should settle within a few days as they get comfortable

 

[Retired Viking]

I keep several types of tetras in my 55 gallon tetra tank but I have to agree with others. I avoid these types of tetras because of their nipping reputation. I like their looks but I want a peaceful tanks where I do not have to worry about nipping. Glow light tetra is a good looking fish and I have had no problems with them. I have a shoal of them (14) in with neon, embers and red eye plus cory and they all seem to do well together.

 

[Byron]

Black Skirt Tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) can attain 2.25 inches (some sources report up to 3 inches) which is getting rather substantial for a 20g tank. But it could work, just keep in mind that you willonjly have the Black Skirt Tetras in the tank, in a group of 7-8.

 

[CassCats]

Black Skirt Tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) can attain 2.25 inches (some sources report up to 3 inches) which is getting rather substantial for a 20g tank. But it could work, just keep in mind that you willonjly have the Black Skirt Tetras in the tank, in a group of 7-8.

Most of mine are short fins, but my longfin girl is really massive, she is definitely 3 inches. But my others stopped growing at about 2 inches or so. Theyre definitely a larger tetra.