Sick Tetra & Being Bullied

[safarisarah]

I have a 10 gallon tank with 5 Neon Glofish tetras and 1 otocinculus.
 
It was established in January 2015.  All water qualities are normal, less Nitrate, which is 20-40. Working on water changes to reduce that again.  I have a smaller green fish that is swimming on its side, floating on its side, eats normally, not bloated and is being picked on. And can swim when it wants to, just wonky. I've tried epsom salt, and frozen brine shrimp.
 
The largest fish seems to be picking on him. His fins are ragged. I caught him spinning in circles at the top late last week.
 
I have no hospital tank.
 
Thoughts on what is going on/what to do?
 
This started about 6 weeks ago.

 

[AmtotheBurr]

Do they have places to hide in the tank? Also,the otocinculus doesn't belong in a ten gallon. He should be in more like a 30 gal.

 

[safarisarah]

Yes there are places to hide.

 

[fluttermoth]

Do you know what species of tetra they are?
 
Glofish are often black widow/ skirt tetras, and they are extremely nippy if in small groups.

 

[safarisarah]

I'm afraid I don't know what type of tetra.
 
 

 

[fluttermoth]

Yes, they're skirt/widow tetras.
 
The best advice I can give you, in the long term, is to try and get some more, so the aggression is spread around between more fish.
 
In the short term, if you can't isolate the sick one in another tank, can you put it in a net hanging in the big tank? Or in an old, clean ice cream or margarine tub (make holes in it so the water can move through) floating in the main tank?
 
i'm afraid some fish, including widow tetras, are quite mean to sick fish; it's nature's way of trying to get them out of the shoal before they attract predators