Weird Tetra Behaviour

thefaxmachine · May 4, 2009

Hi guys n gals...

FIRST TIME POSTER, LONG TIME READER!

Anyhoo, hope you can help me with some very odd behaviour I'm having with my 8 Red Eye Tetras.

After testing my waters (all results totally fine) it is still happening. They are so life-less and very rarely show any sign of activity unless when feeding them their flakes or bloodworm - they go crazy then.
Seven of them stay in one group in a corner at the front of the tank and the 8th one is totally on his/her own and always stays behind the rocks by the plants only coming out to feed. This has been going on for the last few weeks and I have changed nothing about the way I look after them.

I love Red Eye Tetra - my fave tetra fish infact cos they seem to have such a cheeky character about them... and they have always been a real active fish UNTILL NOW.
They are the only fish in the tank along with two African Dwarf Frogs which have carried on doing what they normally do as normal.

Any ideas what might be happening?

quantumnerd · May 4, 2009

thefaxmachine said:
Hi guys n gals...

FIRST TIME POSTER, LONG TIME READER!

Anyhoo, hope you can help me with some very odd behaviour I'm having with my 8 Red Eye Tetras.

After testing my waters (all results totally fine) it is still happening. They are so life-less and very rarely show any sign of activity unless when feeding them their flakes or bloodworm - they go crazy then.
Seven of them stay in one group in a corner at the front of the tank and the 8th one is totally on his/her own and always stays behind the rocks by the plants only coming out to feed. This has been going on for the last few weeks and I have changed nothing about the way I look after them.

I love Red Eye Tetra - my fave tetra fish infact cos they seem to have such a cheeky character about them... and they have always been a real active fish UNTILL NOW.
They are the only fish in the tank along with two African Dwarf Frogs which have carried on doing what they normally do as normal.

Any ideas what might be happening?

Well... I'm not very experienced, but I'd say they're afraid of you.

Don't worry. Keep feeding them, and when they associate you with food, they'll stop being so shy.

Also, acting like the mirror reflection of a fish (mimic when they open their mouths) and keeping your head still coaxes fish into the open.

arobinson1984 · May 4, 2009

Can I just ask, what testing kit are you using to test your water??

Can you post the results please

Andy

thefaxmachine · May 4, 2009

arobinson1984 said:
Can I just ask, what testing kit are you using to test your water??

Can you post the results please

Andy

Its a 60L tank and use the API Master Test Kit.

Ammonia 0
Nitrate 5
Nitrite 0
PH 7.4
Temp 76F / 24C

Plus I do a 20% water change every week

MrNiceGuy · May 4, 2009

thefaxmachine said:
Hi guys n gals...

FIRST TIME POSTER, LONG TIME READER!

Anyhoo, hope you can help me with some very odd behaviour I'm having with my 8 Red Eye Tetras.

After testing my waters (all results totally fine) it is still happening. They are so life-less and very rarely show any sign of activity unless when feeding them their flakes or bloodworm - they go crazy then.
Seven of them stay in one group in a corner at the front of the tank and the 8th one is totally on his/her own and always stays behind the rocks by the plants only coming out to feed. This has been going on for the last few weeks and I have changed nothing about the way I look after them.

I love Red Eye Tetra - my fave tetra fish infact cos they seem to have such a cheeky character about them... and they have always been a real active fish UNTILL NOW.
They are the only fish in the tank along with two African Dwarf Frogs which have carried on doing what they normally do as normal.

Any ideas what might be happening?

thats funny, most of my tetras have been doing the exact same thing the past couple days. I think my situation is due to stress though because I recently had to remove a giant ornament. Turn the light off and look for any changes in behavior. They might calm down and go back to normal. mine do at least.

thefaxmachine · May 15, 2009

BUMP & UPDATE...

Well I decided to give my tank a spruce and change my substrate. I added white gravel from the original red/black mixture I had before. Whether this is related or not but my fish have never been so active... I just thought they were lazy beggers but the new gravel seems to have given them a new lease of life.