Author Topic: Rummy Nose Tetra Lost an eye (Read 9044 times) 4 replies

Orfs · « **on:** March 08, 2016, 06:35:25 PM »

Hi,
I'm a newcomer to fishkeeping and have two Rummy Nose Tetras, one sucking loach and six Neon Tetras. One of the rummies has lost an eye. The rummies are my favourites, they are so placid, minding their own business. I had hoped to get more of them. The neon tetras are quite aggressive, always fighting and squabbling among themselves. I have seen them chase the rummies and the loach. One of the neon tetras is very fat, possibly pregnant?

The loach is the most recent addition to the aquarium. He was recommended in the fish shop to deal with algae. He appeared quite aggressive towards the rummies at first, but has settled in and hides out in a wreck/cave when not feeding. I have read mixed reports about loaches. Would he suck out another fish's eye? I have read conflicting reports on this.

Or could the rummy have been caught in the crossfire when the neon tetras were fighting?

I would be grateful for any help with this. The fish shop will take the loach back if I want (but not the neon tetras - they won't re-sell aggressive neons).

The aquarium is in a bright, south-facing room and may get sunlight at some times of the year. If I need to get rid of the loach, is there an algae eater you'd recommend, or should I cover the aquarium on sunny days?

Thank you for your help. It's nice to feel part of a fishkeeping community and have someone to ask when the poor little fish are having their problems.
What I have:http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forums/Smileys/default/violent1.gif
What I want: http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forums/Smileys/default/067.gif
Thanks, Orfs

Sue · « **Reply #1 on:** March 08, 2016, 06:52:42 PM »

Hi Orfs

Is this your sucking loach? If it is, I suggest you return to the shop as fast as you can. These are not nice fish. They grow rather large and as they grow they stop eating algae and develop a taste for the slime coat of other fish.

Neon tetras are usually non-aggressive - is there plenty of cover in the tank for them to hide in? Things like plants, real or fake. Fish usually behave out of character when they are stressed, and being in too bare a tank would stress neons. As would ammonia and/or nitrite in the water - do you test for those?

You haven't mentioned the size of the tank, but one of the best algae eaters isn't a fish, it's a snail, if you don't mind snails. To be precise, nerite snails. A lot of shops sell these now. They won't breed and take over the tank because the newly hatched snails need salt water. Though if you got a male and female they would lay sesame seed like eggs over the decor. If you look at my signature you'll see I have nerites in all my tanks

This would be my advice - take the loach back and get more rummies and some nerites. How many nerites depends on the size of the tank.

The fat neon might well be carrying eggs, but have you checked that its scales are not sticking out but are lying flat against its body? You can tell better by looking down on the fish.

fcmf · « **Reply #2 on:** March 08, 2016, 07:05:50 PM »

Welcome aboard.

I definitely "second" Sue's advice about increasing the size of the shoal of rummies - ordinarily each type of tetra needs to be in a shoal of 6+ to feel safer and therefore less likely to succumb to illness and possibly even injury (if they were attacked for whatever reason). This is, of course, subject to your tank not already being vastly overstocked - the Fish Profiles' Community Creator section should be useful to help work this out.

Littlefish · « **Reply #3 on:** March 08, 2016, 08:00:23 PM »

Hi Orfs

I would definitely get more rummy nose tetras. They are lovely little fish and the more the merrier.

Orfs · « **Reply #4 on:** March 11, 2016, 01:07:48 PM »

Many thanks to Sue, fcmf and Littlefish for your responses. I will take all your advice and let you know how I get on. With gratitude,
Orfs

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Rummy Nose Tetra Lost An Eye

Rummy Nose Tetra Lost An Eye

Author Topic: Rummy Nose Tetra Lost an eye (Read 9044 times) 4 replies

Orfs

Rummy Nose Tetra Lost an eye

Sue

Re: Rummy Nose Tetra Lost an eye

fcmf

Re: Rummy Nose Tetra Lost an eye

Littlefish

Re: Rummy Nose Tetra Lost an eye

Orfs

Re: Rummy Nose Tetra Lost an eye

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