Rummy Nose Tetra experience?

[fishboy87]

Hi

I read up on getting a couple of rummy nose tetras (hemigrammus bleheri) for my 29 gallon natural planted tank. I have 6 at the moment and the only other tankmates are 4 otocinclus. I'm planning on adding 6-9 more and then 8-10 cardinal tetras. My pH is about 6.4 and I checked my Nitrate and its barely above 0. Is there anything special I should do like in terms of diet or compatibility or recommendations. Right now, all I have is Color Enhancing Flakes and Frozen Bloodworms. Also, I acclimated them for 2 1/2 hours and they are schooling with much brighter noses then they were when they were in the bag

[CAN_chic]

Everyone says that rummy nose tetras are sensitive, I agree to a point, if your tank is stable with established live plants, and they're acclimated correctly, they are super hardy. I have kept mine for over a year with nothing special. Just keep up with your water changes and frozen foods and their red little noses will shine like rudolphs lol.

[Torpedobarb]

I think that cardinals are more sensitive than rummys.. I have about 12 rummynose and they are great.. the key is acclimation.. take your time acclimating them. I have had no problems keeping rummynose tetras.. but have had trouble with the cardinals. I had a bacterial or parasitic outbreak about a month ago and I think that the culprits were the cardinals. I won't do them again. beautiful fish.. but not taking chances. I would go with more rummys for sure!

[Torpedobarb]

rummynose also love frozen brine shrimp! it makes their color come out nicely! do you have any pics?

[fishboy87]

Here are some photos of the tank with the new fish I put in today. Please forgive the foggy water, I am getting over a green water problem.

















I really like the look and the schooling activity of these fish! It will be interesting to see how they adapt to my tank

[Torpedobarb]

they are looking good! give them more time and they will get even more red in the nose!

do you have a uv sterilizer? it works wonders on green water!

[mrbman7]

That fish in the last pic looks pretty skinny to me. I would definitely be a generous feeder for that guy. Rummy's seem to be pretty hardy in my experience... I did have troubles with one that seems the be kind of a runt but I'm helping him along in another slower paced tank I have. All in all, great looking fish

P.S. my sig has a pretty good looking rummy

[fishboy87]

I noticed the skinny rummy as well and I decided to be generous this morning and gave them a full bloodworm cube and they all ate it greedily so at least nobody is on a hunger strike which is great. I'm going to try to place an order for about 6-8 more rummies (they are really expensive being between $2-3 each even with a discount) so I'll be waiting a bit and look around the internet and if any of you are a little overstocked on rummies, I will gladly take them off of your hands :-P

[CAN_chic]

Only $2-3 each?! Wowzers... in my area, they run between $6-9 each, and depending on who you know

[MedRed]

Originally Posted by CAN_chic

Only $2-3 each?! Wowzers... in my area, they run between $6-9 each, and depending on who you know

That's expensive!

I don't acclimate at all. Dump from bag net, dump net into tank. In the past 10 years I've only lost 2 that way that I can think of. Between my current two tanks(3 years old and 2 weeks old) i have 62 Rummy noses and 73 Cardinals.

[CAN_chic]

Haha its highway robbery is what it is! Thats why I only have 9 :P

I bet have the 62 rummy's split up into 2 tanks looks awesome!

[Torpedobarb]

I have about 12 of them... they were 2.99 each! worth it though.. seeing them schooling together.. awesome!


I have found that rummynose can be fairly hardy fish.. especially if they live through the first few weeks in your tank.. they are usually golden!

[MedRed]

Originally Posted by CAN_chic

Haha its highway robbery is what it is! Thats why I only have 9 :P

I bet have the 62 rummy's split up into 2 tanks looks awesome!

Yes sir! I will take some pictures. I have a big problem with rummy's and cardinals. Whenever I see them on sale I have to buy more! There is nothing like a large school of either of these fish. And they look really good together. I like the color of cardinals better, but the behavior of rummy's is elventy billion times better. Cardinals kind of huddle up in disarray and slowly maneuver around around the tank. Rummy's actively school too and fro.

It's hard for me to not do a tank with these guys. Rummy's, Cardinal's, and Oto's ( I acclimated 6 Otos to a full tanganyikan tank!) are a must have for me in most community tanks. t

[i love planted tanks]

i bought 5 rummy nose and 3 lived but the 3 are doing very well and fun to watch and beautiful

[fishboy87]

So far, they've all been holding up and the skinny ones are filling in nicely. I'm also adding a co2 red sea bio system to up the plant growth hopefully. Later today or tomorrow I will post a couple of pics of the fish after the trim and water change.