[Derekj03]

I bought my Gf a 5g tank. Its now planted and we just added 3 glow light tetras and a botia loach. One of the tetras seems to be aggressive towards the other fish, he swims right at them and chases them around. I can't tell if he is nipping at them or what but it definatly seems like the other fish do not like it. He seems to be mainly picking on the loach, but also on the other fish as well. Is this normal behavior or should i be concerned? Thanks -Derek

 

[joejoeg]

its attacking a botia? because at the lps i work at we get skunk botias back all the time do to there aggression. it is deffinently not normal to say the least, i have never really seen a glowlight be aggressive at all.

 

[Lupin]

Your glowlight is not probably comfortable with the environment it is in. Try to upgrade to 10 gallons where it is more spacious allowing them to swim with ease without trying to pick other fish often.

 

[Left C]

I've had Glow Light Tetras in many tanks and I really like them. They do have a habit of chasing one another sometimes. There's no damage done, though. It's like they are a shoaling fish that clams and tries to protect some small territory to call its own. You'll notice that when one of them chases the other one that it returns to the same spot that it was in before the chase. (I mean that the chaser returns to the same spot and not the chasee.)

 

[Canoe2Can]

Get some more of them. Three's not enough for a schooling fish, and they often become more aggressive with smaller numbers. Six should be thought of as the minimum, with the more the better.

 

[Derekj03]

6 of them in a 5gallon?

 

[joejoeg]

6 is fine in a five gallon if youre ready to maintain it correctly. but if you have six or more the aggression will not loose the school , therefore him chasing other glowlights probably wont stop.



jordan

 

[Sammie7]

Stop telling people that that number of fish in a 5 gallon is fine. It is not. That problem is even more compounded when you take into consideration that this is a beginner's tank. Tank's that small are hard enough to keep, because the ease of fluctuations in conditions. Now add to that overstocking and you have a big problem on your hands. Tetras are a schooling fish and need large numbers and ample space to school in. However, you could keep them in a 10 gallon tank with about 6 or 7 of them. The fact is they need space to move and though even a ten gallon wouldn't give them the benefits of the"Great Outdoors" at least they have room to move. A 5 gallon isn't really big enough for most fish, with the exception being the betta.

Any Botia Loach will get too large for that size tank, no matter which species you have. Try to see which one you have by looking at this site Freshwater Fish Photos & Profiles at the Age of Aquariums. The loaches are more towards the end. If you decide to upgrade to a 10 gallon, your options will open up a little more. It won't be that great but you will have more options. Otherwise you will most definately have to return the loach, and if you did want to keep it you would need a tank larger than ten gallons. I would say to take the fish you have back to the store and buy a betta. Or if you don't like bettas ask us what else you could put in there.

I'm sorry if you have been mislead by anyone on this board. As with most things, things written in posts should be taken with a grain of salt. Good Luck. If you have anymore questions just ask.

 

[joejoeg]

mr.sammie it is not needed of you to degrade the people who have posted. 5 gal is plenty of room for tetras. its not hard to keep a 5 gallon , you have to pay much attention to it i had 36 fish in my 5 with 0 nitrate 0 nitrite and 0 ammonia. i understand very well its a begginers tank i work at the lps i deal with this every shift. a betta can live in a coffee mug , thats not the only thing you can put in there. a botia can live in a 10 with ease. if heated you can keep black tetras, GLOWLIGHTS, black neons , neons, zebra danios, white clouds, platys, mollys, guppys in a 5. a 5 is big enough for a begginer you dont have to go out and spend 50+ dollars on a 10 gallon starter kit plus a heater. youre post should be taken with a grain of salt. you have dishonoured the entire board.

I'm sorry if you have been mislead by anyone on this board. As with most things, things written in posts should be taken with a grain of salt. Good Luck. If you have anymore questions just ask.

jordan

 

[Rod Hay]

The fact is they need space to move ........ A 5 gallon isn't really big enough for most fish, with the exception being the betta.

AGREED! 100%! Most folks just don't realize and understand that a 5 gallon is just really too small. A betta is the BEST choice here. Otherwise there are some harder to find micro fish or small shrimp.

 

[joejoeg]

a betta is the easiest to care for but its not the only choice.

 

[Sammie7]

I never said it was the only choice. Go back and read. I said if they didn't want a betta they could ask what other things would be appropriate for that size tank.

"a betta can live in a coffee mug" The question is: should a betta live in a mug? If I was a betta and had you for a care keeper, I would probably jump out and end it all.

"A botia can live in a ten gallon with ease." First off he doesn't have a ten gallon now does he? Secondly, you don't even know what kind of fish he has. Botia is just a general family name that can apply to many loaches. Look it up: Freshwater Fish Photos & Profiles at the Age of Aquariums A 5 gallon is not big enough for those active fish that you listed, and a molly! A molly that can grow to be 4-5 inches.:icon_mad:

"a 5 is big enough for a begginer you dont have to go out and spend 50+ dollars on a 10 gallon starter kit plus a heater" If you are going to do something, do it right. For example, you cannot say "I want to be an electric guitarist" then go out and buy a guitar but no amp. Don't get started in a hobby unless you are going to devote yourself to it, especially when dealing with living animals.

"its not hard to keep a 5 gallon , you have to pay much attention to it i had 36 fish in my 5 with 0 nitrate 0 nitrite and 0 ammonia." Who puts that many fish into that small of a tank and for what purpose? Just because one person does something incredibly stupid it doesn't mean everybody else should do it. Also what kind of fish were they? Plastic fish.:icon_mrgr

Again, a 5 gallon is hard to keep because things like temperature and water quality change so quickly in such a small amount of water. That means it is not ideal for a beginner who doesn't even know how to gravel vaccum or feed fish the proper amount.

Glad to know that you are the person at the LFS that is telling people nonsense like this. I would be sure to avoid your type, since you like to run your business by telling lies. I wish I could just come through my computer and give you a good shake. No but really no hard feelings. It is obvious that you are ignorant and don't want to see the facts.

 

[weaselnoze]

there are lots of opinions as to how many fish can be kept in a tank. one argument is that you can keep as many fish in a tank as long as the parameters are ok. the other side says that certain fish 'need' a certain setup or amount of space to be 'happy'. personally i have 5 danios in a 2.5 gallon tank. the parameters are ok however i have to do water changes 2x a week. is this the best thing for a small school of danios? absolutely not. why do i do it? well i have no excuse, but i do the best i can to keep the tank healthy. my advice is this. first thing to worry about is water parameters. second thing would be to ask yourself, 'is this setup beneficial to my fishies happieness?'. wouldnt it be better to 'play it safe' and not push the limits? if you are gonna do shoaling minnows like neons or glowlights, then get a bigger tank and give them room. smaller tank? get some shrimp. better safe then sorry.

 

[Lupin]

there are lots of opinions as to how many fish can be kept in a tank. one argument is that you can keep as many fish in a tank as long as the parameters are ok. the other side says that certain fish 'need' a certain setup or amount of space to be 'happy'. personally i have 5 danios in a 2.5 gallon tank. the parameters are ok however i have to do water changes 2x a week. is this the best thing for a small school of danios? absolutely not. why do i do it? well i have no excuse, but i do the best i can to keep the tank healthy. my advice is this. first thing to worry about is water parameters. second thing would be to ask yourself, 'is this setup beneficial to my fishies happieness?'. wouldnt it be better to 'play it safe' and not push the limits? if you are gonna do shoaling minnows like neons or glowlights, then get a bigger tank and give them room. smaller tank? get some shrimp. better safe then sorry.

Excellent statement.:angel:

 

[Derekj03]

This tank was bought for my gf... I have a 55g planted tank and a 5g planted CRS tank. When the loach outgrows the tank he will come to mine. She really likes the fish she has now but its obvious they are not meant for that tank. i thought they would be fine but not i think differnt. I will start a new thread and ask what fish i should put in her 5 gallon.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

I have 5 Glowlights in my main 55gal tank, they've been in there for months probably. The other day I went to the LFS to get some more Neons because of a massacre that wiped them all out while I was on vacation. Seriously the second I dropped them in the tank, the Glowlights started cornering them and nipping at them. A few rather hard knuckle pounds on the glass the split second they started nipping at the neons seemed to do the trick.

I think I will go get more neons, these ones were ULTRA healthy looking. Although I really really enjoy the Glowlights now, rather impressed with their coloration.

 

[esarkipato]

I love my GL tetras too. I have 8 in a 29g. there seem to 1 or 2 alpha GL's that try to take up thier personal space and hog as much food as possible. They seem more territorial than other tetras I've kept, so maybe a 5g isn't the best tank forthem. Rather, maybe they aren't the best for your 5g!

Have you thought about a SOLO dwarf puffer???? tons of personality!