Tetras hiding???

squilky

I added 6 neon tetras to my 10 gallon tank a couple of weeks ago. I was amazed at how active the tetras were and really enjoyed watching them swim. Then I started reading that they like planted tanks and plenty of hiding spots. So this past weekend, I got a few some amazon swords and a few Anubias nana's plants along with an X-Ray tetra, and a few glowlight tetras. Now I notice the tetras as a whole are a lot less active. They seem to stay in the amazon swords a lot.

So I'm wondering if the active behavior I was seeing before I added the hiding places was not typical of tetras, and what I am seeing now is more normal. Or are the tetras feeling threatened and that is why they are hiding? I don't have much else in the tank. I have a two mystery snails, and 2 male guppies. Should I return the X-ray and glowlights and just stick with all one type of tetra, like the neons I had originally? Or is the hiding Im now seeing normal?

kitten_penang

they have new tank mates so they are a bit weary.thats why the hide more often.when they were along in the tank they felt safe so they will play around. give them time and they will be back to their normal selves

squilky

Thanks for the encouraging words. I'll continue to monitor them to see if they become more social as the days go by. Neons, X-Ray and Glowlights are all relatively peaceful fish, right?

CaliforniaFishkeeper

How is the tank stocked? Sounds like you might have too many fish.

kitten_penang

yup forgot to mention that a 10 gallon means you can only have 6 neons, 2 guppies and another 2 of any type of small fish, but not adding anymore would help as the plants and substrate takes up place in the tank making it less then 10 gallons of water.

squilky

Well, I've been taking Nitrate and Ammonia levels nightly and the levels have never spiked. Im sure to only add 3 or so fish at a time. I currently have:

2 mystery snails
2 male guppies
9 tetras-6 neon, 2 glowlight and 1 x-ray.

I have an Aquaclear 20, which seems to keep the tank very clean, and I do 20% water changes weekly. Been running like this for several months. Did a fishless cycle back in May. Then added the snails and guppies once the tank was cycled. Added the neons about a month ago in 2 groups of 3. And added the 2 glowlight and X-ray last week.

The tank I had is fairly wide, so they seem to have room to swim. The guppies tend to hang out on top and the tetras stay closer to the bottom 3rd of the tank, except when its feeding time.

CaliforniaFishkeeper

We're not talking about the Bio-Load here (reflected by ammonia/nitrite readings), but by actual physical space. For anything more than 6-7 Neons a larger tank is recommended so they have adequate space.

The Glowlights and X-Ray are probably stressed from having so little of their own species as well, although the Neons are pretty close and they might shoal together at times.

kitten_penang

poor glow light those need to be in groups of 6 and 5 is the min. any how it's still under the overstocked category so an extra eye on the tank and more frequent water testing and water changes is a must for them to survive.i do hope everything will go well.

squilky

Ok, well as I stated earlier, the water parameters have not changed. I've been testing nightly, because I thought I may have overstocked a bit. But levels have remained constant. But since you guys recommend 6 or more of each type of tetra, I will return the glowlight and x-ray and stick with the 6 neons. Initially they all seemed to swim together, but since adding the plants, the neons in particular seem to hide. Thought it would be the other way around since there are 6 neons and only 3 of the others.

Thanks for the info.

CaliforniaFishkeeper

Once again, I'm not talking about water parameters. There is more than one way to overstock.

As for Neons hiding... does your filter create alot of current? I used to have an HoB filter in the tank that housed my Neons and I realize now that they hated that thing.