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I brought a Cochu's blue tetra home from work today, a steal at $.99. He had been in his tank for at least two months, without any companions of the same species. I reasoned that this guy would get better treatment with me than at work or with some random customer, so I gave in and got him after weeks of wanting him. So, I'm sorry that I couldn't get a school of blue tetras, but I don't want to hear any grief about it.

And now, my question. Since I don't have the chance to buy any more blue tetras, I know that my lone one will be starved for company. I doubt that he will try to school with my cardinal tetras, but he *may* hang out with my lemons, as they are the closest to him in size and shape. Is there anything I can do to lessen his loneliness, besides just let him school with my other tetras? I'd like to make this fish as happy as possible, so that I get a chance to see his lovely blue coloration. Thanks in advance for your help.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

- OMG, Deja Vu.

I was walking through a pet store when I spotted something odd in a tank full of otos. It was the tiniest cory I had ever seen and he almost blended in with the otos. He was only about 1/4 inch and I didn't recognize the pattern. I did some research after closer inspection and ask the fish store to hold him for me. I identified him as a c. habrosus. He was a mere accident in the oto tank. They sold him to me for $1.89.

He turned out to be a she. I checked every fish store within a 50 mile radius and no one had any habrosus. I was told she would never survive without companions. Well, one year later, Sarah (Wolfie8113), contacted me to inform me that in a shipment of hastatus cories, also pygmies, were my long sought habrosus. I took 5 of them to make the group a complete 6, from the petstore Sarah works at, Pruess Pets, in Lansing, Michigan.

She did fine that one year and I think I was lonlier for her than she was lonely for herself. Boy did she rejoice when the new cories hit the tank. I hope I can spawn them down the road as I have a good female specimen that is not related to any male in the tank. That makes for a better line, imho.

I also have a lonely, mystery rainbow that I raised from the larval stage. He was in my nephew's frog tank and the kid has no idea how it got in there as he put nothing in the tank in the form of plants or other fish or tank water. It's the immaculate rainbow hatch.

That wee rainbow is now a hefty 2.5 inches and is a happy resident of my 20 long. I thought there would be problems with him not having others like himself. I hope to move, if not this spring, then next and when I do I plan on a large community tank. I will then find more rainbows.

My suggestion is to scan the internet for more such fish. Look at aquabid or contact a local aquarium society, if there is one near you. My habrosus may be with me many, many years, so the one year "mini-me" had to wait for company was a drop in the bucket. Persistence pays .

Last edited by Cory_Di at 27-Feb-2005 20:21

Sirbooks: You're in luck on that tetra. Cochu's Blues are among the few nonsocial tetras -- in fact, they're ANTIsocial. They seem to actively dislike each other (and other fish) and will chase them rapidly around the tank if they feel they're too crowded, although they never seem to actually bite. Your Cochu no more wants company than the pre-reformed Grinch did. (Maybe less -- after all, the Grinch did have Max.)

What you WILL have to watch is his water quality -- they are, in my experience, among the most delicate of tetras. Make sure it stays clean. (They also seem highly susceptible to Neon Tetra Disease. In fact, in my admittedly limited experience, they and Glowlights are more vulnerable to it than any other fish except Neons themselves -- and that includes Cardinals!)

Are they really that intolerant of each other? When there were more of the blue tetras in the tank at work (before I was actually employed there), they schooled together and seemed to get along well. Could that have been because they were stressed out by the store conditions (hands/nets in the tank, overstocking, people constantly walking by, etc.)? I'd love to eventually have a school of these guys, if they will behave themselves.

I don't think I will have to worry about water quality too much. I have excessive filtration, and do 20-30% weekly water changes. My cardinal tetras probably wouldn't have survived for so long if my water was dirty. Thanks for the help!

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

I don't know how to explain the apparent inconsistencies in the anti-socality level of Cochus -- all I can say is that a lot of people on this site besides me have noticed it.

As for your water: it's probably clean enough, but they strike me as a lot more delicate than Cardinals -- whose delicacy (like that of Red Phantoms) has always struck me as seriously overstated. In short, don't blame yourself overmuch if your new guy (for no apparent reason) decides to go to that Great Sushi Bar in the Sky.

ive kept bred n raised them with no real problems
as for anti social they do best in trios although they really dont school together they r ratehr aggressive to each other but they settle n quite nicely
from personal experience they do better in low to mid 70s temp range as with my nerons 72-74 i got the best active colourful fish for these spieces

Mmm... I wish there was some form of punctuation in there, as I can't easily make out what you're saying.

So far, the new fish has exhibited some interesting behavior. As I predicted, he could care less about the cardinal tetras, and leaves them and the catfish alone. However, the blue tetra seems to enjoy 'herding' my lemon tetras into one area of the tank, and he constantly chases them. The blue likes to dash at them, only pulling up at the last second. It is pretty much a duplicate of the lemons' behavior towards each other, except with more aggression.

It appears that you were right, Bruce, blue tetras do seem to be anti-social. I would surmise that the blue tetras at the store only schooled out of stress. My lemons have suffered no physical harm from the darting attacks, but I'm somewhat worried that the blue tetra will stress them out. I hope that this isn't the case, as I am loathe to return this fish. As long as his actions don't become more violent, my lemons will tolerate him, right? Thanks again for your help...

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

In my experience, the little devils do seem to calm down and become more tolerant with time. One can hope this will happen with your Cochu.