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i've got 5 penguin tetras for over a week, and they almost never school.
instead, they're all over the place, engaged in what seems to be heirarchy establishment:
they chase each other, and it seems particular members tend to chase weaker fish. they also harrass my otos mildly, mistaking them for penguins too.
(interestingly, my otos fight back. they might be migid suckers, but they're no suckers at all!)

they all seem healthy and active, they eat like hogs, and fight like kids.

when should it be over with?
should i intervene?
other schooling fish got along after that much time.

Well, they are probably just establishing their social heirarchy. My lemon tetras did the same thing, though they weren't at it for an entire week. I would try adding one or more penguin tetra, it seems that the more tetras there are, the more their schooling instinct kicks in.
I had six lemon tetras, and one died. Soon after, the others were acting listless, and didn't school much. A week later, I added another lemon tetra, and they're very happy again. Try adding one or two more, and see how that goes after a little while.

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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."

thanks, i'll try that.

i just bought 6 penguins (it was a buy 5 get one free thing) and i find that they established the pecking order in a day, wel pretty much over night. one leads the group and thothers swim in a follow the leader style thing. i think the lead fish changes every now and then aswell. i find they are real snobby but. all my other tetra (x-ray, neons, glowlights, rummy nose) school together but the penguins arent interested and prefer the middle/top of the tank to the bottom or mddle.

now that's strange.
they kept fighting for 2 weeks, to the point i considered replacing them with other fish. then, they got much better.
how? you might ask. well, when peril is at hand, bitter enemies become friends. i had a 1/3 volume water change, and also had to move several plants around. in the process, they started swimming close together, and kept doing that hours after i raised the water level again.
my conclusion, if they misbehave, threaten them in a way they can understand.

Maybe it was your moving plants around that did it. Some tetras actually stake out territories, and will 'protect' them from other tetras. That might have been the case with your penguins. If they ever start fighting again, just try moving around some of the plants and ornaments in your tank.

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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."

IME, there are few "territorial" tetras, and penguins are not one of them. Don't worry though--most tetras are somewhat nippy towards one another. They usually only school when stressed, feeding, or when they have the bejezus scared out of them. I would keep an eye on them---they will likely disband once settled comfortably in.

I have had a group of 7 penguin tetras for a long time now, and am planning on trading them in for more pristellas or glowlights. In my time keeping them ive noticed a couple of things about them: First, they dont school except when they sleep. Second: they constantly harrass each other, and any fish that comes near by "body checking" them. Third, they constantly dive past my tank divider and dive bomb my breeding angelfish. They love making the angels try to kill them.
When I picked them, I picked them over black neons. I now wish I had picked the black neons.
Anyway, they are getting traded in for more nice peaceful schoolers.


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