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Water Parameters
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite (note the I): 0
Nitrate (note the A): less than 5mg/L
pH: 7.6 (slowly reducing this and hardness)
Temp: 25 C

Tank Information
Tank Size - 28 gallons. AquaOne 620T (62x38x72cm)
Stock List - 1x L-015 Pleco, 1x Clown Loach, 6x Cardinal Tetras, 5x Black Phantom Tetra (2 males/3 females) and 1 Red Phantom Tetra (female).
Filtration Wet/Dry Trickle as installed by manufacturer in tank.

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Additives
Have just added a dose of Myxazin to try and prevent infection.

Quick Background/History to Problem:

Added the 5 Black Phantom Tetra’s on Saturday, the Red Phantom was bought the week before (it was the only one in the shop – likely to have been accidentally sent to the shop by the supplier with the Black Phantom tetras as the shop does not order in/sell Red Phantoms). I’ll hold my hand up now, bought her out of pity as she was the only one.

The Red Phantom was perfectly healthy and settled into the tank well and shoaled with the Cardinal Tetra’s in the absence of any other tetras. Her behaviour/appearance was lively and healthy feeding happily.

So I went off the get the 5 Black Phantoms (2 males/ 3 females) on Saturday thinking that she would feel more at home with them. However the Black Phantoms shoaled quite the thing but ignored the Red Phantom’s attempts to join in with them. She spent Sunday swimming on her own and not as lively as she has been, fins weren’t being held erect as she has done the week before. On Monday (yesterday) she appeared to have staked out a territory in the middle of the tank and was chasing any of the Black Phantoms that came near away.


INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SICK FISH

Noticed one of the female Black Phantom Tetra’s has her dorsal fin cleanly split when I look in the tank yesterday. Today (Tuesday) she has a further clean split to her anal fin (both are deep splits nearly reaching the body). Also noticed this evening that one of the other female Black Phantom tetras has a small tear to her caudal fin and the Red Phantom has a small nibble out of her tail too. The Red Phantom and the Black Phantom with the most damage to her fins seem to be fighting over the territory the Red Phantom staked out. The two fish tilt over at an angle when the get close to one another (usually one is swimming a couple of inches above the other) have a quick quiver before they either both swim away from each other or one darts at the other (and by the looks of it attempts to nip fins).

Originally I was going to set up a quarantine tank when it was just the one fish with split fins, but now I have 3 and as they seem to be the cause of each others damaged fins I’m not sure putting them into a much smaller tank would be the best course of action.

I also managed to finally source some Red Phantoms which I was going to buy 5 of and add to the tank (also thinking of adding another Black Phantom so that there are 6 of each). Do you think this would resolve the fighting? If not, have you any suggestions?

Also I was initially planning on making the 6th Black Phantom a female (but as it is the females that are tearing lumps out of each other at present), would it be better to get a male?

As for the 5 Red Phantoms I am looking at buying, they will need to be couriered, so I asked the supplier if they can select males and females for me but the fish are too young to sex so it is pot luck as to what I would receive.

Which brings me to my final question is there a ‘preferred/correct’ ratio in which male and female phantom tetras (both the red and black varieties) should be kept?

Sorry for the length of this post, just want to get it right and have a tank of happy fish again!

Thanks in Advance,
Jennifer.

You sure you aren't getting them backward and it's the males doing the damage? That would be more likely especially if they are in good condition and might be considering spawning. http://fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/597.htm
http://fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/571.htm

How much decoration do you have in the tank? If the tank is too open with too few hiding places and various plants, driftwood, or other obstacles to break it up then many(if not most) fish species can become more agressive and nippy toward each other. Breaking up the space allows them to more effectively define their territory and keeps them from constantly seeing each other. If 2 don't get along then 1 can go somewhere out of sight. The tetras could also get stressed about having nowhere to hide and take it out on each other. Unless your tank is already heavily decorated I'd add more plants like some cheap apono bulbs that you can find at most any store that sells fish supplies or if you have too little light on the tank then go with plastic plants and decorations.

Keeping lots of tetras together also helps since it spreads out the agression and they feel safer. Less stress means less serious fighting. Problem is in that size tank (44 us gallons I think) you are running out of space and the clown loach doesn't really belong in there. They can reach 12", are schooling/shoaling fish that prefer company, and need more like a 180-200g tank. I also think it's pushing it to put 3 proper sized schools of most any tetra in even a 55g so I definitely wouldn't suggest you add another to that small of tank. Cramping several schools together is a good way to cause or increase fin nipping. I would instead increase the size of the schools you already have. Add at least 2-3 more black phantoms and then possibly a couple more cardinals or exchange the clown loach and get a group of 3-4 smaller loaches which includes most common species except dojos.

Usually with tetras you don't pay much attention to gender ratio. It's only important for looks if you have tetras where 1 gender is much more colorful than the other or if you want to try to breed them.

Melafix or pimafix are good for healing up fins and preventing minor infections without being harmful to the fish, plants, or biofilter. Use a half dose if you want to use it on a tank with any shrimp or snails you wish to keep alive.

I agree, in that size tank, the clown loach does not belong. Not only do these fish reach 10-12 inches in length, but they are incredibly social fish, and should be kept in no less than a group of 3. Please return the loach to the fish store. There are dozens of loach species that stay below 6 inches, that would be much more suitable for your tank. Yoyos, queens, zebras, kuhlis, and angelicus/polka dots all come to mind. Keep any loach in a bare minimum group of 3 with 6 being much much better.

The damage is most likely being done by the male fish, not the females, in attempts of spawning.

Theres really no need to add Myxazin to the tank. Id discontinue its use.

For these fish, id recommend a minimum group of 8. Gender ratio isnt really that important. Id add live plants to provide shelter for the fish to hide from each other.

I too would suggest Melafix for use in treating minor wounds. Ive never ever had a problem using full dosages of melafix with shrimp or snails.


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Tests done by people on applesnail.net found tea tree oil to be a sedative for inverts. It also eventually causes death at a high enough dose. Snails and shrimp will become less active when melafix or pimafix are added to the water. Generally they recover fine but on occasion and especially if repeated doses are used there have been losses. Even the hardy pest snails had a few deaths at double the standard dose of pimafix. Shrimp have shown similar symptoms although noone tested at what dose death started to occur. I've seen it myself when using these medications but while my inverts slowed down a little I've never had any deaths. Just out of caution I'd still suggest a half dose when using either one on a tank with inverts but especially pimafix.

Thats interesting about the pimafix/melafix Sham!

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

Hi,

Thank you for the responses. It is definitely the females that are bickering (guessing they haven't read the fishkeeping books!). As my plants and decorations left a large area open at the front of the tank (bit like a U shape) I have moved a couple of existing plants to break the tank into 3 'areas'. Which seems to have helped. Will be visiting the fish shop at the weekend so will pick up a couple more plants, discuss the clown loach and look to get another 3 Black Phantoms to add to the 5 already there. The torn fins seem to be healing though I have organised a quarantine tank just in case of any infections appearing.

Thank you for all the replies and advice.

Kind Regards,
Jennifer.