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hi i have a 50 gallon stocked with 6 black skirt tetra, 3 bolivian rams 22 neon tetra and a tiny bristle nose pleco only about an inch long. up untill a week ago i had only 10 neons but some seemed to be quite nippy and i wandered if deep down they longed for a larger network to school with! anyway the pet shop had the usual 10 neons $10 deal and they also had a few larger neons for $4 each. i got 10 little ones and a couple of bigger ones and added them to the tank. they school but there are still a few nippers that keep disturbing the others- i have noticed damage to the rear of the fin on the 2 larger new ones and a couple of others. here is a photo:
i was looking for advice as too add melafix? remove the offenders? anything else??

now heres todays parameters:
Gh 8
Kh<2
temp 24.7
ammonia 0
nitrates 0
nitrites 0
ph 6.8

i did a water change on monday and the values were the same except the temp which i have raised a degree.

so heres that photo and you can see the damage at the end of the tail fin.

cheers for looking





Attached Image:

To start off with I would add both Melafix and Pimafix at recommended dosages.
I have even noticed that my larger Cardinal Tetras often chase and try to nip the tail fins of the other Cardinals.
If you had all those fish in the tank before and it did not happen it is possible it not the older fish in the tank.
The only thing I can suggest is just sit and watch the tank and see what is happening. Is there any live plant cover for the new fish?

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Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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cheers for that keith, good advice.
now the nipping problem was happening before i added the second batch of neons. that is what made me add the second batch as i thought they may stop being nippy and school more in a larger shoal.

one thing i have noticed as i sat watching the tank is that the smaller of the black skirt tetra is being forced to stay in one side of the tank by one of the larger of the 6. im wandering if the nipping behaviour between those two could be somehow wearing off on the neons, making them feel on edge and a little more aggressive.

there is plenty of plant cover, to answer that question and i shall pop down the pet store just now and buy some melafix and dose that- should i be worried about these meds effecting the bolivian rams?

I have a pair of rams in my 5ft tank and those meds had no effect on any of the fish including all the scaleless Loaches. I think you will find them very safe medical products to use.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

okey thanks for that. i take it i add the recommended amount of both (not half of one and half of the other?) ie ad 5ml per 40L of melafix and add 5ml of pimafix not 2.5 of each?