Black Widow Tetra Querie

[Seedbag]

Hi,

I have had a blackwidow tetra in my community tank for about a year now, had a read up on the species recently and found it was a schooling fish so decided to get her a mate to hang out with.... as it turns out shes a grumpy bit** and dosent show any interest in the new addition, is this normal? by keeping her isolted from her species for so long has she developed antisocial habits and wont accept the newbie? or will she eventually chill out and be a team player? I have a 40litre tank - 2 tiger barbs, (now) 2 Black skirted tetra, 2 neons, 1 xray tetra, 1 black phantom tetra, 1 male guppy, 1 pleco, 1 algea eater.

Any comments appreciated - cheers

 

[Cynic]

Black Skirts should be in schools of 6+ in my opinion as they are quite angry little fish.

By having two there is no aggravation dispersal and one will probably die.

 

[Billbug68]

Most of your fish need larger schools and need a larger tank than you currently have... The tetras usually like groups of 5 or more. What kind of pleco? Is it just a common? He'll need a much larger home as well as the tiger barbs.

 

[Seedbag]

The Black skirted testra has been sweet by himself for the last year or so, she mostly just hangs out by herself in the little hollow log down the bottom, from the sounds i she needs a few more mates then, im getting a 60L tank in the next few days so will move the the black widow tetras and get a few more then, the pleco is a bristlenose so not expecting it to get too big. if i move the barbs and the black widows to the bigger tank and get 3 or 4 more of each should I expect them to start schooling or will only the new ones who have already been schooling stick together? I was looking at getting a breeding pair of Kribensis as well but may hold off that for now!

I was given the fish from my partners son who outgrew them (didnt look after them at all anymore), he got one of each of the tetras for variety but since i have taken over i introduced the 2 barbs and the new black widow to the tank so there has never really been any schooling activity in the tank...

 

[Cynic]

The Black skirted testra has been sweet by himself for the last year or so, she mostly just hangs out by herself in the little hollow log down the bottom, from the sounds i she needs a few more mates then, im getting a 60L tank in the next few days so will move the the black widow tetras and get a few more then, the pleco is a bristlenose so not expecting it to get too big. if i move the barbs and the black widows to the bigger tank and get 3 or 4 more of each should I expect them to start schooling or will only the new ones who have already been schooling stick together? I was looking at getting a breeding pair of Kribensis as well but may hold off that for now!

I was given the fish from my partners son who outgrew them (didnt look after them at all anymore), he got one of each of the tetras for variety but since i have taken over i introduced the 2 barbs and the new black widow to the tank so there has never really been any schooling activity in the tank...

Wouldn't stress, it's a familiar story where you acquire fish and then suddenly realise you've got the mix/tank size all wrong (Took me around 6 months to get my first tank down from the stupid level of stocking I put in it ).

With the 60L tank I'd get rid of the algae eater (Unless it's an oto?), pick 2 schools of (Neon Tetra/Tiger Barb/Black Skirt/XRay) with 6 (3 guppys 1M/2F) in each and keep the bristle.

 

[Seedbag]

Hes a Chinese algea eater, saw one of these in the pet store the other day and they grow quite big - good for keeping the tank clean i guess?
Chinese Algae Eater

Thanks for the advice, will get some pics once the new tank is set up and let you guys know how i went

 

[Billbug68]

Wouldn't stress, it's a familiar story where you acquire fish and then suddenly realise you've got the mix/tank size all wrong (Took me around 6 months to get my first tank down from the stupid level of stocking I put in it ).

With the 60L tank I'd get rid of the algae eater (Unless it's an oto?), pick 2 schools of (Neon Tetra/Tiger Barb/Black Skirt/XRay) with 6 (3 guppys 1M/2F) in each and keep the bristle.

Agreed, that would look good.

 

[Seedbag]

Last post got lost somehow - the algae eater is a chinese algae eater. I recon ill get a school of the neons and the xrays going in the 40L tank and a school of each the barbs, widows and phantoms going in the new 60L tank (with a few feeder guppies in each).

reckon i should ditch the idea of breeding the kribensis? (dont introduce a breeding couple into either tank?) i have another tank (25 litre) that i keep the female guppy and her older fry (about 11) and her even younger fry (about 25) in another 20L tank so i could move the kribi fry once theyre hatched?

 

[Cynic]

Last post got lost somehow - the algae eater is a chinese algae eater. I recon ill get a school of the neons and the xrays going in the 40L tank and a school of each the barbs, widows and phantoms going in the new 60L tank (with a few feeder guppies in each).

reckon i should ditch the idea of breeding the kribensis? (dont introduce a breeding couple into either tank?) i have another tank (25 litre) that i keep the female guppy and her older fry (about 11) and her even younger fry (about 25) in another 20L tank so i could move the kribi fry once theyre hatched?

Your algae eater needs to go. Even the 60L will be too small and it's an evil fish.

No idea on the kribi sorry

 

[Seedbag]

Hey thanks again for the advice, now have 6 black skirts and 6 tiger barbs, they all look pretty happy, the black skirts are doing great, all getting along. Turns out I ended up with 4 male Tiger barbs out of the 6, its pretty neat seeeing them compete for the females attention, the 2 dominant males have really bright green coloring and look awesome, the other 2 seem to have lost most of thier brightness but im sure as they get bigger they will have a chance to compete for dominance - ill attach a picture of the tank -its not the best pic but meh. I have also set up a spawning tank (90L), will move the female over in the next few days and the biggest brightest male a few days later - she has already been laying eggs but in the community tank they had no chance with the activity in there. If successfull with the Tigers ill try with the black skirts, thanks again for the advice.

 

[Cynic]

Hey thanks again for the advice, now have 6 black skirts and 6 tiger barbs, they all look pretty happy, the black skirts are doing great, all getting along. Turns out I ended up with 4 male Tiger barbs out of the 6, its pretty neat seeeing them compete for the females attention, the 2 dominant males have really bright green coloring and look awesome, the other 2 seem to have lost most of thier brightness but im sure as they get bigger they will have a chance to compete for dominance - ill attach a picture of the tank -its not the best pic but meh. I have also set up a spawning tank (90L), will move the female over in the next few days and the biggest brightest male a few days later - she has already been laying eggs but in the community tank they had no chance with the activity in there. If successfull with the Tigers ill try with the black skirts, thanks again for the advice.

Looks fantastic, well done

 

[Shane l]

I have 6 widows in my tank and the "schooling" fish tend 2 choose territories it seems the in welcome one being chased out of there land but perhaps the lil girl being on her own all the time has claimed it all to her self.

This is based on my fish tho