cardinal tetras being kind of territorial.. is this normal?

[philipraposo198]

I have 25 cardinals, about 1 in in length. I have noticed a few of them being territorial towards each other. They don't really school in my tank, no real pred's and the only time i see em school is if my hand go in the tank to rescape or prune my plants ect. they obviously get a little nervous at that point.

Specifically I have these 3 cardinals, i can't be sure its always the same once but its the same spot in the tank, right above a piece of driftwood. one will be there and the other 2 on either sides and he will defend that spot. and the other 2 want it for some reason. its almost like a game of cat and mouse or tag or something. there is also a few that do this kind of thing in more of the open space of the tank by some tall stem plants. one will hold a position and the others normally 1 or 2 will try and i guess take over the spot.

most of the day they suspend all over the tank in no real formation and do what i think is playing around with each other. just wondering what you guys think of this behaviour.

 

[Old Scales]

This is normal play behavior very normal for all tetras. Even my tiny Neons like to spin/flare/chase and bluff each other. They seldom even bump into each other and I've never seen scales fly. It must be some form of social positioning or just good old play. OS.

 

[dcutl002]

I have 25 cardinals, about 1 in in length. I have noticed a few of them being territorial towards each other. They don't really school in my tank, no real pred's and the only time i see em school is if my hand go in the tank to rescape or prune my plants ect. they obviously get a little nervous at that point.

Specifically I have these 3 cardinals, i can't be sure its always the same once but its the same spot in the tank, right above a piece of driftwood. one will be there and the other 2 on either sides and he will defend that spot. and the other 2 want it for some reason. its almost like a game of cat and mouse or tag or something. there is also a few that do this kind of thing in more of the open space of the tank by some tall stem plants. one will hold a position and the others normally 1 or 2 will try and i guess take over the spot.

most of the day they suspend all over the tank in no real formation and do what i think is playing around with each other. just wondering what you guys think of this behaviour.

That's Tetras for ya. My Neons, which are HUGE now, are like Piranhas when I feed them. It's amazing! So yeah, that is normal.