Congo tetras - Aquarium Advice

joannde · 11-18-2006, 05:26 PM

I have to say, these guys are gorgeous and add alot of activity and color to the tank. I think their color has really taken off since I started feeding thawed frozen bloodworms

OMG - too funny - just took a look and one of them is swimning around with a sinking pellet that I just put in for the snails - another one is following him saying "SHARE THAT !". The one with the pellet is running away with a "MINE !!! MINE !! MINE !!!" look about him ROFL

JulieB · 11-18-2006, 07:43 PM

I have three Congos and they're great! At first they joined the rainbows in picking on the angels and pearl gouramis, but now they're all cool. They were quite small when I bought them and they have grown up to have awesome finnage, especially the boys. Their tails are very cool.

It's so fun to watch fish play with one another, especially with food

joannde · 11-19-2006, 06:34 PM

LOL I thought it was my rainbows that were weird - when I first added the congos they formed a school with them. Now they're off doing their own thing again.

How do you tell the male from female Congos ? All of mne look the same (I think !)

JulieB · 11-19-2006, 06:56 PM

When they're young, it's all a guess. I started with 5 and they all looked the same. But as they grew up, three of them grew bigger than the other two and their tail fins got longer. Those are the males I believe.

joannde · 11-20-2006, 08:13 AM

Thanks Julie - I'll keep an eye out for that.
Can you post pics of a male and a female ?

JulieB · 11-21-2006, 12:52 AM

Here are photos of a male and female.Click Here for pics

See how the male's tail and dorsal fins are longer? Actually, in this pic you can't see how the tail is longer. Here's a better pic of the tail:

I just found these pics on google, I don't own them

I can take some pics of my congos later (probably not until after the weekend) but both of my females died so I can't do comparison pics anymore

zenkatydid · 11-21-2006, 03:59 AM

i don't like the look of congos, they always look like they've had their fins ripped and damaged.

joannde · 11-21-2006, 07:12 AM

JulieB, thanks for the male / female pics - given what I've seen, I think I have all males. They all have that "bump" in the middle of their tail fin, and they all have the long flowing dorsal fin.

BrianNY · 11-21-2006, 08:02 AM

I think congos look awesome in a well lit tank. They can get a little too nippy for slow moving fish with long flowing fins however.

physicsdude · 11-21-2006, 10:22 AM

I have 3 congos myself. They are a wonderful fish, adding a lively flavor to my tank. I've had them for about 1 month now and they are now about 1" long. They are starting to display some red and green metallic color on their sides. I'll have to keep an eye on the finnage to spot the males and females.

11-18-2006, 05:26 PM	#1
joannde Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 1,724 Images: 6	Congo tetras I have to say, these guys are gorgeous and add alot of activity and color to the tank. I think their color has really taken off since I started feeding thawed frozen bloodworms OMG - too funny - just took a look and one of them is swimning around with a sinking pellet that I just put in for the snails - another one is following him saying "SHARE THAT !". The one with the pellet is running away with a "MINE !!! MINE !! MINE !!!" look about him ROFL __________________ 35G barebottom: 2 boesemani rainbowfish, 4 congo tetras, Low light plants (1.5wpg) attached to or planted in my own handmade ceramics - Anubia v Nana, Anubia v Barteri, Red Rubin Sword 2.5G - Spot (beautiful betta - Soft pink with red spots on his fins. Java Moss.

11-18-2006, 07:43 PM	#2
JulieB Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 97 Images: 9	I have three Congos and they're great! At first they joined the rainbows in picking on the angels and pearl gouramis, but now they're all cool. They were quite small when I bought them and they have grown up to have awesome finnage, especially the boys. Their tails are very cool. It's so fun to watch fish play with one another, especially with food __________________ 56 Gallon planted community: 1 Pearl Gourami, 2 Angel fish (one veiled), 4 Congo tetras, 1 Boesemani rainbow, 1 Columbian tetra, 3 Yo Yo loaches, 1 Pleco, 3 assorted Cory Cats, 2 Black skirt tetras, 2 serpae tetras, 2 German rams, 17 neon tetras, and a partridge in a pear treeeeee!

11-19-2006, 06:34 PM	#3
joannde Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 1,724 Images: 6	LOL I thought it was my rainbows that were weird - when I first added the congos they formed a school with them. Now they're off doing their own thing again. How do you tell the male from female Congos ? All of mne look the same (I think !) __________________ 35G barebottom: 2 boesemani rainbowfish, 4 congo tetras, Low light plants (1.5wpg) attached to or planted in my own handmade ceramics - Anubia v Nana, Anubia v Barteri, Red Rubin Sword 2.5G - Spot (beautiful betta - Soft pink with red spots on his fins. Java Moss.

11-20-2006, 08:13 AM	#5
joannde Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 1,724 Images: 6	Thanks Julie - I'll keep an eye out for that. Can you post pics of a male and a female ? __________________ 35G barebottom: 2 boesemani rainbowfish, 4 congo tetras, Low light plants (1.5wpg) attached to or planted in my own handmade ceramics - Anubia v Nana, Anubia v Barteri, Red Rubin Sword 2.5G - Spot (beautiful betta - Soft pink with red spots on his fins. Java Moss.

11-21-2006, 12:52 AM	#6
JulieB Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 97 Images: 9	Here are photos of a male and female.Click Here for pics See how the male's tail and dorsal fins are longer? Actually, in this pic you can't see how the tail is longer. Here's a better pic of the tail: I just found these pics on google, I don't own them I can take some pics of my congos later (probably not until after the weekend) but both of my females died so I can't do comparison pics anymore __________________ 56 Gallon planted community: 1 Pearl Gourami, 2 Angel fish (one veiled), 4 Congo tetras, 1 Boesemani rainbow, 1 Columbian tetra, 3 Yo Yo loaches, 1 Pleco, 3 assorted Cory Cats, 2 Black skirt tetras, 2 serpae tetras, 2 German rams, 17 neon tetras, and a partridge in a pear treeeeee!

11-19-2006, 06:56 PM	#4
JulieB Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 97 Images: 9	When they're young, it's all a guess. I started with 5 and they all looked the same. But as they grew up, three of them grew bigger than the other two and their tail fins got longer. Those are the males I believe.

11-21-2006, 03:59 AM	#7
zenkatydid Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Sydney Posts: 765 Images: 3	i don't like the look of congos, they always look like they've had their fins ripped and damaged. __________________ 50gal planted - yoyo loaches, BNs, SAE, odessa barbs 28gal planted - sparkling gouramis, dwarf cories (hastatus, habrosus, pygmaeus) 5gal planted - betta, otos 5gal planted - glass shrimp, CRS

11-21-2006, 07:12 AM	#8
joannde Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 1,724 Images: 6	JulieB, thanks for the male / female pics - given what I've seen, I think I have all males. They all have that "bump" in the middle of their tail fin, and they all have the long flowing dorsal fin. __________________ 35G barebottom: 2 boesemani rainbowfish, 4 congo tetras, Low light plants (1.5wpg) attached to or planted in my own handmade ceramics - Anubia v Nana, Anubia v Barteri, Red Rubin Sword 2.5G - Spot (beautiful betta - Soft pink with red spots on his fins. Java Moss.

11-21-2006, 08:02 AM	#9
BrianNY Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 4,259 Images: 18	I think congos look awesome in a well lit tank. They can get a little too nippy for slow moving fish with long flowing fins however.

11-21-2006, 10:22 AM	#10
physicsdude Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: New York State Posts: 363 Images: 1	I have 3 congos myself. They are a wonderful fish, adding a lively flavor to my tank. I've had them for about 1 month now and they are now about 1" long. They are starting to display some red and green metallic color on their sides. I'll have to keep an eye on the finnage to spot the males and females.

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