Serpae Tetra info

[IowaFish]

Hi Everyone

I just recently got 5 Serpae Tetra's from my LFS. They are beautiful fish. I got them because I wanted a nice schooling fish, but after I introduced them to the tank they stay and the top of the tank and the fish are spread out all over just staying at the corners of the tank. Is this normal behavior for them?

Here are my parameters:
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-25
ammonia-.25

 

[jadefoodog]

no i adopted 2 sepae tetras and they are alllways together useually they are in the lower portion of the tank bout 3 to 4 inches from bottom

but i bet if you planted that tank out . or got decent fake plants you would get alot better ctivity and it would bring out thier colors more. PS they will attack anything you put in there (fish wize they never bothered my shrimp) so you might give them like a 20 cent feeder guppy or 2 to bully around

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Mine don't school together like I'd hoped. Pretty much the only fish that does in my community tank is the Rummynose. And they aren't even that big on it. I calmed their aggression by introducing Rosy Barbs. Ever since I've added 8 of them, I haven't noticed any nipped fins on any of the fish.

 

[jadefoodog]

yeah i used von rios to do the same thing. cept they looked alot alike now they semi school together

 

[brant]

Yeah I have 3 of them to and they just sort of hang out and watch watever is hapenning on the outside of the tank exept for th occasionall dart after a tankmate or feeding time they don't move much at all. Just hangin aroun a tall peice of driftwood.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

i have 2, they don't hang out together much at all.. the best schooling fish i have are white clouds

 

[IowaFish]

ok,well i feel a little better now that I have read some of the replies, because mine are just kind of hanging around in the top corner

 

[Jchillin]

Sorry, but I beg to differ:

I believe that if you get a large enough number, they will certainly school.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

How large is large enough Bill?

 

[Jchillin]

Well, there is one missing in that pic, but 6-8 usually works.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

We have 6 and they don't school together. Maybe they just don't feel threatened.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Maybe you should randomly poke them with a stick (JK)

Mine don't school either, but they are occasionally in the same area of the tank