red eye tetra help/question

[woo]

Ok so I bought 2 red eye tetras for my 26 gallon yesterday and they have only been hanging out on the top corner of my tank where the airstone is. I also have 2 angels and whenever the angels approach the tetras they quickly swim away to the other top corner. When I feed the tank, they stay in the corner and I've only seen one of the tetras eat so far. I'm afraid the angels are going to permanently scare them away from coming out anywhere else other than the top corners. Should I be worried or is this normal behavior? I guess it's a possibility that they're still getting used to the tank but I just wanted to input from people who know more than myself thanks.

 

[zilla870]

they are probable get use to the tank and mybe afraid of your angels if they are bigger than them.

 

[QTOFFER]

Welcome to AA, Woo!

First, check your water parameters, especially ammonia and nitrites. If either of these are high (both should be 0 in a cycled tank), fish will stay near the surface where the water is more oxygenated.
Also make sure that the water's surface is constantly rippling. This facilitates gas exchange in and out of the water, which is essential for the fish's health - you have an airstone, which is very good at doing this.

Some angels are very tolerant of tankmates, while others are really mean SOBs. Make sure you have lots of places for your redeyes to hide (dense real or fake plants, rock caves, etc.
All tetras are schooling fish, and they feel much safer in numbers - two fish isn't much of a class, let alone a school. I would consider getting a few more redeye tetras - a group of five might feel more confident to venture out together.

 

[Jchillin]

I agree with QTOFFER Woo. I keep these little darlings in my 75gal and they do much better when they have some "friends" around.

 

[dax29]

I had 5 redeyes in my tank and they thrived. I agree with QTOFFER and Jchillin. Get 3 more of them. You should have enough room. Right now, with 2 angelfish and 5 redeye tetras you have about 22 inches of fish. They do seem to be more timid than some other tetras. Redeyes school together really well and seem to have a synchronized type behavior.

 

[Toirtis]

Get 3 more of them. You should have enough room.

Just barely, though....a school of properly-grown, mature Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae is likely bigger than you think....each fish should be 2½"-3" when fully grown, which means a school of 5 fish accounts for 12½"-15" total. Most people never see fully-grown adults.