One of my tetras HATES the light

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Rosenweiss

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Hi guys,

So I inherited a 20g with a couple of occupants, two large tetras that get along fairly well, although the smaller one gets chased a bit. They've been together in this tank about 5 years. My smaller tetra, as you can see in the picture, will spend the entire day (at least whenever I look) hiding up in the corner when the light is on, but as soon as I turn it off he will come around and swim throughout the tank. I recently planted the tank so I need to have the light on for at least a few hours a day.

Will he be okay? I should say that when I got the tank (almost 2 weeks ago) I changed the light to a stronger one to support plants. It's not crazy strong, but the previous one was extremely dim.

Thanks for any help.
 
He may be sensitive since the move and light change. How about getting some stems or floating plants so he can feel a little safer. Are there any very long "planted" stems coming up from the substrate that offer some "protecton" for him?

What kind is he? Columbian Tetra....? How many of those kind are there? Do you think there are more males than females?
 
Looks like a columbian to me i have 2 of them, they both stay in the drift wood, plants until I dim the light, but i also have very big and mean Buenos Aires that do like to go after them, i need to rehome the mean Buenos Aires (which I was told aren't mean by a non reputable lfs) lol yeah right.

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I would check water parameters though just to make sure you don't have ammonia /nitrite, and get some cover in the tank for him to hide in.

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Potluck, you sound like me. It's just him (Columbian), a HUGE bully Buenos Aires and a bn Pleco. Parameters are fine, ammonia is zero. I haven't got a nitrite test yet but the tank has been set up for so many years and was moved with same gravel and most of the same water so I highly doubt it's a cycling issue. I have some large stem plants but a floater is a good idea for shade!
 
Reason I don't have a full school is because they've been together so long and they have a worked out dynamic (just some chasing, not really nipping or anything) and I don't want to add any new elements into the move or their lives right now.
 
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