Serpae tetras in betta tank!?!?

[Wenrl]

I’ve made a mistake!

I’ve been keeping bettas for years. All alone in their own tank. I decided to upgrade to a 40 gallon and create a community tank. After cycling my live planted tank for a month, I went to get some fish to start it off. I wanted Harlequin Rasboras, but they didn’t have them. In spite of what I’m about to write, I did my homework, and I remembered tetras are peaceful community fish (and that’s what the Petsmart label said about Serpae tetras). I got 6.

I acclimated them slowly, but 3 died within 12 hours! The other three seem strong, healthy and happy, but once I got them home and did more specific homework, I learned these are fin nippers and not good betta tank mates, which messes up my whole plan of the community betta tank.

So, should I get more eventually, so they are a happy school again and hope my tank is big enough to keep the betta safe or let these three live out their natural lives and not get anymore? Will they school with other tetras or Rasboras? No betta is present at this time, so they can only nip each other.

 

[libertybelle]

Welcome!

I’ve never had serpae tetras myself so this isn’t first hand but I have always read that they are huge fin nippers which shouldn’t be with bettas. And keeping only a few would likely make that worse. (Some nippy fish will confine their bickering to each other if they have enough conspecifics.)

If the betta is the non negotiable part of the stocking for you I would strongly consider taking the serpae’s back and picking a species that’s less nippy!

I doubt they would school with other tetras/ Rasboras. I’ve never seen a tetra that would school with other species.

 

[Autumnsky]

Getting a good combination with a male and 2 or more females and a bigger group because of aggression /bickering between themselves, mine are not bothersome to other fish. Mostly just never ending chasing each other around.

They are presently with long tail fancy male guppies / with full tails not nipped (and have been for a number of months, waiting to be moved to a different tank.)

Having some larger fish in my tank, might be why they behave, but there is no way for me to say. Some of mine are short fin and some are long fin check out the long fin variety, very attractive). Mine also had a loss of a few initially or I would have had 9, now just 7.

If you give your Betta a few places to lounge in the top area of the tank, a Betta Log or a Betta large leaf. Or live plants looped around in a less water flow corner, so he can rest in them - it can help a lot. Will allow him to get out of the busy tank and take a break.

 

[Wenrl]

Thanks both of you! I have two bettas in their own tanks (Work betta and home betta) and after reading your comments, I decided I will get more Serpae this weekend so they’re happy and if it doesn’t work out, transfer them to my office aquarium where they can be species only, and bring that betta home too.

However, I came home from work to discover one of the Serpae stuck to the filter (alive) with his tail ripped off and the other two chasing each other like maniacs. I’m returning them both ASAP if they don’t murder each other overnight. Very sad. I won’t buy fish without making sure I know the details of their particular breed again. Yeah, they nip/eat each other’s tails.

 

[libertybelle]

Sorry to hear that.

It’s not hugely surprising; among the nippy species, they are even worse nippers when there is not a large enough group to distribute aggression.

 

[Autumnsky]

Check the water parameters, sometimes they get even more crazy when the water levels of any Ammonia, NitrIte or NitrAte are at unsafe levels!!!

 

[Wenrl]

Good to know! Thank you!

 

[Wenrl]

Update: I couldn’t catch the leftover two, so I opted for
4 more instead. That calmed things down right away and since. Everyone chases each other around but no actual nipping. They seem more playful than anything. I then got a school of 6 phantom tetras and most of the time, they all school together and interact as if they’re not two species (although very similar). The male phantoms sometimes hang out on their own and mock fight, while the females hang with the Serpae. I’m glad they were too fast for me as now I love them and want more.

 

[Autumnsky]

Phantom Tetras are pretty too! Sounds like a good solution!