Bizzare Neon Tetra Behaviour

[Nicho]

I got 8 neon tetras maybe two months ago? And at first they schooled and swam around in a ball no bigger than a tennis ball, but now they just reversed their usual neon habits...

One neon tetra has become territorial. Yes, territorial. He claimed a cave I made out of rock and will chase any and every other fish away from it (Zebra danios like twice his size and all the other neon tetras), the other 7 tetras spread almost evenly throughout the tank in different spots under, over and inside of plants and usually only come together when I poke the net into the water (Mr.Territorial stays in his cave all day regardless).

Also, I find neon tetras boring. They dont swim around or up and down. They usually just hover in their own spot for hours at a time.

What explains this? >_< I wanted schooling fish.

 

[Laser]

I think if you were able to increase the size of the school you would see more schooling behavior. I have a school of 23 neons and they are never still. Sometimes they break off into 2 or 3 schools or go their own ways but I often seem them all together when I approach.

As far as the territorial one I can't really say I have seen that behavior. I have witnessed fin nipping between neons. It's possible the territorial aggression he is displaying would go away if you had more neons.

 

[Nicho]

Thanks >_<

I guess I can try to buy a few more to up the numbers, but the appeal of the neon tetra is almost gone haha. I started fishkeeping solely to keep them but i'm finding love in other fish now.

Ill try disassembling the cave and scare them into a school for now, as i have to clean the ugly plastic plants in a few minutes. Hopefully that will encourage them to be a little more fun.

 

[Scouser]

Fish schooling is a defensive tactic.

They feel safer as part of a group when predators are around, after several months in the tank without major threats they have settled in and realise that they don't need to school to be safe.

This also leads to in fighting to establish a dominate male, this can happen a few times or a vast number of times. But when it does you'll see a lone fish "bullying" his way around. It's all natural.

 

[BakerBoy17]

What else is in the tank?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Fish schooling is a defensive tactic.

They feel safer as part of a group when predators are around, after several months in the tank without major threats they have settled in and realise that they don't need to school to be safe.

This also leads to in fighting to establish a dominate male, this can happen a few times or a vast number of times. But when it does you'll see a lone fish "bullying" his way around. It's all natural.

+1
It sound like perfectly normal neon tetra behavior.