A fishy matter...

Question
QUESTION: Hi Nathan,

Today, I saw that my 5 Serpae Tetras were hiding in the plants. I had introduced a large Molly to the tank, and it appears to be 'in control' of the whole tank. the Tetras are piled up in the Hygro, and I'm not sure what to do.

Please help - thanks in advance.

ANSWER: Hi Margaret,

You mentioned that the Molly was quite large. In general, you should never keep fish that are considerably larger than others together in the same tank. I've heard many instances when a lone molly can be quite boisterous, and establish his/her territory.

Also, Mollies should be kept in hard, alkaline water, while Tetras should be kept in soft, acidic water. Therefore, the two should never have been combined in the first place. I recommend that you return the molly to your local fish store. it's not quite compatible with your other fish.

Then, the tetras can go back to their normal pecking order.

Good Luck, and Happy Fishkeeping!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: One more thing... Can black Phantoms be put with Serpaes?

Thanks, hope to  hear back from you!

Answer
Hi Margaret,

Yes, Black Phantom Tetras can be kept with Serpaes. They need to be kept in groups of 5 or more. They can be sensitive to poor water quality, so keep up those water changes! They make a nice contrast to their red-hued cousins, like Serpaes, or Red Phantom Tetras.

Good Luck!