Big Mistake what to do?

[EmberC]

I've had my 10 gallon since about July with a few Platies. Currently I have 2 adults and 3 fry. I did a little (too little I guess) research on new fish to go with these. I fell in love with the Beunos Aries Tetras and got some. Of course the research I found was all wrong. Somewhere I found that they would be okay in a 10 gallon, they only get to max of 2.5" and wouldn't eat other fish. Dumb me found out they they aren't okay in a 10 gallon and they do eat other fish. They ate the neon tetras that my boyfriend picked out. They haven't eaten the Platy fry yet because they know how to hide and they don't touch the adults.

Now what do I do? I can't take them back. The store does have a sale on a 20 gallon set for $80 but I don't know if I could get it up and going quick enough to save my sanity and the other fish.

Advice? Please be gentle.

 

[PlecoCollector]

Is there any reason why you can't take them back? Most stores will accept them, or at least you could give them away to a store. I think $80 is really pricey for a 20 gallon, unless it comes with a stand. You can get an empty one for around $20 if you look around. Check your local paper's classified section as well if you really want to upgrade tank size.

Fishprofiles.com says that they tend to be slightly aggressive, especially towards each other, so I can assume they'd be the same towards other fish too. I personally would get rid of them and replenish your Neon stock. It might be easier on you to have an all peaceful community tank instead of one with aggression going on. But that's really up to you.

Good Luck

 

[prettypleco]

Is that a complete set up for $80? Too pricey for just the tank. I would return the fish.

 

[EmberC]

I said it was a set, therefore hood, filter, heater, all that....

 

[cybersymes]

rats...sorry to hear about your demises...

first thing i would do is pop a divider in your tank...
[a piece of perspex or similar]...and isolate those bad boys...

now you have time to think...

if you can't return the fish then whoopie...mts...
[multiple tank syndrome]...

you get to play with another tank...and get more fish...
you can 'jump-start' the new tanks filter with 'dirty water' from your 10's media...
[does that make sense to you...??? ...
if not i will reply and explain...or someone will ]...

it's all research...i would do differently if i could start again...
i would plant a tank first and then go looking for fish...
it's a learning thing...

 

[prettypleco]

I said it was a set, therefore hood, filter, heater, all that....

Sorry. Left my computer glasses at work.

 

[Big Vine]

first thing i would do is pop a divider in your tank...
[a piece of perspex or similar]...and isolate those bad boys...

I agree with this piece of advice.

EmberC,

Do you happen to have some sort of little floating livebearer fry trap or anything similar? If so, this would be similar to the idea of using a divider of some sort.
I would put the offending tetras (Buenos Aires) in there...a "penalty box" of sorts.

It may seem out of place to keep larger tetras in a space that small, but so be it. It would probably only be temporary anyway, right, since you will be either moving them to a 20 gal. setup or taking them back to a LFS?

Good luck.
Big Vine

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

if you can afford it i say get another tank.