Bleeding Heart Tetras

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littletankbigworld

Superstar Fish
#1
Aug 16, 2009
1,318
0
0
SW Pennsylvania
#1
Hi everyone. Thanks to this forum, my tank has been going great. I had an unexpected death today. A blood tetra died. I think it probably just had a weak immune system. I’ll be testing the water, just to make sure. Anyway, now I’m going to the pet store next week to pick up more bloods and bleeding hearts. First, I would like to know if you think a 5 gallon would be an okay quarantine tank for a couple days. I plan on adding 4 bloods to start. Also, how long do you quarantine? I don’t usually quarantine fish…I admit it might seem like a stupid mistake, but I watch them closely for any signs of stress or disease and I don’t have problems. I will soon have a spare tank and would like to quarantine.
Also, I have not been able to net ANY of my bleeding heart tetras. The one has a minor torn fin and I have not been able to catch him! Any ideas? Are red nets effective? Even when I changed the substrate in my tank, I was unable to catch any of the hearts and they huddled in the corner while I scooped out gravel and added sand.
 

bassbonediva

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
#2
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
0
0
Northern Arizona
#2
Five gallons should be fine as a QT tank. I usually quarantine for a week, other people go longer (up to two weeks, I think is the longest I've heard of).

As for netting the tetras...why? I know the one has a minor torn fin, but that should heal quickly on its own with excellent water quality. My girls will get nipped or torn fins every once in a while and usually within a week you can't even tell anything happened.
 

BristlenosePleco

BristlenosePleco

Large Fish
#3
Dec 20, 2009
131
0
0
Canada
#3
I know the one has a minor torn fin, but that should heal quickly on its own with excellent water quality. My girls will get nipped or torn fins every once in a while and usually within a week you can't even tell anything happened.
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My Tetras are the same way. I've seen BIG tears in fins that are gone in a week maybe week and a half.

As for the whole netting problem. Personly I like the green nets. Its more of a natural colour for them I think. If I'm really having trouble with netting a fish I just drag the net back and forth in the tank, kind of desensitizing them untill they somewhat put down their guard, or run into the net on their own. I love when they do that. lol
 

L

littletankbigworld

Superstar Fish
#5
Aug 16, 2009
1,318
0
0
SW Pennsylvania
#5
I did have the water level down to about 5 inches. It's been about 2 months and the fins look exactly the same. My tank is 45% stocked and water quality tests show my water is in the right range. I have a green net and a white net and even when I swish the nets around for a while, the tetras freak out and try to hide. The red nets are supposed to be made so that the fish cannot see them, but I dunno if this works. I'll try again today.
 

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