help identifying fish

K-TRAIN

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 7, 2006
Messages
359
so lately ive been helping my friend and her family out, moving furniture with my truck and whatnot, and they had fish they didnt want. so i was talking to them and they explained to me that they didnt know how to get the "dirt" out of the bottom of the tank, and they couldnt figure out why the bigger fish kept eating the little fish, even though the petstore "specialist" told them they were all community fish that would get along. and they generally grew tired of trying to keep the tank clean since they didnt know anything about fixing the problems with the tank. so in return for helping them they gave me the fish, a few video games, and free lunch each day i helped them :D

anyway the only problem is they didnt remember the names of the fish they had. theres three of them, two are clearly the same species and one is a danio? (sp?) all i know is the one looks like a fish that required several of the species with it, and had the body shape of a glowfish, making me think its a danio. (blue and a line going from its head to the tail, small, etc pretty sure its some sort of danio)

the problem im having is the other fish. they told me they kept eating the danios? though when i transported the fish they didnt bother the danio, though in the tank it keeps hiding among the decorations and rocks.

so could anyone give me advice on these fish? i have all three in a ten gallon tank, with airation, a 75 gallon filter, and plenty of plants and stuff.... well you can see it in the picture. and i have the temps set at 70 degrees.

i plan on moving them into a 40 gallon tank once i get more info on the fish i cant ID, and im going to get more danios as well if there really a fish that needs several of its species around.



theres the fish i cant ID. no pic of the "danio" because the little guy wouldnt stay still or in the open long enough to take a good picture.

so can anyone help me with this? ive owned fish before but only bettas, gouramis, and a goldfish.
 

Speedy

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Messages
115
That is a White Skirt Tetra. You could bring the temp up a few degrees.. They are also social fish, like most tetras, and would like some more friends.. I suggest going to a good pet store and getting 5+ more skirt's... they get a good 2" though, and would do much better in a 20g long tank. They are known to be 'nippy' with other fish and that could be what they mean about eating the danios.

Danios are also very social fish and should be in large groups... So I suggest you rehome the danio where h can be with some others or get him some buddies too - and upgrade the tank.

When they're in groups too small or alone they tend to be stressed, which in turn that weaken their immune system - that goes for the danios and tetras. They also tend to nip more when they're in smaller groups.

You should try some natural plants like Anacharis.. Very easy to grow and pretty cheap,the fish can also pick at it and eat it.
 

K-TRAIN

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 7, 2006
Messages
359
That is a White Skirt Tetra. You could bring the temp up a few degrees.. They are also social fish, like most tetras, and would like some more friends.. I suggest going to a good pet store and getting 5+ more skirt's... they get a good 2" though, and would do much better in a 20g long tank. They are known to be 'nippy' with other fish and that could be what they mean about eating the danios.

Danios are also very social fish and should be in large groups... So I suggest you rehome the danio where h can be with some others or get him some buddies too - and upgrade the tank.

When they're in groups too small or alone they tend to be stressed, which in turn that weaken their immune system - that goes for the danios and tetras. They also tend to nip more when they're in smaller groups.

You should try some natural plants like Anacharis.. Very easy to grow and pretty cheap,the fish can also pick at it and eat it.
if it helps the fish is kinda see through looking at the top. but if you say its a tetra you seem to know what your talking about compared to me. thanks for IDing the fish. i was starting to think it was a glass fish by the top of its body.

are you suggesting two different tanks because there nippy and need a larger group for both species? the tank im going to put them in is a 40 gallon but its not long like my 20 gallon tanks.
 

Speedy

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Messages
115
I've kept both species together, as long as they both has decent sized groups they should be fine, but both species are known to be fin nippers.. a 40g tank sounds awesome for them.. You could get several more of both species. They will also be more likely to coexist peacefully if you use plants and decor to break up their line of site, so they're not always in each other's faces.

Generally these are not aggressive fish... And probably won't bother each other at all if they have proper sized groups of each species.

You do know about cycling tanks... ? If not, just google "Cycling fish tank" to be safe.

Here's a page on them so you can confirm it yourself:
http://www.fishlore.com/profile-whiteskirttetra.htm

Yeah, I used to be a major fish nerd..
 
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