# Harlequin rasbora nipping?!



## Pikajilly (May 18, 2011)

Hello, 

I recently added new fish to my tank and my harlequin rasbora is acting very aggressive. 

I had 2 hatchet fish and one Harley (one died when I first set up) I've had them for a month so I wanted to add more. I added another Harley, 2 rosy tetras and an angelfish. 

At first the 2 harleys and one of Te tetras were fine and swimming together no issue. Te other tetra (smaller of the two and smallest of all five) was hiding in a corner. He then came out and the original Harley began chasing him from time to time nipping at him. The two harleys and the tetra still stay together and leave out the other tetra. The tetra from the group of three even chased the lone tetra! What is going on and is there anything I should do?? The chasing isn't constant but happens every once and a while. I just looked and now the four of them are in a corner together......are they going to be OK?


Also my angel fish seems really confused lol but that's another story


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Tetras and rasboras are schoolers.They are not happy with only one or two of them,so they become nippy.They will try to form schools with other fish,and sometimes it works but usually it doesnt.
You need to have at least five of each tetra and the same with the rasboras.However,that also depends on tank size and filter.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I was going to say the exact same as Majerah1. He's not happy because he needs to be in a school. As long as you have the room, get a few more (I'd say 4) of the Harlequins and 4 more of the other rosy tetra. Problem should be solved then. If you can't get that many more, try to get at _least_ 1 more of each (more would be better though.)


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## laxforlife (Jun 4, 2011)

Yes they are a very social fish when they have friends. My harlequins and my silver tipped tetras form one big school and there are 5 of each. Looks really nice when they mix.

DJ


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## Pikajilly (May 18, 2011)

Thank you all for the help. I will try to get one more of each.....I have a ten gallon.....is this an okay amount of fish?? What's the max? As of now I have :

2 hatchetfish
2 harleys
2 tetras
1 angel fish


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## laxforlife (Jun 4, 2011)

The fish i just talked about are in a 10 gallon along with 4 corydoras. I would not reccomend that, as i do 25% water changes every 2 days. Those fish were taken from a friend and i dont have a seperate tank for them. Honestly you should get a bigger tank 20g min. 10g are just too small for a new hobbiest. The bigger the tank the fewer problems you will encounter.

DJ


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Ok well, you will soon need to upgrade tanks.The angel alone is too much for a ten gallon.The inch of fish per gallon rule is flawed,in that its not necessarily true for all fish.Some smaller fish,like galaxy rasboras it could apply to,but angels for instance,it is more of vertical than horizontal.They still need lots of swimming room.I suggest you look into a 29 gallon at the least and then work on the schools.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Agreed. I was in the same boat with an over stocked 10g and saved up to get a 20g which is now fishless cycling. (Also begged and pleaded with my husband and now we have a 36g bow front.... he doesn't like to admit it, but the hobby is growing on him, lol.)

Save up and try to get at least a 20g tank. The fish will be happier and it will be much easier to maintain. (If you add anymore to the 10g you may run into trouble.)


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## Future Marine Biologist (Aug 24, 2011)

I have harlequin rasboras and when I get new fish they get excited, and nippy. By 2 days it normally wears off. Anyways you need more harlequins.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I know this post is kinda' old, but we never found out if the problem got solved or not.

I was also going to mention, that the Hatchet fish need to be in a group of _at least_ 5 or more as well, so it looks like you are going to need a larger tank. (5 Tetras, 5 Harley's and 5 Hatchets will needs more room.) The Angel is too big for a 10g.

When I had 5 Harlequins, they were nippy with each other. I added 2 more and now they are fine. The shoal and school all over the tank. I'm going to eventually add 4 more to the group, but not for a few weeks yet. (Susankat mentioned something about having odd numbers of schooling fish for some reason, that's why I have 7 now and will eventually have 11.) Same with my Julii Cory's - I have 6 now, and will add one more in a few weeks.


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