Keeping buenos aires tetras with long-finned tankmates

[Corona]

I plan on getting some angelfish and am wondering if enough Buenos Aires tetras will stop fin nipping on angelfish.

[coltin]

Beunos Aires tetras should not be kept with long finned fish or slow moving fish.

[TankWarrior]

I plan on getting some angelfish and am wondering if enough Buenos Aires tetras will stop fin nipping on angelfish.

Hello. I keep a lot of Buenos Aires Tetras. I keep them in groups of their own kind. They're aggressive and will go after just about any fish you put in with them. They're not intimidated by the size of the fish. Fin nipping is their specialty. They'll need larger tanks because they're fast swimmers and need room for that reason. You'll need hardy, tough plants too. Anubias, Java Fern, Pennywort, Aglaonema and species of Water Lettuce will work in a tank with these Tetras.

TankWarrior (Now 11)

[Corona]

Okay. I guess I’ll just use red eye tetras instead then?

[TankWarrior]

Hello again. A better idea. The Red Eyes are smaller, easy going. They generally hang out in the middle part of the tank. Good idea to have several though. Six or even more is good. These guys will do well with most plants. Mine are a little strange. They seem to hang around the bottom in my 55 gallon tank. I have taller driftwood and rocks on the bottom and some Anubias plants. They like a little shade. They're not the swimmers the Buenos Aires are, but I like the color combination.

TankWarrior (Now 11)

[sidthy]

Hmmm, I think with these fish it’s all about how ‘happy’ they are. I’ve kept Buenos Aires and Red Eyes (one of my favourites) and found BA to be not nippy at all and Red Eyes to be very nippy.

[TankWarrior]

Hello. I suppose a lot depends on aqua scape and what other fish are in the tank.

TankWarrior (Now 11)

[sidthy]

I think temperature might also be a factor with Buenos Aires. They’re only tropical fish in the summer. In winter they’re subtropical, so keeping them at tropical temperatures all year round I imagine would stress them, or maybe it just keeps their energy levels too high so that nipping is a displacement activity. Maybe if there’s not enough room for a good swim they’ll be more nippy. And of course a “big enough group” (only the fishes’ opinion matters here) might make them less inclined to nip.

[Lexat]

I think temperature might also be a factor with Buenos Aires. They’re only tropical fish in the summer. In winter they’re subtropical, so keeping them at tropical temperatures all year round I imagine would stress them, or maybe it just keeps their energy levels too high so that nipping is a displacement activity. Maybe if there’s not enough room for a good swim they’ll be more nippy. And of course a “big enough group” (only the fishes’ opinion matters here) might make them less inclined to nip.

That's really interesting, it refers to this on seriously fish, the temperature aspect and their natural habitat.

[coltin]

red eye tetras are fin nippers too. If you want to try any of them, get a big group (20 or more) and monitor the other fishes for fin damage.