Cardinal Tetras Fighting?

[akumastew]

I have a school of 13 carindal tetras.

Last night after I finished up my water change, I saw something that I have never seen before.

The cardinals were fighting.

I dont mean they were swimming in tight formation.

They were actually chasing each other, and appeared to be biting at each others undersides.

Has anyone seen this behaviour before?

- Stew

[rickztahone]

i can't say i have Stew. are they injuring each other? for the most part, these dither fish seem to be really peaceful but like in any group of anything in nature you have your oddballs who do not follow the norm status

[akumastew]

i can't say i have Stew. are they injuring each other? for the most part, these dither fish seem to be really peaceful but like in any group of anything in nature you have your oddballs who do not follow the norm status

I can't say that they are injuring each other.

I did notice there was a faint black line along half their bottom, which I don't remembering seeing before last night. It may well have always been there. Maybe they are thinking that the black line is food.

I have kept Cardinals in the passed and never noticed this behaviour before.

[plymbloke]

weird - have you got any photos of the fish? or better yet a small movie of them actually 'fighting'? what sexes are they? is there a nice mixture? i.e. could this be 12 males fighting over a single female?

[akumastew]

weird - have you got any photos of the fish? or better yet a small movie of them actually 'fighting'? what sexes are they? is there a nice mixture? i.e. could this be 12 males fighting over a single female?

I will see if I can get the wife to take some pictures or a movie of it tonight.

I do have a mixture of fat ones, and thinner ones. Which I read is the difference between boys and girls.

I suppose it could be that they are fighting for a mate.

[plymbloke]

As a general rule of thumb for the sexes, the male has a flatter belly and straighter lateral line, whereas the females are rounder and the lateral line is noticably kinked. It would be interesting to watch the movie if your wife manages to capture it.

[Scribbles]

I was thinking that this may be some sort of mating behavior but, I'm not sure as it isn't common for cardinals to mate in captivity.

Chris

[akumastew]

I never managed to get viable footage last night.

Although they were doing the same behavious after last nights water change, my video camera had a hard time focusing on them at the back of the tank.

They are doing this is the area of some planted plants, maybe they are spawning and eating the egss as they come out.

- Stew

I will try to get some footage again tonight.

[akumastew]

This was the best I could capture, the level of agression was much higher last night.

HD Version here. Fighting example at 44 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOx-_kAf5Yw

[plymbloke]

I was thinking that this may be some sort of mating behavior but, I'm not sure as it isn't common for cardinals to mate in captivity.

Chris

They do mate quite often given the chance, plenty of food and all the other right conditions and they will happily spawn, thing is the eggs dont survive (for various reasons). But from looking at the video this isnt spawning behaviour. I have bred my cardinals a few times now and this isnt what they do - unfortunately it looked like they were just having an arguement over a bit of food to be honest.

This was the best I could capture, the level of agression was much higher last night.

HD Version here. Fighting example at 44 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOx-_kAf5Yw

great looking fish there Akumastew! Alas im sure this isnt mating behaviour, if this is all they do then im pretty sure they are just squabbling over a scrap of food. how ever if you say this is quite mild compared with last night then im at a loss. what other fish have you got in the tank that may have made them jumpy and on edge, ready to fight at a moments notice?

cheers,

Chris

[akumastew]

great looking fish there Akumastew! Alas im sure this isnt mating behaviour, if this is all they do then im pretty sure they are just squabbling over a scrap of food. how ever if you say this is quite mild compared with last night then im at a loss. what other fish have you got in the tank that may have made them jumpy and on edge, ready to fight at a moments notice?

Other fish:

2 x Apistogramma Caucatiodes
2 x GBR
5 x Corydoras Schwarzi
5 X BNP
2 x Discs

None of the other fish are showing agression towards any other fish.

Ah well, there are no casualties as yet, maybe they will grow out of it.

- Stew

[plymbloke]

odd, but as you say, no harm has come of it so far so it will all calm down sure enough im sure.

[crazycracker]

even w/ tetras you have some type of pecking order - they should not hurt each other but keep an eye on them make sure no missing fins but it is very possible you have a pair trying to mate & boys will be boys

[Notna23q]

My cardinal is doing smular thing but more intence lol

My tank consists of alot of fish every one tells me m overstocked but they dont understand i got a very strong filter and pump

Here are my specs

Tank 10 gallon and or 45 liters
Filter 3 stage sump filter considting of bio balls at the top of each sump
Ceramic noodles at bottom of each sump (alot of noodles to promote bateria growth)
Alot of sponge and also 2 layers of air conditioning filter media very thick stuff

I have 6 danios, 8 cardinal tetras, 8white clouds, 8 rummy noses, 2bristlenoses, 2cordyas cat fish whateva you call them thats 34 fish in a 45 litre tank


Have a look at video at youtube its very interesting because the tetras colors show no signs of stress and or frightness

Thanks here is the url
youtube.com/watch?v=Lcw9_tMTqjo&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/url]

[ozone]

My cardinals constantly peck at each other!one had a bit of tail fungus from being bitten last week. It's normal just the pecking order