Black Skirts

[Bedbug]

My 10 gal. tank has 5 black skirts 2 large probably full grown and 3 about half the size of the big 2. 1 or more of the little ones chase and pick on the 2 big ones to the point the big 2 are behind the plastic plants or inside the plastic tree stump a lot of the time.
Have not looked at the male / female aspect nor do I know how to tell them apart. Wondered if the tank is to crowded and causing tension.
Maybe it's an excuse to look at bigger tanks. Fish mania is catching.

latter BMB

[malakye]

lmao, you could do with a larger tank for them but it depends on what else you have in there with them. Black skirts or black widows as they are more commonly known as in the UK can be mean so the more swimming space the better.
Yes fish keeping is addictive but you are in good company lmao.

[Bedbug]

I am relaxing in my chair watching the fish tank.

I want to the LFS for food (for the fish) and I overheard talk about Fathers day sale. "Don't know if UK had Father & Mothers day and a bunch of others." Any way I ask what the price in the 36 gal bow front would be on sale. Present price was $ 144.00 He would not say. But he said he had one 37 gal Tank "not a bow front" left he would let me have the close out price and Fathers day discounts. Can't beet less than half price.
I moved TV into floor, put new tank on stand Sunday night, 22 inches tall is hard to clean. Put in about 20 gal water.
Monday I did a water change of my 2 tanks and added it plus rinsed both sponge filters in the tank also. Turned on new filter and heater.
Today Tue. Added 9 gal from the 10 gal tank, took readings, transferred the 5 black widows this morning. Tonight they are not picking on each other but, they don't know who the leader is.
The five will go to one end of the tank turn and start back, split up, then realize they are not together and all race to middle of tank " almost in a train wreck ". Will test for a week before adding the Serpae"s
The tank a little cloudy from the sand. I put the 2 Cory in with the other 2 cats and the Serpae.
Tv is now on book shelf where the 10 gal tank was.

[Graeme]

A bargain like that is brilliant! All that space in a new environment should help with the squabbling. Looking forward to seeing how this one goes. What else will you be putting in with them? It would be great if you could start a new thread in the Journal Section and post up some pictures.

[malakye]

Well done on grabbing yourself a great bargain. Black skirt tetra or black widows as they are often called too can be semi aggressive and can bully each other until they decide a true pecking order.
So as Graeme asked what do you plan to add into the new tank with them?
When you said you rinsed the filter sponges how did you do this. The reason I ask is they should never be rinsed under the tap as that kills off the good bacteria needed to keep the tank healthy. (Apologies if I have read your post wrong and this was not the case).
Yes we do celebrate mothers and fathers day, our mothers day is in March where as yours is in May if I remember correctly. Fathers day this year is the 21st June.

[Bedbug]

Malakye: I have always had this problem. People need to understand what I am thinking not what I say or write.

I cleaned up the sponge filters in the pail of water I removed from the 10 gal. tank, then I added the pail of high levels of good bacteria to my new tank. The Water ,sand, décor and sponge filter I had in the 10 gal. tank went into the new one.

I lost a dwarf gourami do to washing filter in sink water. That was before I new better. This morning "Wed." the ammonia is at .25 Nitrite at .75 and Nitrate at 10. I will check tonight and see if it changed. May need to do a water change.

questions: Some do not recommend the black skirts and serpaes together.
Will the Cory cats be fine in this tank? 22 inches is a long trip for a gulp of air. will add 6 or 7 of some kind of cat.
I like the Koi angels. Their seams to be a lot of debate as to how many are needed so they all might get along. Is just one acceptable?
I would like to add a pair of powder blue dwarf gourami. Can I have a set of Powder blues and a set of red flame gourami in same tank?

[Graeme]

I've had blues and reds dwarf Gourami in with each other. The males will rear up at each other for a while then they'll be ok if the tank is big enough.

[Graeme]

[malakye]

Be aware that sometimes the fighting between pairs of gourami can be really bad, your tank although much bigger is still not the largest and the fight for territory could get nasty, just keep an eye though because it can work.
As for corys don't worry about 22inches, my old tank was 2ft high and mine managed that swim just fine.