# What should I feed my tetras?



## musapan (Mar 1, 2010)

I bought a 20 gallon tank yesterday and set it all up. I added lots of live plants, and stuck a 30 gallon filter on it; I bought a heater as well, and my water is at about 78 degrees right now. I did a water test today, and my water is immaculate. I'm thinking of getting a couple of Black Skirt Tetra and Gold Skirt Tetras either today or tomorrow, but before I do, I want to make sure to buy the best food for them.
Are granules better than flakes for these tetras?
Also, frozen blood worms or brine shrimp? Or are both frozen foods very good for them?


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## Promelas (Feb 5, 2010)

I feed my tetras small pellets of Spectrum, with blood worms once or twice a week. You said your water is immaculate...what are your parameters? You should research the nitrogen cycle because you will have to cycle your tank before adding many fish. Your water won't remain immaculate once you add fish. The cycle is stressful to fish and many are not tough enough to live through it. I cycled my tank with 6 head and tail light tetras, but many will say to do a fishless cycle and this can take 4-8 weeks depending on your setup.

Edit: Oh and you mentioned that you have a 30g filter on it..hang on back filters are not recommended for planted aquariums so if thats what you have you may want to switch to something else.


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

I think that if your tank is HEAVILY planted, with several fast-growing species, cycling isn't completely neccesary.
(The plants will absorb the ammonia as a preferred nitrogen source- just don't fertilise for a few weeks if at all)

Definately add just a few fish at a time, but in a 20 gal, I think 6 tetras would be okay, and after a few weeks buy 6 more, then 6 more, etc.
(just don't put 20 in on the same day!)

You definately need a water test kit, so you can moniter the ammonia, but it shouldn't be a problem.

I use a hang-on-back filter with plants...Just make sure either it's low in the tank, or there's not too much water current produced. (can modify the water output to trickle by attaching a sponge or something over the outtake, leading down into the water) Also, take out all of the activated carbon after a week or so.
Also, don't plant anything around the intake to the filter, and keep the area clear. It should be fine... Note, I said SHOULD be, bot that it definately will.

As far as tetra food, I'm not completely sure. I would imagine any quality granules would be good, since they are mid-water feeders. Floating flakes might be uncomfortable for them to eat. (but they'll probably eat from the surface too... In nature they feed at mid-level)
As far as the live food, variety is best. There's usually not any "perfect" live food, but with bloodworms for fats and protein and shrimps for roughage, you should have your bases covered. (use both sparingly though, packaged food usually is sufficient for day-to-day feeding)


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## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

All the tetras i've ever had were very good eaters. I feed minevegetable flake food, brine shrimp, blood worms, and they eat all of it. I like to mix up their diet, alternating the days i give them the different foods.


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## musapan (Mar 1, 2010)

Promelas said:


> I feed my tetras small pellets of Spectrum, with blood worms once or twice a week. You said your water is immaculate...what are your parameters? You should research the nitrogen cycle because you will have to cycle your tank before adding many fish. Your water won't remain immaculate once you add fish. The cycle is stressful to fish and many are not tough enough to live through it. I cycled my tank with 6 head and tail light tetras, but many will say to do a fishless cycle and this can take 4-8 weeks depending on your setup.
> 
> Edit: Oh and you mentioned that you have a 30g filter on it..hang on back filters are not recommended for planted aquariums so if thats what you have you may want to switch to something else.


Thank you for all your advice. ^_^ I've worked with fish every day for over five years now, I work at a petstore and work exclusively with the fish; so most of what you've said, I'm telling to my customers every day. I know a bit. ;-) heehee
Thanks though! Lots of great info! ^_^


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## musapan (Mar 1, 2010)

cmc29 said:


> All the tetras i've ever had were very good eaters. I feed minevegetable flake food, brine shrimp, blood worms, and they eat all of it. I like to mix up their diet, alternating the days i give them the different foods.


Great, this is what I was planning on doing! (Meaning to say, I wanted to make sure this is what other people were doing!) I wanted to make sure to give them an extremely varied diet to keep them happy and healthy, I just wasn't sure if brine shrimp was the best thing for them.  But using both blood worms and brine occasionally sounds like a good plan!

Thank you everyone for all your help!


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

Well if I'd known you work at a pet store, my post would have been shorter!

I would have posted:
--------------------

slow-sinking granules are better.

--------------------

lol. Good to know there's at least one person that works in a pet store and actually knows something about fish.


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## Promelas (Feb 5, 2010)

redchigh said:


> Well if I'd known you work at a pet store, my post would have been shorter!
> 
> I would have posted:
> --------------------
> ...



haha yep, mine too. Out of curiosity, after working at a fish store for 5 years, wouldn't you already know the best food to feed em?


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## musapan (Mar 1, 2010)

Promelas said:


> haha yep, mine too. Out of curiosity, after working at a fish store for 5 years, wouldn't you already know the best food to feed em?


haha, well, I've never owned tetras of my own before. Now that I'm getting them, I'm being a little over-protective, I guess, and just double-checking my information. ^_^ I usually tell customers to just buy flakes and frozen brine shrimp for their community fish, but I wanted to be a little more thorough with my own fish. xD


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## Promelas (Feb 5, 2010)

Cool, I'm sure they'll do great!


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## Claudia1002 (Jan 3, 2010)

redchigh said:


> I think that if your tank is HEAVILY planted, with several fast-growing species, cycling isn't completely neccesary.
> (The plants will absorb the ammonia as a preferred nitrogen source- just don't fertilise for a few weeks if at all))



It's worth checking things first...add some ammonia and see what it does. 

My tank is heavily planted. As I recently learned, it's not above a minicycle (despite using filter media from the established tank which ran for 10+ years).


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## Mean Harri (Dec 14, 2009)

musapan said:


> haha, well, I've never owned tetras of my own before. Now that I'm getting them, I'm being a little over-protective, I guess, and just double-checking my information. ^_^ I usually tell customers to just buy flakes and frozen brine shrimp for their community fish, but I wanted to be a little more thorough with my own fish. xD


Now you can be sure to thoroughly inform your customers, up-sell them on product, make top salesman of the year and become manager.


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## musapan (Mar 1, 2010)

Mean Harri said:


> Now you can be sure to thoroughly inform your customers, up-sell them on product, make top salesman of the year and become manager.



First of all, I began working at a pet store because I love animals, and passionately want them to find good homes. I could NEVER make 'top-salesman', because unfortunately for my store I tell customers the blunt truth, and I have refused sale to irresponsible customers so many times that I'm surprised I haven't been fired. I tell customers exactly what they need to make their pet happy and healthy, and nothing more. And almost every day I have to explain to customers that just because we advertise something (in an attempt to up-sell, like aquarium salt for fresh water tanks) that doesn't mean they absolutely need it. ^^

In fact, I love to tell customers how they can do things for free; making free hamster/small animal toys, making their own hammocks... My customers come back to me because they know I DON'T up-sell. I hate it when people try that on me, so why would I do it to someone else?

I'm not sure if your comment was meant to be witty or mean, but I wanted to work with animals, not become a salesman. And I get plenty of frak from my managers for being unable to 'sell' anything. I'm there to take care of the animals and help customers better take care of their animals... I care so little about humans, I couldn't care less about THEIR needs. It's all about the animals in my care.

I don't know if you were trying to be offensive or not, but regardless your comment came off that way. Perhaps it was your mention of up-selling that offended me; I hate it with a passion when salesmen try and up-sell to me, so I would never want to become that way. :/


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## LisaC144 (Oct 22, 2009)

Ouch. Calm down there, killer. It was a joke. Mean Harri was kidding, I can guarantee that much. As you explore this forum more, you will learn to distinguish everyone's personalities. He's a funny guy and I enjoy reading his threads/posts.

P.S. Variety is the spice of life.


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## musapan (Mar 1, 2010)

LisaC144 said:


> Ouch. Calm down there, killer. It was a joke. Mean Harri was kidding, I can guarantee that much. As you explore this forum more, you will learn to distinguish everyone's personalities. He's a funny guy and I enjoy reading his threads/posts.
> 
> P.S. Variety is the spice of life.


Unfortunately sarcasm and humor doesn't transfer very well over the interwebz, does it? ^_^


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## Mean Harri (Dec 14, 2009)

Calm down cupcake.
You posted this asking for info. You got it. Some you knew, some helped you. Since you may have learned something new and you work in a pet store you can use the info to PROPERLY suggest foods for their fish. That would likely mean not selling them the cheap stuff like Top fin food. But rather better quality. I didn't mean upsell them as in rip them off. Because I can't stand to be taken by sales jerks either. No I was not trying to be offensive. If I was you'd know it. Trust in that. Word!
And please, for the sake of humanity, try not to be overly offended, ever, in life. You don't need to look for offensive. At least from me you don't. I'll give it to ya straight up and not hide if I was offensive. Here, have a beer.


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