# Bloodfin Tetra; Bad Thing?



## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

I woke up this morning like usual, stumble over to the fish tank to turn on the light. i took a look, and one of my bloodfin tetras had his/her entire bottom lip missing!!! It's a triangular piece of both his/her gill and lip under the head. i fed them frozen shrimp last night, and everything was fine. i'm blaming this all on the flame dwarf gourami. i noticed his first bit of aggression this morning. i thing he is going to die. well, don't blame me for saying this, but just die already!!!!!!!!!!! i am going to petco anyways after school!!!!!!!!! does anyone know what happened? thnx!
-NoaDon12- :shock:


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## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

And btw, does anyone know how to get rid of scum forming by the water line?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

NoaDon12 said:


> And btw, does anyone know how to get rid of scum forming by the water line?


Do you mean scum on the water surface, or do you mean a buildup along the tank walls at the waterline?

The former is a protein scum that naturally occurs on the water surface; increasing surface disturbance via the filter outflow can keep this from forming, it does not take much, just a gentle flow. It is not harmful, but annoying.

The latter is caused by dissolved minerals in the water, and is common in harder water than soft. As the water evaporates, the minerals are precipitated out and remain along the water line. When you do the partial water change each week, scrape it off with a common aquarium scraper first, then siphon it out, or wait until you lower the water level and go after it with a damp paper towel and scraper.

Byron.


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## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

ok, thanks!!! another question!!! what do bloodfin fry eat?! i got some more tetras on thurs, but the guy there gave me the smallest bloodfin in there! i don't know what it will eat if it doesn't eat flakes! and another question; is it natural for a growing swordtale to nip at their peers anal fins? cuz thats wat hes doing!!! is this going to be harmful at all to the other fish? (flame dwaf gourami) and stangly enough, the swortale only seems to have a problem with my gourami....................?! thnx!!!
-NoaDon12-


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

NoaDon12 said:


> ok, thanks!!! another question!!! what do bloodfin fry eat?! i got some more tetras on thurs, but the guy there gave me the smallest bloodfin in there! i don't know what it will eat if it doesn't eat flakes! and another question; is it natural for a growing swordtale to nip at their peers anal fins? cuz thats wat hes doing!!! is this going to be harmful at all to the other fish? (flame dwaf gourami) and stangly enough, the swortale only seems to have a problem with my gourami....................?! thnx!!!
> -NoaDon12-


If the bloodfin is large enough to be in the store tank, it is past the "fry" stage. It will eat like the others; flake foods are accepted by bloodfins, and while they have teeth to chew them up or break them apart, you can also crush a couple flakes with your fingers and add them with the regular flakes at feeding time. I regularly have true "fry" in my tanks and those that manage to survive predation and grow to where I notice them, feed on minuscule aquatic life that occurs in an established aquarium, zoo plankton in the algae mat and on wood and among floating plants, etc. I crush up a few flakes when I see these larger fry and they readily eat them.

Re the swordtail, this is common with male swordtails, they can be bullies. And a gourami with its long feelers and slow sedate cruising is a prime target. To avoid stressing the gourami, can you separate them, like a different tank? The gourami if constantly being harassed will be stressed and this means health problems that would not otherwise occur. I do not recommend breeding traps, although it is a temporary solution if a new tank (even a 10g) for the gourami can be set up.

Byron.


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## NoaDon12 (Jan 6, 2010)

sigh................................. i don't have another tank.................... but thanks alot for that bloodfin tetra tip thingy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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