# Red Velvet Swordtail :(



## Nikiller97 (May 26, 2013)

I have a 20 gallon tank that used to have 2 red velvet swordtails along with a large opaline gourami, baby honey dwarf gourami, 4 rosy barbs, 2 albino tiger barbs, 2 green tiger barbs 
, 2 tiger barbs, a 2.5 inch rainbow shark, and one big bad electric green tetra.
I woke up this morning and my older swordtail had his eyes picked out and his fins nipped very bad. Not 5 minutes later I see all of my tigers attacking the other. I managed to quarantine the surviving fish but he is missing half his sword, his eyes are cloudy, and a lot of scales all over his body are nipped. Is he going to survive or die and what can I do to make it less painful of a death if he is going to die?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

First on the fish itself, you need to separate it to another tank, though it may not recover depending upon what damage has been done. If this is not possible, euthanizing the fish is best.

The reason this is happening, and will continue to happen, is the selection of fish. You have too many species, and not enough numbers of some of them, and in too small a space. Some of the fish you have are quite aggressive: the Tiger Barb and Green Tiger Barb (the same species), the Rainbow Shark. A 20g tank is not sufficient space for any of these. Read more in our profiles, click the shaded name.

I don't know what the Green electric tetra might be, but it sounds as if it is trouble too. The gourami will likely be the next fish attacked, and the rosy barb won't be far behind.

Byron.


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## Nikiller97 (May 26, 2013)

well both of my swordtails died but the greens were having territory issues so i moved around the tank and then got a bamboo shrimp to clean up around the tank. the sharks is more peaceful than most and the opaline gourami is much bigger then everything so all is well
and the tetra is just a big ass around the tank


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