# Serpae/Jewel tetra.



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

hey, I've have heard some bloody nasty stories about the aggression on these things, as far as fin nippers go, and I'm wondering how many people have had problems with the little buggers with Angels, Bolivians etc.

If these guys are to aggressive I have other options, but these guys are to darn nice looking not to ask.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I have kept them with angels, and it was frayed fins. Tried again with blue acaras, who had nice long trailers. Large group though, 15+ each time. So IME it's 50/50, but I think the fact the blue acaras had more spunk is what kept the serpaes away.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

I kept them with Apistos, Rams and juvi Cichlids without much nipping...


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I've kept em with oscars... Never had an issue


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

LOL... with Oscars... probably not good with angels then LOL...

thanks for the reply dwarfpike, a lot of help as usual 

Toby... when you say not much... does that mean none or the occasional nip? I don't want any nipping going on with my Wildcaught scalares or Bolivians.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

gage said:


> Toby... when you say not much... does that mean none or the occasional nip? I don't want any nipping going on with my Wildcaught scalares or Bolivians.


I don't recall ever noticing my Sepraes nipping anyone... I just hate to speak in absolute terms saying things like "mine never nipped"...

I had a 6' 125 gal with a colony of Apistos and a couple pairs of Rams along with 20+ Sepraes... On occasions the Sepraes would go after fry and the mothers would defend them. I donâ€™t ever remember seeing the Tetras fight backâ€¦

I raised a group of baby Blue Dempseys in the same tank with the same fish and the Seprae's didn't both the baby Blues...

Sepraes are my favorite Tetra. I kept them in one tank or another for well over 5 years... ending within the last 6 months... I don't consider them a nippy Tetra... and I consider them a good Dither for small Cichlids...

I plan on getting a group to go with my Steiny Geos as soon as rehome the Dempsey grow outsâ€¦


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

maybe I'll give them a try, they have always been a favorite of mine as well, but was always told to avoid them with everything I've got LOL...

we'll see, it was either them, Pristella's, or Lemons.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I wasn't joking really. I kept a school of 20 serpe tetras in a 240 along with four oscars for about a year.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Mine also nipped at gouramis, but both angels and gouramis have those super long fins and are rather slow moving fish. They are tempting targets. If this is with your wild angels, I'd deffinately go with the pristellas (very under rated tetra IMO) or the lemons. I like serpaes, I just keep them with cichlids that don't have long fins.


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## DiscusQueen (Jul 16, 2007)

Hi there. I agree with DP... those fins are just too tempting..Pristellas are a great choice. Sue


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Gage, just to point out... my experience with Sepraes not being nippy were with young fairly aggressive Cichlids... and my Dwarf tank had tons of rock/driftwood in it and most of the "openâ€


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## BurgerKing (Jul 1, 2008)

I personally wouldn't take the chances with WCs but fins do grow back with good health.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

oookaaaay... :lol:, I'm not going to risk it then 

so I ask, what is a good tetra, from the Amazon River Basin (important to me for some ungodly reason...) would be a good candidate that takes the middle region of the tank? I know pristellas and lemons generally take the bottom third of the tank, and I'm really wanting something for the middle.

thanks for the help everyone


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I can't remeber, are you wc angels guyanan or peruvian?


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

LOL... Brazilian


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Which river though??!?!? *lol* Might as well match them up. Bet Spencer knows which river they were yanked from.


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## stephen_australia (Nov 8, 2007)

TheFishGuy said:


> I wasn't joking really. I kept a school of 20 serpe tetras in a 240 along with four oscars for about a year.


Until the oscars ate them no doubt.


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

I just got six Flame Tetras and really like them. I believe they are from that same region.

....Bill


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

Flame or VonRio Tetras come from Rio De Janeiro, which is in Brazil, not sure if they are in the Amazon Basin though. can anybody clarify this???


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Yup, coastal rivers around Rio ... :thumb:


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

so they _do_ come from the _Amazon_ Basin?


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

G'day *gage*,

Um no they don't. They come form the Coastal rivers far to the south of the Amazon river basin. Rio de Janeiro is no where near the Amazon river or it's vast catchment system.

Google Maps - Brazil

South American River Systems


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I guess my post was rather confusing, the yup was agreeing with you they are from Rio ... and as *DFF* stated, Rio is no where even close to the amazon drainage.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

pft! quit being so confusing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

anyways, I decided to go with Lemon tetras, and they fit in great, my only regret is not buyiong more then 8 of them, it looks like such a tiny school :lol:, so I am think of a school of 16-20.

I now only need a school of 6 silver hatchets and a school of cory cats and I will be pretty well done the stocking this tank.


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