# Cochu's Blue Tetra Jumping



## MonopolyBag (Jan 11, 2008)

So i have a Solana which is roughly 35 gallons. I have a bunch of Cochu's Blue Tetra in it. Maybe 60. Yes this is a lot, I plan to remove them as they grow. I bought them not knowing they will get as large as they do. They are just under an inch right now. I just added them today. I also have five cories in there.

The tank is stable, I had some guppies in it for a few weeks before and added some bio additive yesterday and today prior to adding the lot of fish. It has been running for a month. Bio balls and carbon is run in the filter along with a filter pad and pre sponge.

My tank has some manzanita wood in it. A lot of branches that are they height of the aquarium and provide a lot of things to swim around. White large grain sand /small grain gravel.

So I was in my room, and none had jumped out, until I turned off the light. They jump out quickly. A few do. I still have ambient light on from this computer though. The light goes on and they stop being hyper and calm down.

I try to view it with the lights completely out and I can not tell whether or not they are still hyper and jumping out.

I am wondering if anyone has knowledge or experience with these fellows. I would like to try and keep no top on there as I would like to keep the wood sticking out of the top, but I am leaning towards throwing my top back on it.

It is weird. Are these fish nocturnal? Is the monitor form my computer acting as a moon and makes them crazy? I understand that these fish do not like bright light, but why so hyper only sometimes?

Anyone know if they are hyper when all my lights are out and I can not see them?



I am guessing that these fish just are more likely to jump than other tetras. Which stinks. I bought them hoping I could do open top (deciding not to get rose line barbs for the reason they jump.) This has shown me to do my research before buying the fish... Dang it.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Do you have any plants in the aquarium in which they can hide? Do you have any other cat fish that might be chasing them?


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## MonopolyBag (Jan 11, 2008)

Just the blues and the cories. Nothing else.

No plants. A ton of manzanita though. They can hide in the branches. I know they prefer plants, but I do not have any plants in there.

I held my cell phone light up to the tank in the dark with no other light, they are attracted to the light (more than moths) and swim into the glass towards the cell phone. it is quite noticeable and I am surprised. They get more hyper too around the light.

I have a cover on there now as I only lost one from being deformed and do not want to lose more to jumping.

They are all eating, very active, and seem to ignore the cories and vise versa (this is now as I type with the tank light on.)

I will take a pic soon.

Any advice, comments?


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I know a trick with fishing is to have a light and the fish will be drawn to it. Perhaps it explains them following the light. Not sure about them jumping out. Glad you have the cover on.


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## MonopolyBag (Jan 11, 2008)

Does anyone else have any knowledge on this?
I have been servicing aquariums for a long time now and know most tetras for non jumpers, but these guys do seem a bit more hyper than most, but even then I wouldn't expect them to jump.

And what is up with the light, could this cause them to jump?

And damn it, had one cory die. It was not a healthy one as he would not hang out with the other four, swim slower, and had a tail that looked like at one time it got infected. Not surprised.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

They are not jumpers. We've had 60 in a 10 gallon open top tank (with frequent water changes and all, just holding tanks for a fish business). 

However it is true that the same fish may love this tank and totally hate the one next to it. No explanation with water chemistry. You may have electricity leak from a pump, or some other interference that makes the fish jumpy. At night the conchu's get pale and slow - they are not nocturnal.

Other than that - noone can tell you why they jump.

--Nikolay


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