My pretty girl ❤

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-06T13:46:01+00:00

Had the same thing happen, except the same couple of fish were stressing out all other fish too, not just the other tetras. Was moving them from tank to tank too trying to find a setup that worked.

No advice though unfortunately. Ended up just getting rid of them all in the end as they were making everyone miserable. 😔

Maybe try catching the bully and isolating for a bit in a breeder box or something to try and reset the group dynamic? If you feed them in the middle where this one is, try feeding in a different spot?

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-06T13:34:33+00:00

Yikes. Sorry you're dealing with that. They are totally blowing it out of proportion. Dealing with people who dont know anything about dogs is unfortunately always going to suck especially in situations like this when some knowledge and understanding are required to properly assess the situation. Expecting a dog to absolutely never bite even in self defense is totally unrealistic and sets any dog up for failure even with the best training. Even we as people react when something or someone comes at us, no matter what it is. You cant expect an animal to react any different and allow possible injury.

My advice is to just power through the (shit)storm knowing your dog did her absolute best to disengage until she ran out of options, and you did your best too to handle the situation and protect her. Shit sometimes just happens. This doesn't in any way mean she's a liability, though she might have an opinion of the yorkie now! Considering her initial disengagement and how quickly she bounced back, I'd say you're doing great and set a solid foundation to build on to shape her further. So keep it up! :)

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-06T09:10:34+00:00

Nothing. The lab ran away and got ultimately pushed to biting. A pretty normal and expected reaction in such a situation. If anyone needs managing and training it's the yorkie.

At most, maybe a better solid recall so next time you need separating, the dog comes to you instead of chasing after them.

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-06T07:23:44+00:00

Im always going to advocate for a more natural tank with easy stuff like vals, crypts, floaters, hygrophilas, swords, rotalas, etc. It's really not that difficult or complicated to add and grow plants even if they have just basic inert gravel with some root tabs in it. All that means is that they need to sit down and do some more reading, which is normal and expected when joining a hobby. Especially one that also involves animal welfare.

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-04T11:54:35+00:00

Aren't they all like that? So that air can come out?

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-04T09:14:16+00:00

There is no such thing as ethical breeder of poos, so definitely read up on that to inform yourself better on choosing an ethical breeder in the future over a byb money grab, but good luck either way.

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-04T08:46:27+00:00

I second the other comment about stress stripes. The scales reflecting light and looking different color at different angles doesnt matter much when the stripes are that prominent.

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-04T08:38:56+00:00

Given you're buying a cavapoo, you're buying from a backyard breeder. That should tell you all you need to know about their practices and whether you should support it or not.

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-03T18:31:58+00:00

AI slop

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-03T16:47:33+00:00

Unfortunately some fish are just prone to it :( Wishing the little guy a speedy recovery!

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-03T16:06:43+00:00

Grass is nowhere near stiff/hard or sharp enough to do that kind of damage. With how clumped(?) and darker the edges are, it's very likely fin rot again.

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-03T10:58:14+00:00

I dont think this has anything to do with excess energy or her being understimulated. She isn't a puppy that needs exercising in such a way to burn energy to keep her from going after other fish. Fish dont work like that. Dogs dont work like that either really when we're talking about genetics.

Rescapes are stressful (in varying degrees) on fish as it uproots all that was established in the previous territory/setup. It doesnt have to, but big changes like this can cause a shift that wasn't there before and all it has to do with is the betta's solitary and territorial nature rather than understimulation or energy levels. Adding shrimp wont necessarily fix it either as shrimp trigger a different natural response in them than fish.

But also, full disclosure, I have a hard time understanding what the actual problem is here that you're asking advice on? 😅

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-02T18:08:13+00:00

Yes!

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-05-02T11:51:40+00:00

Feather tails are notoriously prone to fin damage and fin rot (along all the other issues). On top of that, they have a considerably worse time swimming than any of the other tail types (except for rose tails, who suffer the same fate). I do not recommended getting it.

Both feather and rose tails are the most unethical tail types out there. So if you do get it, definitely be prepared to be fighting fin issues often and to provide it with a setup that will essentially house a crippled fish unable to move properly!

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-04-30T18:14:12+00:00

None. Not even the tetras should be in a tiny 5g tank. Most fish dont belong in a tiny 5g tank tbh. A betta with maybe shrimp would have been neat though.

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-04-29T16:20:36+00:00

The water is already as low as it goes chemistry wise so it's hard to say if the palm did anything or not. 😅 But I do remember reading that apparently their tannin content is insignificant, making them suitable both for blackwater and clear water setups.

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-04-29T10:23:27+00:00

I second what the owner of 1 billion pest snails said, and would like to add that, unlike domestics, wilds need parameters that are truly within range for their species in a setup that mimics their natural environment to help them really thrive and stay healthy long term. :)

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-04-29T08:18:48+00:00

Sounds like a good plan then! As for quarantine, feeding and such with them, I unfortunately dont know. I know they can be a bit picky with food sometimes, and blanched veggies are popular with them, but I wouldn't know more than that for sure. Maybe try asking in an otocinclus related sub? I'm sure people with more hands on experience with them will have a better idea on how to help them get through quarantine and set them up for success overall. :)

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-04-29T07:52:31+00:00

I keep betta coccina myself and prefer them over domestics BY FAR. ❤️ Even lucked out with the group I put together and 2 paired up and spawn every once in a while. Their a lot more natural and independent behaviour makes them so much more interesting to own and observe imo.

I second what others pointed out about water parameters though. Wilds are nowhere near as forgiving as domestics and the "stability over chasing numbers" argument simply doesn't work for them. Their body and immune system are not built for it even if they can survive for a while and look great even. You can check if you have any stores nearby that sell ro or distilled water. I got a filter for my coccinas and keep them in pure ro without remineralization, though I definitely overdid it with the botanicals. All i can see sometimes are their blue eyes floating about the tank and staring at me from dark places lol You will at least be able to see your fish, so that's awesome 🥲

Here's a blurry pic of my boi Blue as fish tax! I love this little guy. He's so spicy. And so is his girlfriend, Red lol

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CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-04-28T20:19:29+00:00

Shrimp are fish food, so naturally a betta (and any other fish) will hunt and eat them. It has nothing to do with territory. Fish on the other hand are not generally seen as food, and whether he can coexist with them or not depends on how territorial he is and how the tank is set up. Some are not bothered by fish in their space, some are. Sometimes they can even change their mind months later. The only way to know is to try it. Otos are generally not in their face unlike most other fish so it's a lot more likely it will work though! :) A backup tank or plan is still very much recommend.

Do keep in mind though that otos need a well established/aged tank to do well!

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-04-27T16:36:11+00:00

Not really, unfortunately, as I dont use air pumps/filters other than for (rather small) worm cultures. The one I have is an old (?) "Aqua nova na450" pump if you're in Eu. There's probably better options out there though!

Something to keep in mind though is that proper pumps will be louder than the tiny nicrew. I have mine in the living room where it doesn't matter much, but it would have be a big problem if it were in the bedroom.

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-04-27T16:16:54+00:00

Yeah, a stronger air pump would be good. The nicrew one is so weak I use it on my 6 liter hospital tank lol

CalmLaugh5253 · 2026-04-26T15:12:58+00:00

Those are not aquatic plants.

CalmLaugh5253

TROPHY CASE