# Rummynose Tetras are a Pain!



## ScottsTot (Feb 26, 2018)

I finally got about a dozen rummynose tetras, and they're quickly becoming my least favorite fish. I've had them for about a week, and they will eat nothing but frozen baby brine shrimp and bloodworms. I've tried 0.5mm NLS Grow and 0.5mm NLS Thera A, but the fish simply look at the pellets and let the food drop to the ground. Then they start picking at my carpet looking for food and uproot my dwarf baby tears. :crying:

What do you feed your rummynose tetras? 

Also, 3 of them have died so far. I can't figure out why. I was able to get a glimpse of one before it passed and the face was a discolored white immediately before it died. Additionally, the lips of the remaining ones are turning white. My guess is that they aren't eating well. Does anyone know why they could be dying and why the lips are changing? At this rate, I expect another 1 or 2 to die by the end of the week, and I'd like to prevent it.


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## Winzdk (Dec 2, 2017)

Mine eat this Complete Flakes | Dennerle
and this Colour Booster | Dennerle
and this Nano gran | DAJANA PET, s.r.o.


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## AngeltheGypsy (May 2, 2017)

Rummynose are almost always wild caught, and are a bit more sensitive to changes in water chemistry. It’s not unusual to lose them early, but if they make it the first month or two, they do really well. I lost half of my first batch of 12. I’ve done better with them since. They do much better in soft water also. 
They are also more shy. I feed mine omega one color flakes. Later, when they have become accustomed and comfortable, mine steal pellets from my various cichlids. 


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## MaroMan (Jan 6, 2010)

I am also trying to keep a large shoal of Rummynoses, I have found that they will eat flake but it needs to be freef loating and small enough for them to quickly grab at will. I have also fed them frozen adult brine shrimp. With these it seems that we need a good cleanup crew to get the leftovers that they don't eat. I have a second batch coming tomorrow, hope I have success!


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## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

With many of the sensitive tetras I accept that losing half is possible in the first couple of weeks. I recently bought 25 Lemon tetras and one week later (today) Ive lost at least half. It looks as though some may have developed some fin rot or something due to the stress of shipping allowing normally benign microbes to cause issues. I dosed a single full dose of paraguard 1 time and that seemed to allow the fish ample time to recover without the other pathogens taking advantage. I used to lose half or more of the Neons I purchased. The last 2 times I have not lost a single one. That is amazing. White is normally not a good thing. Lots of water changes and consider paraguard and quarantine.

I also feed baby brine shrimp exclusively to new fish. Once they are past the 4 week mark I work in some flake and pellets. They love daphnia. You should give them something to really enjoy as they acclimate. This made a huge difference for me in acclimating new fish... well until the lemon tetra disaster.


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

That's a bummer about the losses, were these tank raised or wild caught?


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## Fireweed (Oct 11, 2016)

Flakes crunched small works great. 
Lots of rummies are bred as well, consider asking before buying. No need to buy sensitive wild fish that a farmed regularly.


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## ScottsTot (Feb 26, 2018)

Thanks for the food suggestions. I'll try some. Do rummynose tetras tend to go to the surface for food? Everytime I put in food, the rasboras go up and snatch them first. 

I lost another today. We'll see how the rest go. The poor guy started losing his red before passing as well. Some have discolored mouths/lips as well, but I can't find any info on what that could mean. 

Compared to rummynose, how sensitive are cardinal or ember tetras? I'm thinking about adding some of these as "replacement" fish.


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## Tank Stand (Jan 24, 2018)

ScottsTot said:


> Thanks for the food suggestions. I'll try some. Do rummynose tetras tend to go to the surface for food? Everytime I put in food, the rasboras go up and snatch them first.
> 
> I lost another today. We'll see how the rest go. The poor guy started losing his red before passing as well. Some have discolored mouths/lips as well, but I can't find any info on what that could mean.
> 
> Compared to rummynose, how sensitive are cardinal or ember tetras? I'm thinking about adding some of these as "replacement" fish.


I bought 6 cardinals recently, just after my tank cycled and they're all still alive. It's been three weeks. The stock that my LFS had was very good. They had zero deaths in about a week. I also drip acclimatised them for an hour and a half. Just make sure the stock that you get looks healthy.

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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

How old is your tank and what are the water parameters?

If your tetras are indeed wild caught, 82-84F temperature is good.
Rummy noses eat mid watter and might pick food off the bottom. The rasboras might not leave enough food for them.


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## AngeltheGypsy (May 2, 2017)

When I feed my rummies I disperse the flakes under the surface of the water. 


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## d33pVI (Oct 28, 2015)

Try soaking the flake food with a little bit of fresh garlic prior to feeding. Worked like a charm to get my new wild angels to take flake and pellet food.


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## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

How long has your tank been set up? All of these fish need a very mature tank and very stable parameters.
I personally would not try to add those fish until at least 2 months after a tank has cycled and had an opportunity to build up ample bacteria and biofilm. 
Second if they aren't eating what you have, then you need to find something they will eat. Some fish will get hungry enough to eat whatever is provided... newly added fish will simply not eat and die. What is your pH and temp?


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## Alonso14 (Feb 5, 2018)

they are very sensitive to change on water parameters
Use some Garlic and raise temp to increase the metabolism
I think they are still adapting to new aquarium give then some time


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## Dmckmc (Jan 22, 2012)

Mine eat cheap Tetra flake food at the surface.


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## Chlorophile (Aug 2, 2011)

Hmm.. I've found them to be absolutely hardy as can be!
They tolerate more co2 than most other fish I've kept, mine eat flake, pellets, brine shrimp, blood worms, frozen mysis. 
At first I pretty much only fed them basic flake, I also only feed them every 3 days, they are the first to rush the surface to eat. 
Is your water temperature warm enough? I find them more energetic at 75.5-78 degrees. 

It is also possible you have true rummy nose and not the kind more commonly sold, "Bleheri" 
in which case maybe they are more fussy.

edit: My only other fish are cardinals, and they both eat from the surface. 
The NLS sinking .05mm pellets are a bit large for both fish so I haven't fed that in a while. 

What is the other inhabitant of the tank? I saw rasbora but what species? 
Maybe they are intimidating the rummys?


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## Spiffyfish (Jan 30, 2014)

Chlorophile said:


> Hmm.. I've found them to be absolutely hardy as can be!
> They tolerate more co2 than most other fish I've kept, mine eat flake, pellets, brine shrimp, blood worms, frozen mysis.
> At first I pretty much only fed them basic flake, I also only feed them every 3 days, they are the first to rush the surface to eat.
> Is your water temperature warm enough? I find them more energetic at 75.5-78 degrees.
> ...



i second what he said, i have about 30 and they will eat almost anything at the surface. i too have cardinals as well and the same thing with them. i feed mine flakes, sera stick on tabs, and they even eat repashy food.


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## ScottsTot (Feb 26, 2018)

I think I'll crush some of the pellets for them. That might help. I've got 5 left now.


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## woody123 (Sep 22, 2017)

I have 10 rummies in a 29 gallon tank. They where my first fish purchase. I have found them to be pretty easy I feed them APB reed pellets. They tend to hang out in the lower 3rd of the tank and can be a little shy. I have to keep my foreground plants low so they hang out in the front. They wait for the food to float to the bottom and will not come to the surface.


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