# Experiences with keeping Congo Tetra's



## sarahbobarah (May 20, 2005)

Interesting... Mine are still pretty young, and they've not touched any of the paper thin liveas of my rotala macranda and sunset hydro. 

How can you sex them?


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

It is very difficult when they are young, but the fins tell it all. Coloring comes with maturity as well. The males are beautiful and the last 3 I got were "guaranteed" to be males so I would have 3 and 3... wrong again...LOL
Now I have 6 females...still a beautiful fish though.

That is why they are so expensive when they are grown out a bit I guess, they can be sexed. The shops around here very rarely get adult males and the one time they did they were 17 dollars each, no way was I paying that at the time.


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## [RK] (Aug 11, 2005)

My red blue Columbian tetras have nipped some of my hygro too. All 5 of them were devouring one leaf the other day.


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

I wish mine only did one leaf...they did about 8 complete stems. Anyone need some sticks , cuz thats all thats left ! 

The weirdest part is that it all happened in 2 days... why now ? Its been in the tank for a few weeks now and was just starting to get real nice, then BAM... its gone. 

I hope they get a belly ache !!! :biggrin:


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

My Congos are going bye bye soon ! If anyone is considering congo tetra's be sure you have no plans for any type of Hygro. 

I cant even keep any Hygro poly in my tank now ! 

Congo Tetra's for sale or rent ! :icon_frow


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## bharada (Mar 5, 2004)

My Congos developed a taste for L. aromatica...never eating the whole leaf, just the tips so that all new growth ended up having squared off tips. After awhile I moved them into my 125g tank and they seem to have given up on their vegitarian ways.

As for sexing them, it's hard to do until the extensions on the male's tail start to develop...usually when they get to be about 1.5".


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

It seems the older they get the more destructive thay have become. 
They are being removed most likely this weekend ! I should get a decent trade for a 6 fish school of mature congos. I am thinking of a bunch more rummynose in their place to go with the 6 I have now.


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## bharada (Mar 5, 2004)

I do like the way the Congos occupy the mid/upper levels of my tank though. My Rummies might as well be Cories with the way the hug the gravel all day.


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## fishyboy (Nov 16, 2003)

My 11 rummy's in my 75 school all the time, Finally my lfs is getting another good batch in soon so i'll move up to about 30 of them.


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

> I do like the way the Congos occupy the mid/upper levels of my tank


 They are probably the best fish I have ever had for schooling and staying midrange but I just cant take the destruction anymore. 
I agree the rummynose sem to like the bottom more then I thought they would but they wander a lot so its OK to me. 
I may wait a bit and see whats available for a replacement.


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## Georgiadawgger (Apr 23, 2004)

Man those are some great looking fish...sorry to hear about the "males" you got. I think those are probably my favorites once they get their white trail on their fins...and a school of 8-12 is absolutely stunning. 

As far as herbivory/omnivory I never noticed it, but with those teeth! I'm sure they could shred a plant in seconds.

If you are looking for a good upper-mid to upper tetra, what about penguin tetras on the upper half with rummy's at the bottom? Or even hatchet fish (unless you have an open top). Or threadfin rainbows?


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## medicineman (Sep 28, 2005)

Gack... I hope the 8 of them in my tank (full sized ones) will not be eating plants. Occupy the mid and top? The ones in my tank are still so shy that they act like shrimps and not like tetra  I couldnt know better that they are likely wild caught when I bought them at the shop. I'd rather have the smaller but tamed one. Now when will they go out and play?


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## sanj (Jan 11, 2004)

Buck said:


> But I love my congos , they are one of the best schooling tetra's I have ever had, even though all 6 are females. I guess I can just chalk it up to a lesson learned.
> 
> :icon_ques *Anyone other congo tetra keepers had major plant devouring problems with adulthood ?*


Buck you really want to get some males they are really beautiful. I have 3 males and 4 females and yes they are very good schoolers.

Have not had plant nibble problems though.


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## guaiac_boy (Nov 5, 2005)

Can you tell from my avitar what my favorite fish is? I absolutely love congos and am planning a 150 gallon tank to feature a large school of 20 or so in the near future. A few observations: I have 6 currently, 4 males & 2 females. They are normally shy in my tank, but absolutely go crazy when the angelfish is absent. They are MUCH better as the dominant fish in the tank. To school appropriately you need probably at least 6 to 8. This takes a pretty big tank. A 4 footer is probably minimum for a real school. Mine are pairing off regularly. Their displays and breeding coloration are quite impressive. Mine have never once hurt the plants (except tearing through the didiplis when showing off to each other). I do keep hygro. I feed with flakes every other day and a mixture of brine and mosquito larvae the next. The only fish that I've seen eat less voraciously are angels (and hungry piranhas). Absolutely king of the tetras & the best large schooling fish without question.


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