What To Do With My Crazy Sids

The forum for the very best information on loaches of all types. Come learn from our membership's vast experience!

Moderator: LoachForumModerators

Post Reply
Birds'nBunny
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2009 11:57 am
Location: Mt. Hood, Oregon

What To Do With My Crazy Sids

Post by Birds'nBunny » Sun Jul 12, 2009 5:42 pm

About six weeks ago I added seven Sids to my community tank. I thought I'd done enough research, but I somehow neglected to absorb the fact that they are crazy, hyperactive, little maniacs. Unfortunately, their antics seem to be stressing out some of my more placid fish. Also, at least one of them has recently started fin nipping, which greatly offends my pacifist sensibilites.

They're currently housed in a 46 gallon planted tank. In addition, I have a 10 gallon planted shrimp tank.
Is it ridiculous to even think of housing seven Sids in a 10 gallon? It's medium planted with a sand substrate, and over-filtered enough that water quality wouldn't be a problem, but is it just way too small for them?

The other thing I was considering is splitting them up between the two tanks, so that their impact is lessened in the community tank. I know that they're social, schooling fish, but my Sids barely interact with one another, much less school together. If I look over at the tank at any given time, I'm likely to see seven Sids in seven different locations - unless there's food, of course :)
Do you think they could be happy as one trio and one quartet? If I split them up and don't notice any behavior changes can I assume they're happy? Or is splitting them up a bad idea?

I hate to give up on them just yet. They're pretty cute little devils, and they cost me $90. However, if I can't make this situation work, I will find them a new home. Anyone in the Portland, OR area should feel free to start campaigning for them!

If anyone has more experience with these fish than I do, I would very much appreciate your help. For simplicity, I have highlighted the questions I'm hoping to have answered. I tend to be rather long-winded so I thought this might be useful. :lol:

User avatar
chefkeith
Posts: 2646
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:37 pm
Location: Detroit

Post by chefkeith » Sun Jul 12, 2009 6:15 pm

10g is too small. What other fish are in the 46g tank? I

Birds'nBunny
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2009 11:57 am
Location: Mt. Hood, Oregon

Post by Birds'nBunny » Sun Jul 12, 2009 7:31 pm

chefkeith wrote:10g is too small. What other fish are in the 46g tank? I
The Sids are really bugging my Blue Ram pair and my Pearl Gourami, who is quite large, but also slow and docile. The female Blue Ram looks particularly miserable. It's only a theory, but I think that all the activity in the tank is stressing her out. The male Blue Ram and the Gourami don't look stressed, but their fins are getting nipped.
The Blue Rams are my favorite fish so it really bothers me to see them getting harassed. I can't move them into the shrimp tank because they're avid shrimp hunters. (I once saw the male swimming around victoriously with a full-grown shrimp sticking out of his mouth)

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 181 guests