Of all the stupid things to do

[mikev]

Pictures please!

I'll try but good pics are beyond my talents: very small fish which does not stay still.

[mikev]

Best I can do:





When looking at them it always feels that the spine is not straight...

[Graeme Robson]

I've also noticed that mine are now becoming less active with age and good feedings. I often see them just resting or don't see them while in the plants. I also got these chap as a freebie with the deformed spine. Possible juvenile accident from transportation.

[daspricey]

i'm glad you rescued them.

i'm sure they have a great home now and hopefully they will get better.

[mikev]

Very interesting, Graham, comparing to your freebie my deformities are child's play...

The earlier Rosies I have I even cannot count. They tend to stay behind plant roots and stones, and even during feeding it is quick grab and run back. I had 8, can see 2 or 3 easily, and one time managed to locate 6.

[mikev]

Update: very surprisingly I did not lose any of them. They are also up to normal "shipping" size now (still not fully grown).

And strangely it seems that all seven are females.

Either the females are more stable (every single male died in transportation?)...or something subtly wrong with the tank they are in. My older school which has a mix of sexes is in heavily planted tank with some current; these new guys are in an unplanted tank with rocks and lots of flow (meant for hillstreams)....I still cannot understand which environment is actually better for them.

PS. I managed to count the original ones up to 8... seems like I have 4 males, 2 females and 2 "super-females" among them. Adding 7 more females into the group would create perhaps a good balance.