peppermint tetra rescues...

[ManInBlack2010]

so a friend of the family has been keeping 3 peppermint tetras in a bowl (not sure of the size) for 3 weeks now. it doesn't sound like she's done a water change at all because she told my mother their is scum on the top and she just feeds them every once in a while. I told them i'd take them. I plan on starting a community tank sometime after christmas and they can live in that, but i need somewhere to keep them. the tank my community tank is going to go in is currently under repairs to patch a crack.

my set ups right now are:
10g with 1 female betta, 4 peppered corries, and a mystery snail
3.5g with 1 male betta and a mystery snail
5.5g with 1 male betta and a mystery snail

i've heard that tetras are fin bitters so i'm hesitant to put them in any tanks with my bettas... i know that if i added them to my 10g with my female it would be overstocked... to make things better i'm thinking i can temporarily divide my 5.5g and move my female in there so the tetras can have the 10g with the corries...

they're going to need qt for sure and i don't have an extra tank... i probably shouldn't take these guys but i feel horrible leaving them in the situation they're in.

any suggestions/ideas/comments on my plans that can help? the soonest i can get the 30g future community tank running would be this weekend and it wouldn't be cycled. I was going to be getting the filter and heater for christmas so i was going to wait till then to get it running...
*note, i don't have them yet, i said i'd pick them up this weekend

[kfryman]

I think if you really wanted to, you can overstock the 10 for a while and then transfer them to the bigger tank when it is running. I think 3 tetras will be happier in an overstocked tank then a bowl. People may not agree but I think it would still be an improvement.

[Rosso1011]

I'm gonna be one of those who disagrees. Three tetras is not even a school. Tetras tend to get stressed out when they are not in proper schools, which can lead to skittish behavior, picking at other fish that they don't like, etc.

I would do the temporary divide and put the tetras in with the corydoras. They won't bother them... not that they really can since they share different swimming/feeding levels. My feelings are play it safe for the time being.

[ManInBlack2010]

ok thanks guys... i'm kinda wondering if maybe it would be a better idea to put them in the 3.5g... i know that's small for them but it will be heated/filtered and better than their bowl right now.. and that way i don't have to worry about them giving my corries any diseases. i'll temp divide my 5.5g and my males can live together... bocephus isn't aggresive at all but rebel is and can jump (well i kinda taught him) so i guess i'm just gonna have to be careful...

[Zappity]

I know how you feel. My stupid science teacher has 4 fish and 6 snails in what looks like a 1 gal tank, never changes water and just decided to put vinegar in to 'help get the pH down'. o-O
I'd take the female betta out of the 10 gal, put her in the divided and then put the tetras with the cories..
Good luck!! :)

[ManInBlack2010]

she just dropped the fish off today, one died evidently. the other two were active but were definatley suffering. the water was yellow and disgusting... walmart disgusting. i was planning on having them live in the 10g with my corries but i decided it would be better to have them in the 3.5g by themselves even if it is a little small. i don't want them giving my fish any diseases they might have and it would be easier to do treatments and frequent water changes in the 3.5. so bocephus and rebel are now roommates and adalida is back in her 10g, and very happy to be back.

i'm gonna hold off on treatment for right now for the fish, i'm gonna see what some clean water can do for them first...

[PixelatedPaint]

its tough to treat tetras. they are so sensitive to the meds. post some pics if you can and good luck.

[Pitluvs]

I would personally pick up another 3 of them from a pet store, and hope for the best. These fish 'need' groups, and it's really not rescuing if you don't provide them with everything they need :) Low groups of tetras are prone to ich and columnaris. It will cost you less to get them a proper group than it will to medicate them.

[ManInBlack2010]

i'll keep that in mind, i don't mind buying more tetra for them but i'm just worried about them passing and then being stuck with the tetra i bought for them... both have what appears to be SBD, one is swimming sideways and hanging out on the bottom alot and the other swims but wobbles while it swims, i've already saved it from being trapped between the leaves of a silk plant and the wall of the tank... do you think i should take all the decorations out? i thought it'd be good for them to have some places to hide but i don't want them to get stuck

[ManInBlack2010]

So an update..

i took some of the biger decorations out of the tank and left enough so they have some hiding places but they couldn't get stuck behind any. went to bed and when i woke up they were both still alive, yay!!! angel, the smaller one, appears to be great and her sbd seems to have cleared up with fresh water. Gabriel is still hanging out on the bottom but is able to hold himself up right. I think with some more time he might make it. I'm going to pick up 2 or 3 more either today or tomorrow so they can have a mini school. Just wish i had a better tank to keep them in.