Who Gives A Fish Forums

Will a singular pristella tetra, who schools with a group of 18 rosy tetras be okay?
I'll be making a post soon about some fish updates when I've taken pictures.
I've just gotten home and I  think that one member of the group is actually a different tetra

it got mixed in, when you bought the Rosie's ???

I have 6 in with my Rummy group, & they are actually pretty independent... they quite often go off on their own, & school with the Rummy's quite often... so if you really aren't planning on buying more, or gifting that one away, it'll likely be OK... at least much better than some others

It'll be fine, although on a quest.

Pristellas are similar enough to rosies that it should be OK. It has been my observation that tetras prefer their own species, but in the absence of their own species they will school with others, especially when the have a similar shape.

bettaMagenta wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 5:17 pm it got mixed in, when you bought the Rosie's ???

I have 6 in with my Rummy group, & they are actually pretty independent... they quite often go off on their own, & school with the Rummy's quite often... so if you really aren't planning on buying more, or gifting that one away, it'll likely be OK... at least much better than some others

bettaMagenta said:



if you really aren't planning on buying more, or gifting that one away, it'll likely be OK... at least much better than some others




Yes, I'll have some pictures within 5-10 minutes of the fish. There was a tank with the rosy tetras, and I got them all. (Which turns out to be 18 rosy tetras and a singular pristella.) The shop that I got them in didn't have a pristella tank as far as I can remember, so they must have also been given it by accident, from their supplier. Either they didn't notice or didn't say anything.

I don't have any friends locally with aquariums and I live in a rural village with no fish keeping or aquarium group. There is only one LFS within the distance I can travel anytime soon, and I would not trust them with the hardiest fish on earth. Terrible place really, their focus is on rabbits not fish. So giving them away doesn't feel like a possibility really.

I could potentially get some more pristellas once my 280L is up and running. It feels like my QT (54L) is at max capacity already.

Right, I'm finding some clear pictures that I've taken and I'll put them on this thread

BadgersSong wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 7:45 pm Pristellas are similar enough to rosies that it should be OK. It has been my observation that tetras prefer their own species, but in the absence of their own species they will school with others, especially when the have a similar shape.

Are there any behavioural red flags that would indicate that being the only pristella tetra is taking a toll? Maybe just general sickness? I've never kept rosy or pristella tetras before

graye wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 7:25 pm It'll be fine, although on a quest.

On a quest to find it's own species?

bereb wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 12:01 am

BadgersSong wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 7:45 pm Pristellas are similar enough to rosies that it should be OK. It has been my observation that tetras prefer their own species, but in the absence of their own species they will school with others, especially when the have a similar shape.

Are there any behavioural red flags that would indicate that being the only pristella tetra is taking a toll? Maybe just general sickness? I've never kept rosy or pristella tetras before

The usual stuff. Look for hiding, aggression, poor color. If the fish is out in the open*, active, eating well, interacting with the other fish, colored nicely, it's probably fine. If 'twere me, I wouldn't stress about it, since it sounds like there isn't much you can do anyway.

*some species are naturally shier than others. I've never kept pristellas; red phantoms like to hide out no matter how many there are.

The fins on Roseys and Pristellas are very different in colour/pattern.

It will be ‘ok’ but imo it will be at least slightly stressed. If you added a group of its species it would jump ship and join them….

sidthy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 4:38 am The fins on Roseys and Pristellas are very different in colour/pattern.

It will be ‘ok’ but imo it will be at least slightly stressed. If you added a group of its species it would jump ship and join them….

True. But the OP isn't able to get more, at least for a while. My answer referred to that specific situation.