Huge Columbian Tetra for sale at Tyne Valley Aquatics

[animalmastermtd]

How big do these get?

[pondguru]

Around 2.5" which is about where this fella is at now.

[blownable]

Its huge. I've only ever seen inch long specimens in fihs shops.

By the way, you re home all unwanted fish, not just the lunkers?

[pondguru]

We will take in any unwanted fish, yes. It gives people the option of not being stuck with one particular style of tank. We won't pay them anything for them but as a responsible shop, they will (should) go to a good home.

[blownable]

Its nice of you to do that. Theres just the downside that people will buy fish that they know they can't house permanently with the intention of giving it away later. Usually, when they realize the fish is uncomfortable, its already severely stunted.

[pondguru]

If the fish comes from us originally we do try to check that if it is a large species they have space for it and understand the care needed. Some people think its like the Spanish Inquisition when we're selling fish but its for the best.

We had one customer leave in a foul mood because we told him his tank should run for at least a week and wouldn't sell him fish for a tank that he set up a day previously. Another sale for Pets at Home there then....................

[blownable]

I don't get it. Unless he's running a fishless cycle, the only point of not getting fish immediately to introduce an ammonia source into the water would be the stabilization of temperature, and making sure the filter is running smoothly. Surely a week is too long for that.

[pondguru]

There had been no chemicals added to remove the chlorine in tap water and no bacteria added to set up the filter. Fish going from a settled tank with suitable water would curl up if they got dropped into tap water and then it would have been "that fish shop was crap - my fish died after a day" The filter takes months to colonise fully with bacteria so the slow set up is what we practice and advise to prevent large swings in water conditions and lost fish.

[blownable]

Water conditioners like Prime, and novaqua work on chorine instantly. Additionally, with no ammonia producer in his water, the guy could wait for a year, but his tank still would not establish a bacteria colony.

[pondguru]

Tetra do a similar product in this country. For someone who is experienced and can test the water daily during set up fish can be chucked straight in but when we sell fish we give a 48 hour guarantee with them. Most people start with a few tetra / rasbora etc. so we need to give the water a chance to settle, the bogwood to reduce pH (ours is about 7.6-7.8 in most of England) and conditions to be stable and not vastly different from the retail tanks for best survival rates.

Slow + steady policy

[blownable]

I believe I've gotcha. Kudos.

[animalmastermtd]

@pondguru That's awesome of you to that!

[dolittle1992]

ooooo, i see bala sharks in the background, i love bala sharks, they look so cool

[pondguru]

I prefer the red tiled blacks but once they reach about 4" they often lose their minds and go nuts.

[itsbadlands]

How big is "huge"? You cannot tell from the video.

[pondguru]

Oh, at least a foot long.

It is one that a customer brought in and is approx 2.5" (6cm) which for a columbian tetra is a biggie.

[itsbadlands]

@pondguru wow!Didn't realize they got that big.

[j0j0barz33]

are these aggressive or semi? I really like em, great video

[metalfish24]

@j0j0barz33 They are pretty much peaceful I've kept them before, they behave a lot like black skirt tetras.

[pondguru]

They arnen't too bad as far as the larger tetra go. They may have the odd nip at guppy etc. bt they cartainly aren't killers. When they get to fully grown size like this fella they tend to lose colour which is a shame as the smaller ones are quite nice.

[j0j0barz33]

@pondguru thanks! now that you said that he looks pretty chill, I was just curious. My ciclids practically ate each other at full grown size. There fun to watch but vicious

[pondguru]

These larger tetras always look like they are trying to eat their own face but they rarely bother others. Unlike some cichlids, but you know about that..........

[j0j0barz33]

@pondguru haha yea, thanks for the reply and the info on this little guy

[pondguru]

No worries.

[howarth004]

they look good