Neon Tetra Behavior

[SheWhoConquers]

Currently I have 8 neon tetra in a tank and I have this obsessive habit of counting my fish. I don't have tons of tanks so it's easy to do 😂

But in this tetra tank I repeatedly kept counting 7 schooling every single time. Eventually enough days counting 7 I would eventually inspect the tank to ensure I still had 8 fish. Well, after far too many times doing this, I eventually decided that I needed to find out why? Maybe #8 is sickly or being bullied. Although sickly would be odd because months is a long time to be sick. 

I discovered after many tank stalking sessions #8 is not bullied and sits quietly in the dark under the rocks and doesn't venture out much and when they do, it is to chase the other fish away. It seems the little bugger has made a home and he like solitary living 😆

I didn't know schooling fish could be territorial in the same way something like an Apisto, Cichlid, or Betta could! I also find his behavior strange, because if #8 is alpha he rearranged the pecking order because he was a late addition to the tank. And I know you're wondering how I can tell the neons apart 😂 They all look the same. But in this case, I can, based on slight coloration differences between the old and new additions. My older fish are much more brightly colored.

Has anyone experienced similar behavior in schooling fish?

[Fish Folk]

Any way to show footage of the solitary one?

You’re sure it’s not a Cardinal Tetra? 

[SheWhoConquers]

19 minutes ago, Fish Folk said:

Any way to show footage of the solitary one?

You’re sure it’s not a Cardinal Tetra? 

I am certain it's not a cardinal. I tried to upload the best I could get. But with a QT tank directly in front couldn't get the glare off.

 

[Fish Folk]

Hard to see... but are the other neons aggressive toward it? 

[SheWhoConquers]

No aggression that I can see towards this one particular neon, I mean that isn't warranted. There is a scuffle when #8 attempts a clearing of the area. Also in general all my tetras seem to randomly "swim-fight", for lack of a better term, with each other. I also tested to make sure they all come out to eat, because that I wasn't sure about, and all 8 are present for feeding.