Rummynose Tetras

[JE47]

So I have been excited to try my hand at keeping these fish but I had a few questions before I rush out to buy some.

1. How big an aquarium do you keep them in to thrive? not just the minimum tank size to keep them in.
2. What do you find to be the best number is to keep a group of them in?

Thanks in advance for any tips

[Lennie]

I used to keep mine at 60x40cm tank. Now they are 100x40 tank and I can easily say they like it better here. But it was more of a quality of life upgrade rather than a must I feel like.

I started with a group of 10, now have 8 after all this time. The more the merrier. Especially considering rummynoses school tightly much more than common schooling fish in the hobby, I would recommend increasing the size of the school as much as your tank allows and you can afford. But mine do well as 8 currently, but 10-15 would be nicer. 

Mine are Hemigrammus bleheri, I did not know the difference when I got them but I really love their deeper and wider red coloration. Maybe you can pay attention to that while buying some.

[TOtrees]

I've never found them to be the great schoolers they are known for. They do tend to hang more closely together than say neons or cardinals. But I'd like it better if they were always on the go, whereas I find they tend to hide (together) and only come out for food, or if chased out of hiding. I also found that if the tank has a large central plant or ornament, it tends to interrupt the flow, so to speak. So a group will start heading from left end to right, and half will turn back when they come to the edge of the plant. When that half turns back, it makes the other half think twice about continuing. I think if you had a really open setup, with some thin sticks here and there, you'd see their schooling best. 

I've had them in 20H (60cm) and 40B (90cm) setups. I don't have a preference, but I suspect they like the 40 better, if you ask them. I currently have 12, I could do more but don't need to. 

I think tankmates is also relevant. Mine are in the 40 with a group of 6 dwarf neon rainbows. Not much longer, but quite a bit bigger overall, and generally very active. Which I think puts the rummies off. I'll be moving the rainbows to a 10g breeding setup shortly, and will see if/how the rummies change. 

[Ninjoma]

I have about 15 in my 29g and the seem to be doing very well so far. They have good coloration and are very active. 

[Cinnebuns]

On 10/20/2023 at 4:41 PM, TOtrees said:

I've never found them to be the great schoolers they are known for.

This is the big secret nobody really talks about in the hobby. No fish actually schools like you see in videos.  They only do that when frightened. Videos you see of them in big schools they intentionally frighten or newly introduce them to a tank before the video. That's why you will get this behavior when you first introduce them to a tank, but not in the long term. You may see it from time to time when you stick your hand in or if your gourami happens to swim by but even then they can get used to that too. 

Edited October 21, 2023 by Cinnebuns

[anewbie]

The general rule is 48 inch long for rummy; i have 20 in a 8 foot aquarium and when i first got them they 'schooled' back and fourth; back and fourth; back and fourth using the full 8 foot; more recently now that they've settle down they have become a bit lazy - though if  I even glance at the aquarium they come  a running for hand outs. 

 

Also be aware that there are 3 or 4 species commonly sold as rummy and i'm unsure if they have slightly different behavior. I do have a pair of adult angels with them but they mostly ignore the angels and have no problem snatching food from them though the smaller ones might show a bit more caution (not sure there - haven't paid close attention). 

To be honest 'cept as a specialty aquarium i've pretty much given up on 29s. I recently moved my pair of D50 there (they were in a community 40B) and they definitely are pouting the loss of space despite having the full tank to themselves. Not sure if i would use a 29 for any tetra larger than an ember again.

Edited October 21, 2023 by anewbie

[Lennie]

On 10/21/2023 at 10:28 AM, Cinnebuns said:

This is the big secret nobody really talks about in the hobby. No fish actually schools like you see in videos. None. They only do that when frightened. Videos you see of them in big schools they intentionally frighten or newly introduce them to a tank before the video. That's why you will get this behavior when you first introduce them to a tank, but not in the long term. You may see it from time to time when you stick your hand in or if your gourami happens to swim by but even then they can get used to that too. 

 

On 10/21/2023 at 12:41 AM, TOtrees said:

I've never found them to be the great schoolers they are known for. They do tend to hang more closely together than say neons or cardinals. But I'd like it better if they were always on the go, whereas I find they tend to hide (together) and only come out for food, or if chased out of hiding. I also found that if the tank has a large central plant or ornament, it tends to interrupt the flow, so to speak. So a group will start heading from left end to right, and half will turn back when they come to the edge of the plant. When that half turns back, it makes the other half think twice about continuing. I think if you had a really open setup, with some thin sticks here and there, you'd see their schooling best. 

I've had them in 20H (60cm) and 40B (90cm) setups. I don't have a preference, but I suspect they like the 40 better, if you ask them. I currently have 12, I could do more but don't need to. 

I think tankmates is also relevant. Mine are in the 40 with a group of 6 dwarf neon rainbows. Not much longer, but quite a bit bigger overall, and generally very active. Which I think puts the rummies off. I'll be moving the rainbows to a 10g breeding setup shortly, and will see if/how the rummies change. 

My rummynoses school quite often in general I would say. They are not scared at all and they have those amazing head coloring. The usual behavior of theirs is like, they school tightly and go to a certain location in the tank, search around for food and stuff, and school tightly again if they are changing the location in the tank. I have never, in these 2 years of keeping rummynoses, saw one leaving the school behind to do its own thing when they decide to move. I don't know if there is any others that school this tightly.

I dont have bigger schoolers so maybe yours might be potentially cared of them? Idk. Pleae update us on that one.

 

The thing is, if rummynose are scared, they instantly lose that red color for whatever reason. Water change, lights turning on, bad/off parameters, stress, whatever you scenario you think of. They are skittish creatures. Also they can be wildcaught I think? I think this is where "they are sensitive" claim comes from. Because if you ask me, they are very hardy. 

However as I mentioned mine are bleheri. Idk if this has any effect on their schooling behavior or not. There are 3 species of "rummynose" and one is not even from the same family if Im not mistaken:

 

Maybe It can be nice for everyone to mention their specific breed so we may have an understanding if their schooling behavior changes based on the species?

 

[beastie]

I too have bleheri, 18 pieces in a 120cm long and they do school. If they are moving along the tank they will do so as a group, including part of ember tetras that always join in. Then they spread along the tank, nosing around, but mostly facing the same direction, before regrouping.

They are vicious eaters, tearing even lettuce to shreds, and they are definitely way more interesting than the embers i have

[Cinnebuns]

On 10/21/2023 at 8:43 AM, beastie said:

I too have bleheri, 18 pieces in a 120cm long and they do school. If they are moving along the tank they will do so as a group, including part of ember tetras that always join in. Then they spread along the tank, nosing around, but mostly facing the same direction, before regrouping.

They are vicious eaters, tearing even lettuce to shreds, and they are definitely way more interesting than the embers i have

It could just have been me and my tank, but my experience with embers is they just kind of hover in one spot and don't swim around much. I've heard similar from others. This makes them a nice choice for nano aquariums since less activity requires less space but I found it boring. 

[beastie]

On 10/21/2023 at 6:37 PM, Cinnebuns said:

It could just have been me and my tank, but my experience with embers is they just kind of hover in one spot and don't swim around much. I've heard similar from others. This makes them a nice choice for nano aquariums since less activity requires less space but I found it boring. 

Oh so much and oh so agree

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/20/2023 at 12:25 PM, JE47 said:

So I have been excited to try my hand at keeping these fish but I had a few questions before I rush out to buy some.

1. How big an aquarium do you keep them in to thrive? not just the minimum tank size to keep them in.
2. What do you find to be the best number is to keep a group of them in?

Thanks in advance for any tips

That's awesome! I am excited for your future success. 🙂

1.  I think a lot of people forget that some fish need left to right space.  This is why one of my favorite things is longer tanks as opposed to tall tanks for certain species. A 20 Long or 29G standard tank should do well for those fish, but longer is better in my eyes.  Barbs especially enjoy that in their tank setup.  When it comes to rummynose, I do believe they are a bit more "brisk" swimmers and do so more than something like green neons or cardinals. 

Green neon tetra max size: 1.4 inches
Rummynose tetra max size: 2 inches

It's a subtle difference, but longer fish... longer tank.  Usually.

2.  I usually tend to prefer to start with the general advice of 6-8 is often recommended.  My general guideline and my experience with somewhat feisty fish is that having a little more works out better long term.  Say, 10-12 if you can, but a minimum of 8-10.  The reason for this is bluntly that if you lose 1 or 2, you still have "enough" whereas when you start with a very small group if you lose any you might run into issues with behavior, feeling secure, gender ratio, or aggression. 

Edited October 21, 2023 by nabokovfan87
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