Glow Tetra not eating

[Bekah]

We Got 2 glow tetras about 2 months ago and have slowly been adding to the school. We bought 3 more a month after the first two. They were blue, green, and purple.  While in the quarantine tank, the purple one was being very shy and not eating. Never saw her eat for a week. The purple tetra only survived one week. The other two made it into our main tank. They are doing well, so we bought another purple tetra. This tetra is doing the same thing. We quarantined with the med trio and moved her to the main tank after 3 days thinking she was scared being alone. In the main tank she doesn’t school with the other 4 tetras and still won’t eat. We have tried live brine shrimp, thera A food, nano pellets and freeze dried brine shrimp. Any suggestions on getting her to eat and get back to normal? 

[Brandy]

Not eating is pretty serious. In my experience I haven't brought tetras back from that. Sometimes that is the only symptom I get. I would insist on seeing them fed before buying more. I would quarantine this fish until it eats or passes away. I don't know enough to suggest more treatments, but the quarantine trio mostly handles external parasites. Not eating might have to do with internal? Or with tetras I feel like it is just a universal "I'm sick" symptom.

[Bekah]

10 hours ago, Brandy said:

Not eating is pretty serious. In my experience I haven't brought tetras back from that. Sometimes that is the only symptom I get. I would insist on seeing them fed before buying more. I would quarantine this fish until it eats or passes away. I don't know enough to suggest more treatments, but the quarantine trio mostly handles external parasites. Not eating might have to do with internal? Or with tetras I feel like it is just a universal "I'm sick" symptom.

I just wonder how it made it so far with eating to grow up and now it almost acts like it doesn't know how. Thank you so much for your advice though. Do you think the other 4 tetras will be happy enough in a small group? 

[Brandy]

Well, it clearly knew how, it just doesn't feel well now for reasons unspecified. 

I think tetras are happier in larger groups, but the first sign I have seen that they are not is aggression, the second is hiding. It kinda depends on what else is in the tank too. If anything harasses them in any way, more will be better for them. That said, we do the best we can, and if you end up with three and you can't keep buying more, three in a stable well cared for tank is better than 3 bouncing back to a fish store in my opinion, unless they are actually in danger of being eaten. 

Maybe someone with more experience with glow fish tetras can chime in. I have only ever kept rummy nose, cardinal, and neon tetras. GloFish are based off black skirt tetras I think, and so you could read about them for more insight.

[Bekah]

The only other fish in the tank are 2 mollies. the tetras seem to be more of the tank bosses. The 4 tetras are very happy currently, but listening to Cory he recommends 5 at least. I think maybe only buying 1 is what stressed this fish out enough.  I will do my research on black skirt tetras too. Thank you for your insight and help!