Hi guys,my neon are getting stuck behind my filter and I've lost three of them as a result of this :(

Im having to release them a few times a day but im not always here to help them so I was wondering if anyone has any tips for a more permanent solution.

I have a stingrays 15 and its against the glass as tightly as possible but the wee guys still get in there.

Thanks for any advice.

Hi James.
I've never heard of this. I think the neons are stressed and trying to find a place to hide.

Is your tank densely planted and provide lots of cover for the fish? How many neons do you have and what are the other inhabitants?
I've heard light too bright could also stress the fish

I only have 3 artificial plants and two large rocks in there. I have 9 neons left and they have 4 peppered cories, 2 Dwarf Gourami, a balloon Molly and a koi angel as company.

Maybe I should try more plants?

Oh, and I have a moonlight bulb in so its not all that bright.

Sorry to say this James but you're seriously overstocked there for a 60 litre tank with a tiny filter, and especially so as the tank has only just cycled.

Monitor your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate daily and be alert for any reading above 0 on the first two or above 40 on the third and do a 25% water change whenever it happens.

The Balloon Molly and Koi Angel will be too big for your tank - the minimum tank size for an Angel is 140 litres. The Molly, being the Balloon type will be sensitive to poor wate quality. I suggest you return those two asap, but even then you'll still be overstocked.

Thank you Fishlady. I wanted to avoid overstocking, so I have been asking at the store I got the fish from if the fish I was getting were suitable for the tank I have and they said they'd be okay.

However if this is not the case I would rather return them than have them suffering if they're not happy, and maybe this is why the tetra are trying to hide?

Out of the fish I have what would you recommend I should keep hold of?

I would return the Molly and the angelfish definitely. Apart from being too big, the Molly needs hard alakline water too so is not suitable (assuming you have soft water given the other stock).

You'll still be overstocked by quite a margin, but Corys need to be in a group of 6 really so either return the Corys, or increase their shoal to 6 and return either the Neons or the Dwarf Gourami.

With regards to the stingray 15, I helped a friend of mine buy a second hand 60L tank from an LFS recently which came with this filter and was advised by the shopkeeper that the stingray had problems with smaller fish getting stuck in it and he specifically didn?t recommend it for neons which as chance would have it was what my friend was looking to keep. I?ve always found this shopkeeper trustworthy and since the tank itself was a bit of a bargain my friend bought a new eheim filter.

Ok, the plan is to return the Molly and Angel, and since the filter doesnt seem to be suitable for the tetra I think I should return them as well for their own safety. And I'll also get another couple of cories.

Lesson here is do my own research instead of trusting a bloody salesman, Im rather peeved off with the whole situation to be honest.

Most of us have been there.....