Path: utzoo!hoptoad!amdahl!ames!aurora!agate!ig!uwmcsd1!bbn!husc6!yale!Ram-Ashwin
From: Ram-Ashwin@cs.yale.edu (Ashwin Ram)
Newsgroups: alt.aquaria
Subject: Neon Tetras
Summary: They don't like the dark.
Message-ID: <21756@yale-celray.yale.UUCP>
Date: 22 Jan 88 15:49:08 GMT
Sender: root@yale.UUCP
Reply-To: Ram-Ashwin@cs.yale.edu (Ashwin Ram)
Organization: Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-2158
Lines: 21


I have a school of five neon tetras which seem to be doing great except for
one little thing.  When the aquarium light goes out (assuming there isn't
too much light in the room outside), the tetras are ok for about 15 seconds,
then school breaks up and they scatter and dash madly all over the place,
faster than I've ever seen them move.  This continues for about half a
minute, then they stop wherever they might happen to be (anywhere from down
at the bottom to right up at the top an inch from a curious angelfish's
nose).

It looks like it takes them about two or three minutes to become oriented to
the sudden darkness.  None of my other fish do this.  I don't know if it's
something to worry about, but it sure is weird.

Any explanations?  Is this normal neon tetra behavior?

-- Ashwin Ram --

ARPA:    Ram-Ashwin@cs.yale.edu
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BITNET:  Ram@yalecs