Animal-World > Aquarium Tropical Fish > Characins > Neon Tetra

Neon Tetra

Family: CharacidaeParacheirodon innesiPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   Despite having been in the aquarium hobby for many years, the Neon Tetra is easily the most popular fish of all aquarium fishes!

   The Neon Tetra was a very exciting addition to the aquarium hobby when first introduced in the 1930's, and is still sought after by aquarium enthusiasts today. A school of flashing Neon Tetras makes a brilliant display. It is an active schooling fish, one of the most peaceful tetras, and a very desirable community fish. Keep them only with other small fishes or in their own tank. Their small size can easily make them a qourmet meal for larger fishes!

   They are most comfortable and show their best colors when kept in a school of 6 or more fish. They like a planted aquarium and a dark gravel substrate. Their water should be soft, clean, slightly acidic, and changed regularly. The Neon Tetra can live 10 years or more with the proper conditions.

   Today the Neon Tetra shares the popularity spotlight with its close relative the Cardinal Tetra Paracheirodon axelrodi. The Cardinal Tetra, though similar in appearance, is a bit more gaudy. Its red coloring runs the whole length of the body, and it is also a bit more delicate. The Neon Tetra is much easier to keep and to breed than the Cardinal Tetra.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Habitat: Distribution / Background

   The Neon Tetra was described by Géry in 1961. They are found in South America, the Paraguay River basin; Rio Taquari, Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul, and Brazil. Black Neon Tetras are now generally all captive-bred.

Fish Keeping Difficulty

Description

   The Neon Tetra is a small slim-bodied species of tetra. It is similar in appearance to the Cardinal Tetra with its horizontal stripe that seems to glow, but is a distinctly different fish. They can readily be identified, with each fish having a very beautiful red stripe next to an an electric blue neon stripe. The difference is that the red stripe on the Neon Tetra runs only halfway up the body while it runs the full length of the body on the Cardinal Tetra.

Aquarium Care

Foods and Feeding

   Since they are omnivorous the Neon Tetra will generally eat all kinds of small or finely ground foods; live, fresh, and flake. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake food everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat.

Aquarium Setup

   The Neon Tetras are somewhat less demanding in their water conditions than the Cardinal Tetras but they should have peat-filtered water. These fish prefer some plant cover and a darker gravel.

Photo © Animal-World

Social Behaviors

   The Neon Tetra are ideal for a community aquarium with other peaceful fish. It is best not to keep them with larger fish like angels. They are most comfortable and show their best colors when kept in a school of 6 or more fish.

Sex: Sexual differences

   The male is slender and the blue line is straighter. The female is rounder producing a bent blue line.

References

Animal-World References
Freshwater Fish and Plants Tropical Fish ~ Freshwater Fish ~ Aquatic Plants

Breeding / Reproduction

   The Neon Tetras are egg layers. The female will lay up to 130 eggs. They are considered somewhat difficult to breed. Success has been had, however, by using especially soft acidic water, intense sterilization of the breeding tank and everything used in and on the tank, and making sure that you have compatible pairing of fish. The eggs are especially sensitive to light.

   See a general description of how to breed these fish in Breeding Freshwater Fish and Fish Food for Fry for more information.

Availability

   The Neon Tetra is readily available.

Fish Diseases

Neon Tetra Disease

• The Neon Tetra will occasionally develop ' Neon Tetra Disease'.
• This has been identified as a microscopic sporozoan in the genus Plistophora.
• It shows up on the fish as a spreading spot or blemish beneath the dorsal fin.
• There have been attempts to cure this disease with the use of Methylene Blue, but it is not always successful, so the disease is considered uncurable. 
• This disease has also been spotted on the Glowlight Tetra Hemigrammus erythrozonus, and the Rosey Tetra Hemigrammus erythrozonus.

Author: David Brough, CFS.

Lastest Comments on Neon Tetra View all 43 comments on Neon Tetra Add Your Comment

Kurt van Wyk - 2008-08-15 I have recently purchased my first fish tank and these guys are not afraid of even my boistrous ramirez! They come right to the front of the tank and get along well with the other fish. I have a shoal of 6 individuals. They must be kept in shoals of at least 5. Kaleigh - 2011-12-24 i only have 4 neon tetras left and they seem to be doing ok.....although they seem to take turns kicking one random fish out of the group every now and again..... urmil - 2012-05-14 I think your neon tetras are pairing off. It's good you can try breeding them if you want lucky guy Reply

Nancy - 2009-06-05 I have 10 neon tetra. I have had them for 3 to 4 weeks. They are all doing awesome. I test my water at least once a week. To make sure the PH is around 7.2 and 7.6. The temp is at 76-80 degrees. But I have a 55 gallon tank and want to know what other fish can I put in except the tetras. Thank you for the good information on your web site. none for safety - 2010-04-20 My brother had some tetras and they do really well with other fish as long as they're not aggressive and last 2 years! David - 2011-03-10 Do you have any other fish that require the water to be a base? If not, then your water should be around 5.0 - 7.0 for the neons. Reply

Jo - 2011-08-26 Hi there. My neons seem to be dying one at a time. The develop a bulge on their belly behind their fins. Can someone please tell me what this is. Toby Jungle - 2011-08-26 I can't tell you what it is but I can show you were to look it up. Click on the article Fish Diseases and trestment and scroll down to symptoms. There should be symtoms that cover your little guys with a recommended treatment. ashiq - 2011-08-29 bcoz of costie disease treatment is to dip in the sol of kmno4 or methyl blue Reply

Claudia - 2011-06-12 I just recently bought 3 neon tetras for my 1 gallon fish tank. One of them has died and the others don't seem to be very active. Would it be best to buy a couple more from the same place to keep them company where there is only 2 now? How do I know if they're sick? Lisa - 2011-06-12 Oh my! You need at least a 10 gallon...nothing less! And you need to have a thermometer to read the temp, a heater, filter system - go to walmart and you can buy a 10 gallon kit. Also, join fishchannel.com - really great advice and guidance. It's free. And you can earn points to get free things - like just simply voting for a friends profile there. Also, mainly number one, you should register at the tetra website - they will send you regular emails telling you what to do and when. I've only been keeping fish for 8 weeks and so far none of my fish have died. And they have a number you can call if you ever want to for advice, etc. But, most importantly, you really have to be dedicated to your fish. Its not just putting them in a tank and hope they live. There's weekly water changes, vacuuming gravels weekly, 6 different tests at least 3x a week...please think about all this seriously before you decide to pursue any further. Good luck! Kaleigh - 2011-12-24 A general rule to remember is one useable gallon to every full grown fish.....neon tetras get to be 1-1/2 inches so each fish will need approx. one and a half gallons Kaleigh - 2011-12-24 8 weeks?!?! omg you have a LOOONNNNGGG way to go......I've been doing the whole aquarium thing for over 15 years and technically a single neon tetra would be okay (not great) in a one gallon tank if it was literally the only thing in there.....I use a one gallon tank for quarantine Reply

luciano matthew allee - 2011-03-26 I have 3 neon tetras in a glass bowl. My grandma is gonna get me a 10 gallon tank tomorrow. My neon tetras are named Blue, Venus,& Neptune. Anonymous - 2011-05-26 I have three as well. kieth moon, robert plant, and mel gibson (mel gibson i gave to my friend to go with bruce willis) Lisa - 2011-06-12 In a glass bowl?? Really, you need at least a 10 gallon tank...imagine...It's like you trying to live in a really small bathroom for the rest of your life...Please get a bigger living area for them... Kaleigh - 2011-12-24 They're fish. In about 3 minutes they'll forget they are even in a bowl.....neon tetras look amazing even in a glass bowl Kaleigh - 2011-12-24 p.s. I have 4 and their names are rapheal, donetello, leonardo, and mikey ^.^ Reply

Lynette - 2011-08-29 I have 7 neon tetra & an apple snail in a tank. They were all trasferred to their new tank due to My betta splenden nibbling the feelers off the snail and the neon tetra really hacking into my betta splendens beautiful fins. My snail had grown back half of his feelers before putting in with the neon tetra and over night his feelers are gone and so are his eyes. I was told neon tetra were placid & lowest of the food chain & would go well with the apple snail. What comments do you have . It may not have been my betta splenden that ate the feelers initilally. They are being fed plenty but only eat from what falls in the water. Not what is on top as I was told they would feed. Reply

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