Welcome to the wonderful world of Neon Tetra! If you’re looking for an easy-to-care-for fish, then you’ve come to the right place. Neon Tetras are small, colorful fish that make a great addition to any home aquarium. They are one of the most popular fish among newer aquarium owners due to their hardiness and vibrant colors.
Neon Tetras are a peaceful fish that can be kept in groups of six or more. They prefer to live in warm, slightly acidic water with plenty of hiding places and plants. Neon Tetras are omnivores, so they will eat both plant and meat-based foods. They should be fed small amounts twice a day to ensure they get all the nutrients they need.
Neon Tetras are small fish that are typically kept in community tanks, although some hobbyists keep them individually. They are known for being peaceful and docile, and are generally considered to be good fish. Neon tetras are known for being friendly and easy to care for, making them a great option for first-time aquarium owners.
Neon Tetras are very hardy fish, and can survive in a range of temperatures. They won’t bother other fish in their tank. They are very easy to feed, and will eat a wide variety of foods.
Neon Tetras are very easy to care for, requiring minimal maintenance. They are also very docile, and will tolerate a wide range of conditions. Neon tetras are among the most popular fish species sold at pet stores. They are a very interesting species, and enjoy swimming around in their tank.
Neon Tetras are very friendly and sociable, and will adapt well to living in a community tank. They are also very tolerant of each other, and won’t fight over territory. They are very docile, and won’t cause problems for their owners.
You can add them to your tank right away, and they will adjust well to their new surroundings.
Neon Tetras are a great choice for first time pet owners because they are relatively easy to care for and don’t require too much maintenance. They can also be kept in smaller tanks, making them ideal for those with limited space. Additionally, they are very active fish that will bring life and color to any aquarium.
Overall, Neon Tetras make a great addition to any home aquarium. They are hardy, colorful fish that are easy to care for and will bring life and color to any tank. If you’re looking for a peaceful, low-maintenance pet, then the Neon Tetra is the perfect choice!
Neon Tetra Information
- Average Length: 1 – 1.5 inches
- Scale Colors: Blue, red, silver
- Attention Needs: Low
- Good Pet: Yes!
- Safe with Children: Yes
- Tolerance to Heat and Cold: Yes
- Good with Other fish : yes as long as they’re peaceful species
- Good with Other Neon Tetras: They enjoy living in groups
- Suitable to live in an Apartment: Yes
- Good for Less Experienced Pet Owners: Yes
- Weight Gain: No
- Health Concerns: Neon Tetra Disease and White Spot Disease
- Allergies: None
- Average Life Span: They live between 5 to 10 years
Join Our Free Newsletter
For All Pet News, Tips & Tricks and lots of other goodies, straight to your inbox!
Physical Appearance Neon Tetra Fish
Neon Tetras are a popular fish because of their bright colors. The fish has a slender body and large eyes that cover the widest part of their head. The fish has a blue streak running from their eyes all through to their adipose fin. The adipose fin is a small round fin located between the tail fin and the dorsal fin.
The middle part of their body including their belly is covered by white/silver. Beyond their belly, Neon Tetras have a red stripe that runs all through to the caudal fin.
The bright colors are believed to help them locate each other in black waters which they love (black water is an environment where the water is murky and the visibility is reduced). It’s also not uncommon to see the Neon Tetras colors looking faded especially when they’re sleeping or feeling ill.
Temperament of Neon Tetras
Neon Tetras are very peaceful fish species that live in groups. They are great fish if you want to have many fish in a single tank. Although they are a community fish, you should be careful not to place them together with an aggressive fish that may try to eat them.
Tank Conditions
Neon Tetras are low maintenance fish and are ideal for first time fish owners. The first step towards keeping your pet happy and healthy is having a large tank that will give them lots of room for swimming and hiding. They should be kept in a tank that’s at least 10 gallons. If you have room for a larger tank then we highly recommend you go bigger.
Filtration is an important requirement in your aquarium because Tetras don’t react well to spikes in ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates in the water. Make sure to place a mesh at the filter intakes of your filtration system. Neon Tetras are quite small and can get sucked up by the filters leading, especially if they’re running on a higher setting.
Neon Tetras enjoy living in dark areas in the wild. If you can create a dark place in their aquarium for them it will help them feel more at home. If this isn’t possible then dimming the lights, and adding a light timer to completely shut the lighting off while your family sleeps would be good too. Aquatic plants and other decorations can also help give the aquarium a dark look at the bottom of the tank. Driftwood is also good at making the water darker as tannins leach into the water.
The temperatures of the water should be kept between 75 and 80 °F. It’s important to have an aquarium thermometer to be able to monitor the temperature.
Neon Tetras do well in slightly acidic waters with pH ranging from t 6.0 to 6.5. The tank water should be below 10 dGH and have a dKH of 1-2 dKH. You’ll be able to test the levels your tank water is at with a water testing kit.
Tank Maintenance
Your fish tank should be cleaned regularly to prevent the accumulation of contaminants. About 25 percent of the water should be replaced every other week. As you change the water, make sure not to exceed the 25 percent threshold because drastic changes in water could kill your fish from shock.
Neon Tetras don’t release a lot of bio waste like the Goldfish. A sophisticated filtration system is not usually needed if they are your only fish. A simple sponge filtration won’t have a problem maintaining a healthy habitat for your Neon Tetras.
Best Tank Mates for Neon Tetras
They like to stay in a large pack and will rarely move around alone in their tank. Neon Tetras are small, and because they’re so small a lot can fit comfortably into most aquariums.
- Small catfish like corydoras,
- Dwarf Gourami
- Barbs
- Rasboras
- Zebrafish
- Guppy
- Cherry Barb
Health Issues
Just like other fish species, Neon Tetras are susceptible to certain illnesses.
Neon Tetra Disease
The Neon Tetra Disease is the most common health issue you’ll most likely encounter as a pet owner. The disease is caused by a parasite called Pleistophora hyphessobryconis. The parasite lives in other hosts such as various live foods fed to fish.
Other fish could catch the disease if they eat a sick fish that dies from the same illness. The Neon Tetra Disease not only affects the Neon fish but also other fish species. It’s highly recommended to take immediate action or you could lose all the fish in the tank.
When a pet has Neon Tetra Disease, you’ll notice the following signs:
- Restlessness especially at night
- Fish not swimming with other tank mates
- Faded colors especially the red and blue stripes
- Lumpy body due to cysts
- Curved spine
- Fin rot
- Bloating
The disease has no cure and experts recommend that sick fish get euthanized. Once you notice a sickly fish, you should take it out of the tank so that it doesn’t get eaten by the rest, eventually infecting them.
You can control the disease by making sure the fish tank remains clean and the water conditions exactly match your fish’s needs.
White Spot Disease
The White Spot Disease is also a common health problem aquarists are most likely to encounter with any fish. The disease is mostly introduced into an aquarium when adding new fish into the tank. The illness is caused by a skin parasite known as Ichthyophthirius.
A sick fish often has white spots on the scales and fins. In extreme cases, the fish may also start peeling its flesh down to its organs. Neon Tetras with the White Spot Disease are often seen rubbing against anything rough they can find including the substrate.
Sick fish should be taken away from the community and quarantined until they fully recover from this. The disease is also treatable and a visit to the vet would be highly recommended. Regular water changes in the tank can also help prevent and control the disease.
The Attention Needs of Neon Tetras
Neon Tetras have been a favorite pet for beginner aquarists for many years because they don’t have high attention needs. They grow to about an inch long and will comfortably fit in most beginner aquariums.
Because Neon Tetras aren’t heavy eaters, most beginners can handle their feeding needs. They can also survive in varied temperature and water conditions.
Feeding Neon Tetras
Neon Tetras are omnivores and will eat almost anything fed to them. Many owners love them because they aren’t picky eaters. They enjoy commercial flakes, frozen foods, and some live foods. When buying commercial pellets or flakes for your fish, ensure that their food contains about 40 percent protein content.
Bloodworms, brine shrimp, and daphnia make the best frozen foods and these are available in most pet stores. Black worms and fruit flies make a good choice for live foods whenever you want to give your pet a treat.
When you feed your fish, only give them what they can eat within 20 – 30 seconds. It’s recommended that they be fed 2 to 3 times a day.
Related Questions:
Can I keep Neon Tetra with Other Fish?
Neon Tetras are a community fish that love swimming in the middle part of the aquarium. The least number of Neon Tetras you should have in a tank is 6 so that your fish remain healthy and active. If there is only one Neon Tetra in the tank, it will become lonely and might even die from stress.
If you plan on having other species in the same tank, ensure that the other fish are peaceful and are not likely to eat your Neon Tetra.
Why Would Neon Tetras Stay at the Bottom of the Aquarium?
Neon Tetras are a shoaling fish that enjoys swimming in groups and will swim mostly in the middle of their tank. If you find your fish staying at the bottom of the tank, it may be a sign of illness. They should be examined and consider moving them to another tank. Changing the water can solve the problem if the illness is as a result of contaminated water in their tank.