Neon tetras are famous for their vibrant colors and they reflect fluorescent blue color in dark light.
Why spend time reading Neon tetras – beginner’s guide? The reason why you have to spend time reading beginner’s guide is it has precise information such as what to feed them, the right water conditions, appropriate tank size, compatible fishes, nature of the fish.
Neon Tetra – Overview
| Common Name | Neon Tetra |
| Scientific Name | Paracheirodon innesi |
| Habitat or Origin | Species are native of the Amazon basin of South America. |
| Average Size | An adult grows up to 3 cm or 1.2 inches |
| Coloration | The natural coloration of Neon Tetra has bright red stripe which flows all way to the tail and has bright neon blue stripe along with a white stripe in its belly |
| Life Span | In captive they live up to 5 years and in wild up to 8 years |
| Diet | Omnivorous, in wild they feed on mosquito larva and in captivity they are fed on a variety of food such as frozen bloodworms, daphnia and flake foods |
| Gender Identification | It is not very easy to identify the gender, however not impossible. Male have slender body and blue line is straighter and female are bit rounder and have bent blue lines |
| Behavior | Non-Aggressive & Shoaling |
| Compatibility | Ideal community fishes and they tend to shoal. They are compatible with Discus fish, Corry fish, Dwarf Gourami, Dwarf Cichlids, avoid neon tetras with Angel fish, Betta Fish and Cichlids |
| Ideal Tank Conditions | Recommend size is 20 Gallon tank with good filtration, they enjoy good water flow. Would be good to keep in planted aquariums. They will do fine with bright and medium lighting conditions. |
| Water Parameters | Ideal pH is 6.0 to 6.5 and the water hardness should be less than 9 dGH. Ensure the water temperature is between 70 to 81 Degree Fahrenheit or 21 to 27 Degree Celsius. 20% water change on a daily basis would simulate the rain effect in natural habitat |
| Breeding | Breeding is considered difficult for the reasons, to identify the right pair and removing the laid eggs from the breeding tank. Once the pair is identified, keep them in a breeding tank without light and feed them with mosquito larva. Get the water hardness level to less then 4 dGH and the magic should happen within a weeks’ time. As soon as the eggs are laid, remove the eggs carefully from the breeding tank and they will hatch in 24 to 48 Hrs. The best food for young fries is egg yolk, infusoria |
| Common Diseases | Finrot, NTD (Neon Tetra Disease) are the most common ones and this could be avoided by keeping the tank clean and water parameters intact and removing the diseased fish from the tank |
| Approximate Cost | This depends on the country and the quality of the strain; in USA the average price is between 1 USD to 3 USD and in Asian countries it is available at 1/2 of the price of USA |
| What to look when buying | Carefully examine for any fin damages, look for any infections. Last but not least, pick the ones which are active ones, buy them in a minimum of 8 numbers |
| Similar Species | These are similar popular like neon tetra available in the local fish stores – Emperor Tetra, Congo Tetra, Cardinal Tetra |
| FAQ | Check out the 7 most asked questions about neon tetra |
Neon Tetra Gallery
References
- “Paracheirodon innesi”. Integrated Taxonomic Information System
- Ikeda, Takehide; Shiro, Kohshima (2009). “Why is the neon tetra so bright? Coloration for mirror-image projection to confuse predators? “Mirror-image decoy” hypothesis”. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 86 : 427–441. doi:10.1007/s10641-009-9543-y
- Chapman, F. A.; et al. (1997). “United States of America trade in ornamental fish”. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society. 28: 1‒10. doi:10.1111/j.1749-7345.1997.tb00955.x
- Diseases: http://neontetras.info/Neon_Tetra_Feeding_and_Diseases.html