Neon Tetra

paracheirodon innesi

Neon Tetras, prized for their vivid colors and peaceful demeanor, are a popular choice for community aquariums. Originating from the blackwater Amazon basin in South America, these charming fish thrive in shoals of 12 or more and can reach a maximum length of 5cm. They prefer densely planted tanks that mimic their natural habitat and are best kept in stable water conditions with a pH range of6.0 to 7.0 and temperatures between 22°C to 26°C. Neon Tetras are omnivores and readily accept a varied diet consisting of high-quality flakes, pellets, and occasional treats like brine shrimp or bloodworms. Though they have a lifespan of up to 10 years in the wild, captive-bred Neon Tetras typically live for 2 to 3 years. With their striking appearance and peaceful nature, Neon Tetras add vibrant energy to any aquarium setup.

Tank Set-up

Neon tetras like a tannin rich blackwater environment to thrive. They can live in clear water, but those tanks should be full of tall plants and timber, ideally types found in the Amazon basin. Amazon swords and jungle valisnera are a fantastic choice, undemanding and relatively fast growing. Other popular aquarium plants like Java Fern, Anubias and cryptocorynes are also suitable. Fast growing and tall stem plants like hygrophila polysperma, limnophila sessiflora and elodea are also popular choices.

Whilst they can be kept in a more neutral aquarium with a ph up to 7.0, hardness up to 6dkh/dgh, and higher lighting, it is not recommended. Neon tetras need plenty of tall plants and other hiding places to really be happy in brighter aquariums, and ideally should be kept with fish that are of a similar (or even smaller size). See below for recommended cohabitation

 Dark timber and hardwood are recommended for Neon Tetras, as the tannins released by the wood are extremely beneficial and help mimic the fish's natural habitat.Any substrate is suitable, but we recommend a fine gravel or sand in a natural brown colour to help mimic the natural environment better and to allow the Neon Tetras vibrant colours to stand out even further. Leaf litter (Indian almond leaves/cattapa leaves, oak leaves etc) will also add to this effect. The tannins and humic acids released by leaf litter and wood help to acidify the water and also provide a natural anti-bacterial function. 

Co-habitation

Neon Tetras are a peaceful species and can be kept with almost every other peacefulfish that live within similar parameters. Please note that sufficiently larger sized fish might attempt to eat Neon Tetras. We recommend other tetras,rasboras, guppies, gouramis, dwarf cichlids, corydoras, bristlenose catfish,plecos and otocinclus catfish to name a few.
We heavily recommend keeping Neon Tetras with fish that are the same size(2-3cm) and smaller, and only peaceful fish. In nature, Neon Tetras don't have too much competition, and more active fish like barbs and danios can chase them and outcompete them for food.

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Husbandry

Unlike their larger cousins Cardinal Tetras paracheirodon axelrodi, neon tetras are pair spawners. This means that a pair of Neon Tetras will attempt to sneak away from the main Shoal to breed. In a standard aquarium, it can be difficult for them to find a sufficiently quiet place to do this.  

Fortunately,you can trigger this behaviour by selecting a pair of Neon Tetras and moving them to a small (10-20L) tank that's set up with minimal water movement and plenty of moss/leaf litter. Feed them quality live or frozen food (daphnia,artemia etc) amd they should spawn within 2-3 days. Remove the parents back to the main tank and allow the fry to grow. Start by feeding them fine fry powder until they are old enough to eat live Brine Shrimp (2-3 weeks old). They will reach sexual maturity in approximately 12 weeks, at which point you can move them into a larger tank. Replace the water in the breeding tank, refresh the leaf litter and begin again. It really is that easy!

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Biotope

As mentioned before, Neon Tetras are endemic to the blackwater Amazon basin. They can be found in streams and tributaries from Brazil to Peru. The broad range of their habitat allows them to survive and thrive in a multivalued of environments including clear water.

 Neon Tetras typically prefer environments with lots of hiding places - especially if there's larger fish around. They will hide in logs, roots and plants just as happily as they do in thick leaf litter.

In the wild, they can he found in pH as low as 4.0, with water that's as close to 0 KH as possible. Of course, the ideal range is actually 5.5-6.8pH, but this just serves to highlight their hardiness. So long as they have sufficient places to shoal and hide, they'll thrive.

When making a tank for your Neon Tetras, it is important to understand that Neon Tetras are typically the dominant species in their chosen habitats, and rarely cohabit with anything larger, with the exception of bottom dwellers like corydoras and plecostomus. It is only when they are kept as the single species in any tank(and in sufficient numbers) that they really begin to shine.

Diet

Neon Tetras are primarily Omnivorous. This means their diet typically consists of an even mix of Plant and Insect proteins, with a little bit of fish mixed in (most fish will display carnivorous tendencies if the opportunity arises).

Feeding them a healthy mix of Artemia, Daphnia or Bloodworms, along with spirulina algae or other plant/algae based foods is best. A high quality "Tropical" or omnivore flake, or fine sinking pellet like Omni-Chunx Micro will be a suitable staple food, as long as their diet is supplemented with additional foods. They also take well to live Brine Shrimp and micro-worms.

Neon Tetras in the Hobby
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Because they are relatively easy to breed, Neon Tetras have not been collected in the wild for a very long time (some sources suggest 50 years or more but hard to verify).

 They are typically mass bred in farms in South East Asia, and there is typically very little care taken to prevent inbreeding or to promote genetic health. This has led that was once considered a hardy fish to be thought of as cheap,diseased and poor quality trash. Some aquariums even tell their clients to expect upwards of 60% losses in Neon Tetras. This is unacceptable.

 Our recommendation is to find a reputable local breeder, even if you pay more than you might at a local store. You may be surprised at how beautiful these littlefish can actually be if you give them the right environment, and a little bit of love.

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