Neon Tetra

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Neon Tetra Neon Tetras (Paracheirodon innesi) are one of the most recognisable freshwater aquarium fish, with a bright electric-blue stripe and vivid red colouring that stands out beautifully in planted community aquariums. Peaceful, small and social, Neon Tetras are best kept in a school rather than individually. A larger group creates a much better display and allows them to show more natural schooling behaviour. They are an excellent choice for established tropical community aquariums containing other small, peaceful fish. Quick Care Guide Scientific Name: Paracheirodon innesiAdult Size: Approximately 3–4cmTemperature: 22–26°CpH: 5.0–7.0Minimum Tank Size: Around 40L for a small group, with more swimming space preferredSchool Size: Minimum 6; we prefer 8–12+ where tank size allowsTemperament: PeacefulDiet: OmnivoreSwimming Level: MiddleDifficulty: Easy to moderateSuitable For: Established freshwater community aquariums Why Choose Neon Tetras? Neons are popular for good reason. They give you: Brilliant blue and red colour Peaceful community behaviour Small adult size Excellent schooling displays Compatibility with many other small tropical fish A great contrast against green aquarium plants and darker substrates Relatively straightforward care once the aquarium is established A group of Neons can completely change the look of a planted aquarium without requiring a huge tank or producing a large amount of waste. How Many Neon Tetras Should I Keep? Six is the minimum we'd recommend, but we'd much rather see 8–12 or more where the aquarium has enough space. Neon Tetras are social schooling fish. Keeping only two or three often results in fish that are more nervous and don't display the same natural group behaviour. A larger school also simply looks better. Rather than adding lots of different schooling species in small numbers, we often recommend choosing one species and keeping a larger group. For example, 12 Neon Tetras usually makes a much stronger display than three Neons, three Rasboras, three Glowlight Tetras and three other small fish. What Size Tank Do Neon Tetras Need? For a small group, we'd look at an aquarium of approximately 40 litres or larger, but tank dimensions matter just as much as the litre figure. Neons benefit from horizontal swimming space. If you're planning a larger school, move into a larger aquarium rather than simply increasing the number of fish in a very small tank. A planted tank with open swimming room through the centre or front works extremely well. What Should Their Aquarium Look Like? Neon Tetras look and behave particularly well in: Planted aquariums Darker substrates Tanks containing driftwood Areas of cover around the sides and rear Open swimming space Moderate or subdued lighting Stable, established aquariums Their blue and red colouration can look spectacular against dark substrate and healthy green plants. You don't need to create a strict Amazon biotope to keep them successfully, but a comfortable planted environment with stable water conditions is ideal. Are Neon Tetras Good Beginner Fish? Yes — with one important condition: we'd rather put them into an established aquarium than a brand-new uncycled tank. Neons aren't particularly difficult fish, but they appreciate stable water quality. If you've just filled an aquarium yesterday and haven't completed the aquarium cycle, adding a school of Neon Tetras isn't the next step. Make sure the aquarium is properly cycled and that ammonia and nitrite are under control before adding livestock. Once the tank is established, they can make an excellent choice for someone building their first peaceful tropical community. What Do Neon Tetras Eat? Neon Tetras are omnivores and should be offered a quality diet small enough for their mouths. Good foods include: Fine tropical flakes Small micro pellets Xtreme Nano 0.5mm Pellets Small frozen foods Baby brine shrimp Other appropriately sized tropical fish foods The main thing is food size. A pellet can be an excellent food nutritionally but still be useless if your Neon Tetras can't comfortably fit it in their mouths. For Neons, we particularly like Xtreme Nano 0.5mm Pellet because the pellet is genuinely tiny. How Much Should I Feed? Feed a small amount once or twice per day, offering only what the fish can comfortably consume within a few minutes. Because Neon Tetras are small, they don't need much food. One of the easiest ways to create water-quality problems is to feed a small school as though you're feeding much larger fish. Start with a small amount and add a little more if everything disappears quickly. Good Tank Mates for Neon Tetras Neon Tetras work well with many other small, peaceful community fish. Potential tank mates include: Corydoras Small Rasboras Guppies and other peaceful livebearers Other peaceful small Tetras Kuhli Loaches Otocinclus Dwarf Gouramis in suitable setups Peaceful smaller bottom dwellers The most important rule is to avoid fish large enough to view a Neon Tetra as food. A fish can be peaceful and still eat something that fits comfortably into its mouth. What Fish Should I Avoid? We wouldn't combine Neons with: Large predatory fish Highly aggressive cichlids Fish likely to swallow them Extremely boisterous species that constantly stress small schooling fish Always choose tank mates based on adult size, not how big they happen to be when you buy them. Neon Tetra vs Cardinal Tetra These two fish are commonly confused. Both have an electric-blue stripe and red colouring. The easiest visual difference is the red stripe. On a Neon Tetra, the red generally covers the rear portion of the body. On a Cardinal Tetra, the red extends much further along the body toward the head. Cardinals also tend to prefer slightly warmer conditions. Both can create beautiful schooling displays, so the better choice often comes down to your aquarium temperature, overall stocking and which appearance you prefer. Simply Fish Recommends If you're considering buying six Neon Tetras for a suitably sized aquarium, we'd seriously consider buying eight or ten instead. They are one of those fish where the group itself is the feature. A proper school moving together through a planted aquarium looks significantly better than a few scattered individuals. We also recommend introducing them to an established, stable aquarium rather than using Neons as the first fish in a brand-new setup. For food, keep it small. Xtreme Nano 0.5mm, fine flakes and suitable frozen foods all work very well. And if you're designing the tank around Neons, add plenty of live plants with some darker areas and leave open swimming space through the aquarium — their colours really pop. FAQ How many Neon Tetras should I keep together?Keep at least six. Where aquarium size allows, we prefer groups of 8–12 or more because they generally produce a better schooling display. Can I keep one Neon Tetra?We don't recommend it. Neon Tetras are schooling fish and should be kept with others of their own species. Are Neon Tetras good for beginners?Yes, provided the aquarium is properly cycled and stable. We wouldn't recommend putting them straight into a brand-new uncycled tank. How big do Neon Tetras get?They remain small, generally reaching around 3–4cm in aquarium conditions. What temperature should Neon Tetras be kept at?We recommend approximately 22–26°C for a typical tropical aquarium. What pH do Neon Tetras prefer?They naturally favour softer, more acidic water. A range around pH 5.0–7.0 is suitable. Can Neon Tetras live with Bettas?They sometimes can in suitably sized, well-planted aquariums, but Betta temperament varies significantly. We'd assess the individual Betta and tank setup rather than guaranteeing compatibility. Can Neon Tetras live with Guppies?Generally yes in a suitable community aquarium, provided the water conditions, aquarium size and overall stocking are appropriate. Can Neon Tetras live with Corydoras?Yes. Small Corydoras species can make excellent peaceful bottom-dwelling companions in an appropriately sized aquarium. What do Neon Tetras eat?Use small tropical foods such as fine flakes, 0.5mm micro pellets and appropriately sized frozen foods. Why are my Neon Tetras hiding?Common causes include a school that is too small, newly introduced fish, overly bright/open surroundings, unsuitable tank mates or poor/stable water conditions. Check your water parameters first if behaviour changes suddenly. Do Neon Tetras need live plants?Live plants aren't compulsory, but we strongly recommend them. They provide cover and create an environment where Neons tend to look and behave their best. Shipping Disclaimer: All fish are usually shipped on Monday or Tuesday mornings via an overnight courier. We use NZ Couriers for all livestock shipping, we find they handle your fish with the best possible care and have quick overnight delivery nationwide. Special Requests: If you have any requests for gender/colour etc we will do our best to accommodate them. Please note we can not always accommodate every request due to high stock turnover and what is available at the time. We move all fish sold online into separate holding tanks while they wait to be shipped. Rural Shipping: Good news! If you are a rural customer, we can still ship fish to you. Your order will be shipped to your nearest NZ Couriers Depot or Collect/Send Point and you will be phoned once it arrives. You can find your nearest depot/point here: https://nzcextras.co.nz/nearestlocation/ Show more