- Size
- Up to 3 cm
- Tank
- 54 L min
- Temp
- 22–26 °C
- pH
- 6.0–7.0
- School
- 8+
- Lifespan
- Not documented
Identification
Slender body up to 3 cm long with an iridescent blue lateral stripe from eye to adipose fin and a red band along the rear half of the body. Often confused with the cardinal tetra, whose red runs the full length.
Tank size
At least 54 litres (a 60 × 30 cm footprint) for a school of 8–10. Longer footprints beat tall ones; neons swim mid-water in a horizontal band.
Temperament
Peaceful and shy. Schools loosely when relaxed, tightly when stressed. Ignores other species entirely.
Diet
Omnivore. Crushed flake or micro-pellet daily, frozen daphnia or baby brine shrimp twice a week. Feed small; they have tiny mouths.
Breeding
Egg-scatterer. Needs soft, acidic water (pH 5.5–6.5, GH 1–5), near-darkness and a separate spawning tank. Almost all stock is commercially bred.
Compatibility
Best with similarly sized peaceful fish such as small tetras, pencilfish and small catfish. Avoid angelfish, which may eat them, and any fish big enough to swallow them.
Common diseases
Neon tetra disease (Pleistophora hyphessobryconis) is virtually untreatable once advanced. Signs include white or pale patches and muscle cysts; remove affected fish.
Lifespan
Not documented in the sources checked.
Difficulty
Beginner, with one caveat: add them to an established tank, never a new one.