Data sheet neon tetra
German name:
Neon tetra (also known as neon / neon fish)
Scientific name:
Paracheirodon innesi
Origin:
South America: Peru
Size:
4cm
Aquarium
Length:
60 cm
Contents:
From 54 liters
Lighting:
Shady
Furnishings:
plants, shelter
water values
Temperature:
20-26ºC
PH value:
5 – 6.8
CH:
°dKH
GH:
2 – 10 °dGH
Behave
Number:
10
pelvic area:
Overall
propagation:
egglayer
Lining:
omnivore
Behave:
school fish
Difficulty level:
Beginners with basic knowledge
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naming
The name Neon is due to the sidelines. The neon tetra lives in an area in which it uses a high «luminosity» for courtship – it does this within the framework of the neon colors of the side lines – the neon tetra is therefore often abbreviated as «neon».
Temperatures for neon tetras
Temperatures between 20 and 22° C are recommended for keeping (origin is in the cool streams in the upper reaches of the Amazon).
As a rule, neon tetras / neon fish can also be kept at medium temperatures of around 25°C.
Long-term keeping above 25° C is not recommended because the animals die relatively early or are susceptible to diseases.
The following water values were measured at a site where the neon tetra was found on the Rio Ucayali:
The following value ranges were found at various sites:
- Total hardness: 0.08 – 0.5 dGH
- pH: 5.2 – 5.9
- Temperature: 25.4 – 28.8°C
Neon tetra Source: picture on Wikimedia Commons License: CC Attr. SA 3.0 Author: Ernst Schütte
However, the values, especially for the temperature, depend on the season, the time and the water level at the time the fish were found.
In the early morning the temperature can also be below 20° C, while in the middle of the day temperatures can still be above 29°. When the monsoon rains start, extreme temperature fluctuations can occur.
Neon tetras are therefore also found in warmer water. There, however, the metabolism runs at full speed, which significantly reduces the lifespan. They also exhibit generally nicer colors when not kept as warm.
22 to 23° C are sufficient for breeding. Many tetras spawn at dawn in the shelter of embankments and plants. The temperatures are not that high there, which is due to the time of day and the shade. Even at 24° and even at temperatures above 25°, neon tetras spawn.
Good water parameters are much more important than the exact temperature. The pH should be below 7. The total hardness should not exceed 10 dGH. With such values, neon tetras can live for about 10 years.
How old neon tetras get
In nature, neon tetras are often seasonal fish, like many other small tetras. They live in nature for an average of 1 to 2.5 years. In the aquarium they can live up to 6 to 10 years.
Neon tetras and their bellies
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Some may have relatively distended bellies for several weeks. As a result, they are sometimes so buoyant that they seem to have difficulty keeping themselves under water.
They are probably females who lack a certain stimulus to spawn.
Sometimes it is sufficient to transfer the animals to other water, e.g. B. in water with a different temperature. At home, the stimulus is the rainy season with heavy rains, softer and cooler water, thunderstorms, etc. That is why some breeders simulate rain and thunderstorms.
Other neon tetras only have a moderately large belly. Still other animals are pointed-bellied or have no pronounced belly at all.
Sex differences in neons
The females are fatter than the males. The females have a small kink in the blue stripe that the males do not have. From an angle above, the stripe looks more green.
Often, however, all animals have a more or less strong kink and males and females are still present.
The display and courtship behavior of tetras
In display behavior, an animal swims quickly towards another animal. The second animal then appears to flee, but turns around again and swims towards the first animal. This is repeated over and over again. Both animals swim very tight curves. You won’t hurt yourself doing it. The behavior lasts about 5 seconds.
Sometimes one animal chases another without the chased animal returning. Such a hunt goes over 10 to 30 centimeters.
Neon tetras are not typical schooling fish.
If neon tetras have sufficient visual contact with each other and no enemies are present, neon tetras will not swim together in a tight shoal.
They are distributed throughout the aquarium and only sometimes swim together.
If you look closely, you can see that they form a loose group.
Breeding of neon tetras
Breeding can already take place in an 8 liter tank at GH 3°, KH 1°, pH 5.7 and 23° C if not too many offspring are needed. If possible, live food should be given before the start.
The young are so small that they are almost invisible. The eyes may be seen as black dots in gravel crevices.
Suitable food for rearing the young animals:
When the young are larger, hoppers and fine flake food can be given.
More details on breeding can be found in the separate article on Neon tetra breeding.
FAQs – Frequently asked questions about the neon tetra
Where does the neon tetra live?
The neon tetra originally comes from Peru, where he still lives today. He can be found there Rio Putumayoa large river in the Amazon lowlands, in Amazon itself, here from the city of Iquitos to São Paulo de Olivença, and in the Rio Purus, a tributary of the Amazon. It prefers to live in loose groups or large flocks in these rainforest-surrounded rivers in shady bank areas with dense vegetation and diffuse lighting conditions.
How many neon tetras should live together in the aquarium?
Neon tetras are fish that like to live in groups – either in loose groups with visual contact or in large schools. Neons are as social animals adapted to life and survival in groups and need many conspecifics in their habitat to stay healthy.
In a 60 liter tank with a length of 60 centimetres at least ten neons living together. However, it is better if a group comprises twenty animals or more.
But then the aquarium should be correspondingly larger.
How many eggs do neon tetras lay?
Neon tetras can 400 to 500 eggs place. Please note the breeding instructions.
When are neon tetras sexually mature?
Neon tetras become like many small tetra species sexually mature at about three to four months. At this point they are about half to three quarters of their final size.
Which fish go well with neon tetras?
If neons are socialized with other species, the aquarium should be as large as possible, for example 200 liters, and preferably more. Neon tetras are peaceful towards their conspecifics and other species. The fish can join a pool with small, calm fish species share who have similar demands on the water and the living environment.
Neon tetras prefer clean, soft water with a low pH. You need a weedy aquarium with a dark substrate that also offers plenty of swimming space and is not brightly lit.
For example, other tetra species can be considered as roommates, but only more peaceful species. Blood tetras or dream coat tetras are too aggressive and superior to the small tetras. They are therefore not suitable. Neon tetras can also live together with bow-tie catfish and peaceful barbel. Neon tetras should not be socialized with the popular guppies and mollies.
Why do neons lose their color?
If the animals lose their color, this can mean that the fish are at the so-called neon sickness suffer from a disease caused by unicellular parasites. Paling often only becomes apparent when the animals have been infected and sick for a long time. If older animals fade, this can be a sign of aging.