Fishy Tales - Tales from an Aquarium

Hailing from the blackwater or clearwater streams in southeastern Colombia, eastern Peru, and western Brazil, including the tributaries of the Solimões, the neon tetras are a beautiful fish with an almost fluorescent blue or greenish stripe running down their bodies from the mouth to the tail fin. A wide red band goes from the middle of the body to the beginning of the tail. The rest of the is a mix of white and clear or natural colors.
For long time, I confused the neon tetras with the cardinal tetra, till I realised that the red band in the cardinal begins at the mouth and continues till the tail.
These rather peaceful and hardy fish do very well in a community tank when kept in a school of 6 or more, and it is a joy to watch them chase each other around the place. However, because of their relatively timid nature, and small size, they are just as prone to becoming a snack for one of the other fish if you do not select the rest of the tank mates with care. I suspect this is what may have happened to my tetras.
Since their natural habitat is quite heavily planted, Neon Tetras tend to appreciate a planted aquarium with plenty of hiding spots.
To breed Neon Tetras, place a pair in a breeding tank without any light, and gradually increase the lighting until spawning occurs. Other inducers include mosquito larvae and a hardness of less than 4 degrees, while some recommendations include letting the level of nitrates rise, and then doing at least 50% water change to simulate the fresh rain the tetras get in their natural habitat, the Amazon. The easiest would probably be the lighting.
Because the adults will often eat newly-hatched fry, it is best to remove them as soon as the eggs have been laid. The eggs are somewhat adhesive and will often stick to the surface of aquatic plants. They are nearly transparent when they have just been released, and are especially sensitive to light. Eggs will hatch within 24 hours of the laying. Fry can be fed rotifers, especially infusoria and egg yolk for 1 to 4 weeks, followed by brine shrimp. They will achieve their adult coloration at approximately one month of age. Adults can spawn every two weeks.

Fishy Facts
Common Name: Neon Tetra
Scientific Name: Paracheirodon innesi
Family: Characidae
Origin: South America
Adult Size: 1 - 1.5 inch
Social skills: Peaceful, suitable for a community aquarium. Schooling fish. Best kept in 5 or more.
Tank Setup: Planted with lots of hiding places
Diet: Omnivore. Likes flake food alternated with freeze dried/ live worms
Life span: 5 years and above
Breeding: Egglayer. Moderately difficult to breed in captivity, but possible.
Temperature: 72-78 F

Filed under: Fishes