hardiness of tetras...are they worth it?

doraslilhitman

neon tetras seem to like spontaneously dying on you...whats their reputation for that? how hardy are they in general...the petco guy said if i keep on having casualties its not really worth investing money to replace them because they die fast. my water is fine there is a slight ammonia spike because i introduced new fish but i already had one die on me...

Tyyrlym

I have a dozen neon tetras, I haven't had one die in seven months. They're intolerant of poor maintenance is the issue. In a well maintained tank where they receive a good diet they'll do just fine.

flight50

some batches from the lfs aren't as good as others. change lfs in you really want neons. also, if you tank has gotten a case of the Neon Tetra disease, then no matter what, you tank will all ways have it. if i remember correctly, only way to rid of it is to break down the tank and clean it thoroughly. the disease only affects the neons though. hardiness can vary. some say they are hardier than cardinals, some say cardinals are hardier than neons. depends. wild versus captive raised makes a difference.

Byron

Tyyrlym is quite correct, neons are not forgiving when it comes to their environment. All the sources I have found say they prefer a slightly cooler temp than most aquaria (20-26C in their native waters) and a pH below 7, and this even though all neons are now commercially bred and not wild caught (unless you are particularly fortunate to find wild neons). You cannot alter what's in their genes. They are also intolerant of any changes so if introduced to a well established aquarium having suitable water would probably settle in better.

Cardinals until recently have been all wild caught, but tank-raised fish are being seen now although the wild fish are still prevalent (at least in my area). Cardinals will be fine in warmer temperatures (they are often suggested for Discus tanks) but are perhaps more intolerant of conditions like pH due to the fact that they are found in waters with a pH of 3.5 to 5.5. Some argue they can adapt to hard water, but I wouldn't risk it. Harder water causes calcium buildup that blocks the kidney tubes. The fish from Columbia are a little more hardy (don't take this too literally) than the strain from Brazil which in my view is more beautiful; I have both in my 90g, the Brazilians are wild and the Columbian are a mix of wild and tank-raised.

The third "neon" sometimes available is the false neon or green neon, Paracheirodon simulans. It comes from very similar waters as the cardinal (in somne areas they are found together) and is intolerant of water above pH 6.6 and like the cardinal can be happy in warmer aquaria. Both these fish will not thrive in changing water parameters or "new" tank setups. There is now a fourth "neon" discoverd by Heiko Bleher in 2007, but he says it will be years before it is widely available as it is very difficult to get to the area. You can read about it and see photos in the October 2008 TFH.

Tyyrlym

First off, Neon Tetra disease (NTD) is not nearly as prevalent as people think it is. Just about any time a neon gets sick it's labeled as having NTD. Second, it can be contracted by other fish. The infection is not as serious in some fish, or it may not always present the same but it can happen. Finally, the bit about never being rid of it is just incorrect.

Frankly I don't think cardinals are hardier than neons, but its got more to do with tank raised vs. wild caught. Cardinals tend to be wild caught, most neons aren't. Farm raised neons are usually acclimated to living in captivity and can tolerate the conditions they are in better. Wild ones typically find themselves going through a massive change in enviornment between Amazon and aquarium and they don't deal with it that well.

Jai ullu

I got neon tetras yesterday and they seem to have no problem with the water or my other fish so i guess it might be the condition of owner's water mainly. Beon's are very picky about the water conditions so just make sure that the water suits the,

Tyyrlym

One day is not sufficient experience with a fish to have a clue about how they'll act. After only a day in the tank most will still be adjusting from the move and learning their new home. Heck, my RTBS spent all her time hiding when she was in my QT tank. Now that she's in my main tank she's claimed a cave as her own and tolerates no intruders but the cories. She was in my QT for four weeks and then moved to my main tank and her attitude did a total 180. If after a week the fish are still docile you might be on to something.

As for water quality, see above. Unless your water is downright toxic most fish will survive for a time in it. Again, 24 hours is simply insufficent time to tell anything. Also, you test your water to check it, you don't toss fish in and see if they die.

sweetwaterarabians

I love my tetras! I have both Cardinals and Neons and they are thriving and have been for a long while. I have had a lot of problems in the past but I think my issue was poor tank maintenance and abrupt changes. Now that I have a well established tank they are doing just fine. Finding healthy fish does make a huge difference too. Maybe buy neons that have been in the pet store a while and not freshly arrived. I've tried livebearers several times over the years and they never do well for me. I guess tetras do better in my water which isn't soft, acidic water.

Guppyluver4ever

I had neon tetras and they all sadly died on me, but my tank was not entirely stable at the time, so I think that was the reason. I am going to give them another try though because they are just so irresistible

Tyyrlym

Neons are small fish and like all small fish they are very susceptible to changes in water quality. I advise anyone who wants neons to not get them first and only add them later on to an established stable tank.