Pet Articles
Neon Tetras
Author: Linda Paquette
Neon tetras are one of the most popular community fish and an
excellent choice for those new to fish keeping. Their purchase
size is often under ¾ of an inch and at full size, they reach a
big 2 inches in length. If you like color in your aquarium fish,
the Neon tetra will add real sparkle and flash to your aquarium.
A silver fish that darkens to iridescent blue along its
backbone, the neon tetra also sports a bright red tail. In
addition, these active little fish like to school in groups of 6
or more, so a tank of neon tetras continually flashes with red,
silver-white, and blue!
Although in the same family as the Piranha, neon tetras are
completely unaggressive fish and if kept with more aggressive
types are more apt to become prey than predator. The main diet
of neon tetras is tropical flake food with tubifex worms,
bloodworms, or brine shrimp introduced as an occasional treat.
Maybe because of their size, neon tetras do like an aquarium
that provides them with lots of places to hide. This makes them
wonderful fish to keep in a live plant aquarium. In addition, a
dark substrate is closer to their natural surroundings. Other
good hiding places for neon tetras can include pieces of
driftwood or fish caves. Tetras in general also like highly
oxygenated acidic water, so another accessory you should
consider is a good aeration system.
One major problem with the neon tetra is its susceptibility to
neon tetra disease. When you buy your fish, inspect them closely
for any signs of disease or weakness. Physically a sick fish
will be paler in color than the healthy ones, but an easy way to
spot illness is when a neon prefers to be alone rather than
joining in its school. Unfortunately, there is no cure for neon
tetra disease. In its advanced stages, the fish becomes
crippled. It loses use of its tail and its spine is noticeably
curved. Neon tetra disease is a degenerative disease, believed
to be caused by environmental factors. Because of this, it isn’t
thought to be contagious, but it will keep affecting your school
until you have rectified the conditions that cause it. Common
causes of neon tetra disease include poor water conditions and
harassment by other fish. Neon tetras are also very sensitive to
loud noises and bright lights.
About the author:
Linda is editor of Tetra Fish and Cichilds sections on
aquarium-guides.com
