Featured Fish: Neon Tetra

Looking for a good fish for your community aquarium? The neon tetra is a commonly kept tropical fish, and it’s easy to keep for beginners.

Here’s the basic information you need to know about why people like this tetra and how to take care of it.

Tiny Mid-Dwellers

Neon tetras are small fish, coming in at about 1.5 inches long as adults. This makes them good for fishkeepers without a lot of space or who don’t have a big tank.

If you’re looking for an aquarium to suit your tetras, we sell a variety of sizes at The Tye-Dyed Iguana in Fairview Heights.

They prefer the area at the middle water level in the aquarium, which means that even if the tank isn’t too big, they can share the space with bottom dwellers and those species that cling to the walls of the aquarium. There are also a few species that prefer to live at the top of the water.

Keep in mind that even if you space individuals out between the levels, you still don’t want to overpopulate the tank so that all your aquatic pets get plenty of oxygen and space.

Peaceful Omnivores

These fish make excellent members of community tanks. In fact, neon tetras should always be kept with others of their species in groups of at least a half dozen because they require living in schools and being around their own kind.

They tend not to be aggressive with other species, and though they are omnivores, the animal foods they can eat are relatively small, meaning they won’t be preying on tank mates.

In addition to plant foods, you can feed them brine shrimp and bloodworms. You can find each of these foods at The Tye-Dyed Iguana or in our online store for exotic pets:

Omega One Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp

ZooMed Can O’ Bloodworms

Omega One Betta Treat Freeze Dried Bloodworms

Though these tetras are peaceful, you do need to be careful not to place them in a tank with larger or aggressive species. Larger tetras, especially, tend to eat the small neon tetras.

Colorful Aesthetic

One of the things people like most about neon tetras is that they have distinct markings in bright colors. They have a neon blue stripe, a white-silver belly, and a red stripe that extends to the tail. These colorings make them nice to look at it in the aquarium, and let’s be honest, part of the fun of fishkeeping is the aesthetic of the tank.

Plant Lovers

If you like a planted aquarium or are into aquascaping, neon tetras will appreciate your efforts. They like having dense vegetation with dim lighting to hide in. You can also add driftwood and other décor to their tank for hiding spots.

One last note on neon tetras. These fish are pretty finicky about their water conditions, so it’s a good idea to prepare their tank well ahead of time before taking them home.

If you have questions about taking care of your neons or other fish, feel free to stop by the Tye-Dyed Iguana and talk to a team member, or drop us a message on Facebook.