Does anyone have extensive experience with neon tetras that could give me an idea about their hardiness to adjust to different water parameters. I have kept various tetras over the years in my 75 gallon tank and usually keep the ph in the 7.2-7.5 range. I have never had much luck with neons for that matter in this ph range.All my other tetras or characins (lemon tetra, scissortail rasboras, bleeding hearts, black neons,black skirt tetras,head and tail lights, and serpae terta seem to thrive in my afformentioned ph range. Also, all the books that I have read on characins(tetras) mention they prefer slightly acidic water that is soft but I have heard from fish dealers that a certain amount of tetras are raised in fish farms where the conditions would be more alkaline and hard. As a side note, is it pretty much a given that cardinal teras must be kept in the acidic range of 6.0-6.8 to have any chance at keeping them sucessfully? If this is true, they would make ideal tankmates for discus.
Neon Tetras
- Thread starter rcoaster
- Start date
The key is to acclimate slowly. I have 5 cardinal tetras in my 55 gallon. I filter through peat to soften the water a bit and it is heavily planted with C02 injection with a PH staying steady around 7. Have had them for 3 years, but did lose a couple batches when I first got them. To answer your question...Neons and Cardinals are very sensitive fish and should not be introduced unless the tank is well established. Acclimate very slowly and cross your fingers. If they survive the first couple weeks, chances are youll have them for a while.
knashash said:
Agree with that mostly. Slow acclimation and they can live in broader pH ranges than you would think. However, they are so sensitive that sudden changes will wipe em out quickly- probably up to 50% or more fatality.
Interesting story-
There is a guy here in the Seattle area I used to talk with quite a bit. Leon Mahlberg or something like that. He knew softwater, pH and carbonate chemistry, and Neon/Cardinals VERY well. Anyway, he used to order neons by the HUNDREDS (he was a multi tank freak, like some of us) direct from the supplier and he began to "test" how to keep the mortality rate down. He would lose say, 40-60% of the fish in the first week or two.
He tried a lot of different things, which I won't list here. What worked???
He set up a 20 long, with SERIOUS waterflow... the fish HAD to swim hard to stay in one place. He would put the new fish in, and slowly day by day turn the current down. Eventually, the current would be at "normal" tank levels.
He would lose 10-20% only, by using that method.
I wish I could get back in contact with him. Knew him on another website. Might have been the Krib, but not sure.
I have some neon tetras in a 10g. I had them for about10 months now. The first seven months they were in water with a PH of 6.2-6.4, but then I moved and for the past 3 months they are in a PH of 7.6-7.8. They seem to be doing just fine. When I moved I brought some of my old water with me so that I could gradually change the water, to my current water, during my regular water changes. My water was very soft before and now it is quite hard as well.