Neon Tetras 101

Name: Neon Tetra

Personality: Neon Tetras are active schooling fish, and very peaceful, according to Animal-World. Neon tetras are social, doing best in schools of at least six of their own.

Care: This freshwater fish, which is possibly the most popular aquarium fish, requires at least a 10 gallon tank, according to FishLore.com, fully cycled, with a water temperature of 69 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit and a pH around 7.0, says the Age of Aquariums. They need open space for swimming, vegetation for hiding, and proper food like small flake foods and brine shrimp, according to bbayaquariums.com.

Common Health Issues: It's not unusual for a neon tetra to live 10 years with proper care, but they don't tolerate changes to their environment, so many live much shorter lives. Neon Tetra Disease, which is considered incurable, is the most common issue these fish face, according to the Age of Aquariums.

Training Tips: The best way to enjoy your neon tetras is to watch them swim back and forth, chasing one another. This isn't a fish you want to try to train.


Best For: Andrew Hill of Rumford Aquatics in Rumford, R.I. recommends potential neon tetra owners do their research. "They need to realize that besides maintaining their aquarium and feeding the fish, there isn't much physical interaction between owner and pet. If you're really up to a challenge, you may try to breed these fish, something that has rarely naturally occurred in hobbyists' tanks due to artificial hormones used in the farming process of these fish."

What Neon Tetra Owners Say: Hill, who has also owned many neon tetras, tells Paw Nation that one of the hardest parts of owning this type of fish is getting them home and acclimated to their new tank safely. "Once you get a healthy school of neon tetras (or any tetra for that matter) you will love their beauty and their behavior," he says. "The red-and-blue body is a nice contrast to many decorations and live plants which can be kept in the tank."

Tags: aquarium, fish, fish tank, FishTank, neon tetra, NeonTetra, pet fish, pet neon tetra, PetFish, PetNeonTetra, tank, tetra