neon tetras

[blankenship]

I've read on this forum that neon tetras are better off in a school of at least 5. I'm am currently cycling my 10 gallon tank, but after it finishes would it be ok to add 5 tetras at once?

[tel0004]

Yes, once its done cycling. Are you doing fishless cycling? If you have other fish already then adding 5 neons could be overstocking.

[blankenship]

I'm doing a fishless cycle, but I didn't know if 5 fish would be too much to add at one time.

[Archangel]

Neons are so small they don't make a big impact on the bioload. So it's alright if you add them all at once. If you can, try to get cardinals instead of neons. They look almost identical, except the red strip on cardinals runs down the entire length of the body. Cardinals are alot hardier than neons.

[blankenship]

Good to know thanks!! Just one more question. I was thinking about getting one other fish as my "main" fish, like a beta or dwarf gourami. Is one better over to other in terms of getting along with tetras, and should I add the main fish first and add the tetras a week later, or add the tetras first and add the main fish a week later?

[biogirl361]

cardinals are wild caught though and also are little more expensive. but i got a few of them a month ago and they are all still doing great, no signs of stess or disease, no deaths, and they eat like pigs! i don't think they have any natural brakes on eating. they will snatch a huge piece of flake right out from under my angelfish nose. they eat so much that i have to stop feeding before all my other tetras get a chance to fill up because i am afraid the carninals will kill themself if they eat one more bite. definitly worth the extra money if you can find them.

[ckeck]

Be careful adding a Beta to a tank with Neons. Bettas are very docile, but tetras can be vicious sometimes. I have know neons to attack and kill a beta.

20 gallon long
8 neon tetras
1 male / 2 Female Black Phantom Tetras
2 male fancy Phantom Tetras
1 silver hatchet Tetra
3 UPD Catfish
1 Ornate Cory Cat
1 Green Cory Cat

[blankenship]

How about minnow or guppies instead of tetras?

[ckeck]

I had Guppies for many years and they are very docile. I think minnows might be too. I wanted to add a Beta in with my fish, but when I asked about it, they say that Betta's are best kept by themselves. They are very quiet fish and don't like to be disturbed.

[TKOS]

White cloud minnows and bettas work well together and generally neons have no problems. If you are doing a fishless cycle with ammonia then you can add all of your fish at once (assumign you did it properly). So adding a whole school at one time is fine.

Either a dwarf gourami is a fine choice to add. Choose which ever you like the best.

Do not add guppies though as bettas can get aggressive with other fish that have colourful finnage (like guppies).

Adding plants will really help as will making sure the filter is all the way to one side. This produces less current on one side of the tank and gives the betta an option to swim in the current or not.