Switching to Black Neons?

CaitxSith

CaitxSith

A little too obsessed with neons.
Sep 30, 2006
942
0
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The pond with some Triops
I'm planning on switching to black neon tetras ONLY and I want 12+, 1 apple/mystery snail, I already have a pleco.. But do black neons stick together as a group 90% of the time? At my LFS, I see the neons school but not the black neons or any other fish.. Or maybe 6 black neon and 6 neon.. But every time I add a neon tetra, it dies(or all of them dies)! And I heard that neon tetras have a high death chance when introduced, but this is ridiculous!
Summary:
1)Do black neons school as much as neons?
2)Should I get 6+black neons, 6+neons?
3) at #2, will they school with each other?
4)Good idea?
5)Is there something wrong with my tank that all the neons die, but not the black neon tetras?
Extra:
6)IF my driftwood WAS rotting, would it still bother the fish (after I put in), even after I cut off the part? I mean, wouldn't the bad stuff mix with the water? I don't want to cycle again!
7)Should I add plants, even though my tank is anywhere but near a window? As for CO2, should I get those freshwater plant supplement things?
8)Will adding a non-photosynthetic light still produce algae or feed the plants?
Why I want to have only black neons or black AND neons:
I'm so sick of my tetras dying off one by one because of the others nipping and bothering my other fish. Besides, they look cool as a huge group schooling, rather than just little groups not schooling but killing each other :p:

Ty for reading all this stuff and if you can, PLEASE answer(or at least some of them) ASAP!
 
I wouldnt get anything else until youve sorted out your problem. Oh and btw Black neons are not the most schooling tetras on the block.

Flag
 
i would say:

1)black neons would most likely school as much as regular neons. However, both species will school less once they are comfortable with their new surroundings. but they will stay close together.
2)You could go for a school of each (I'd say up to 8 of each) or a large school of one species (up to 20)
3)They might, but you will most likely get 2 separate schools
4)It should work...
5)What are your ammonia and nitrite levels? It's strange as IME neons are pretty hardy. the only thing I can think of other than the whole tank having bad water from ammonia/nitrite is that you ended up with cardinals rather than neons (they look fairly similar, there's just more red on a cardinal). But I doubt that's the case. Black neons are larger than regular neons. they may be bullying them. In which case go for just 1 school.
6)Driftwood shouldn't rot if you bought it from your lfs. If you collected it from outside, then it might. In that case it will create ammonia and nitrite, which would be dangerous for the fish
7)It's always good to have live plants. they will help keep the water clean and make the fish feel more secure. You will need a flourescent light for plants. IME CO2 is only necessary if you have LOADS of plants. You don't need it otherwise
8 )I don't know what photosynthetic means. But if you have enough plants, algae shouldn't be a problem. the plants do need a light. Sunlight creates loads of algae and makes the tank heat up, so it isn't a good idea.

Hope that helps!
:)
 
Flagfish said:
I wouldnt get anything else until youve sorted out your problem. Oh and btw Black neons are not the most schooling tetras on the block.

Flag
Click to expand...
I just did lol. Just cut off a piece of the lid :p: (if that's what you're talking about)

To momar - ty VERYVERY much! hmm.. MAYBE the wood is rotting, even though I got it from my LFS, in turn raises ammonia or nitrite, in case that's the reason why my neons keep dying... soo jealous of people with tons of neons and none of them die except for old age >_>...lucky lol. Or maybe because they're experts at aquariums and I just started...
*OFF TOPIC*I'll try to post a pic of my tank and please rate it. No live plants. All artificial. btw, I want to take out the castle thing. It's ruining the scenery!
 
Eep I was under the impression that Cardinals were hardier than Neons...

Neons have been so abused in this hobby by over breeding and craptastic conditions that they really are a weak bunch nowadays - that is in most circumstances. How many people on here alone, have the "Last Survivor Neon" syndrome in their tank?
 
guess it depends on the individual fish...I originally had 12 but am down to 8 over the space of a year. Though I think a couple may have been eaten by my marbled syno...
 
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