Expanded fish care
tetra Care
Neon Tetra
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Characidae
Genus: Paracheirodon
Species: Paracheirodon innesi
Purple Emperor Tetra- Kerri Tetra
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Characidae
Genus: Inpaichthys
Species: Inpaichthys kerri
Care level- Beginner-Experienced
Temperament and Behavior- The Neon Tetra is one of the most popular and recognizable fish in the aquarium hobby due to its vibrant colors and peaceful schooling behavior. This calm fish species is an excellent addition to a small or large community tank. They are also spectacular on their own in a tetra-only aquarium. A few species are semi-aggressive; however, most tetras in the hobby you will encounter are stunning, beautiful, calm, and inquisitive community fish.
Lifespan- 1-5 years
Size- 1-1.5 inches
Diet- Mostly omnivores
Feeding time is a fun time to observe and view tetra fish. They are speedy eaters and usually are the first ones to the food. Tetra Fish dart quickly back and forth up and down to get served the daily cuisine. They are not known to be picky eaters and do not usually refuse food. Most tetras are omnivores and do best when fed various high-quality foods like flakes, granules, wafers, or pellets. However, try frozen foods, live baby brine shrimp, small invertebrates, or insect larvae. Most tetras are omnivores; however, they benefit from a meatier diet. Tetra will lightly graze on algae occasionally. Just make sure the foods you feed are small or crushed due to the small size of some tetra's mouths. It is important to remember not to over-feed. Water quality is critical to their overall health. Tetra will typically feed at the surface level. Provide foods that float at the surface and only offer the amount of food that is guaranteed to be eaten in 30 secs or just enough that they all get fed. Leftovers left to rot are not a good thing.
Minimum Tank Size- 10 gallon+ The largest aquarium available.
pH 6.8-7.0; some tetra fish will do better in slightly acidic water
Temperature-68-80 degrees Fahrenheit depends on tetra species.
Tank-mates- I have kept neon tetra with many different combinations of fish over the years and currently keep them with guppies. However, I do not necessarily recommend this since Guppies enjoy hard water, whereas Neon Tetra prefers slightly acidic water parameters. The Emperor Purple Tetra (Kerri Tetra) is in a heavily planted 55-gallon tank with only a few Amino Shrimp. Most tetra species are generally peaceful. A few species can be aggressive but typically are great additions to most community tanks. Ensure the tetra you wish to keep does not fit in any other fish mouth and the water parameters are compatible. Try Harlequin Rasboras or Zebra Danios.
Recommended Group Size- At least a group of six. The larger the group, the better.
Tank Setup- Currently, I have the best luck with the tetra fish I keep in a 55-gallon, heavily planted, heated aquarium. Initially, the substrate was a dirted tank with a Fluval Stratum cap and a medium driftwood piece. Two years later- I added a mix of sand and pea gravel directly on top of the original substrate. The thought behind adding pea gravel to the tank is that this will aid in fewer eaten eggs. Hopefully, the eggs might fall between the rocks where the Tetra will not get to them for a quick meal. Slightly acidic water is best. I keep my Tetra fish in harder water, but they would do better in water on the softer side.
Over the many years of fishkeeping, I have only kept Neon Tetra a handful of times. Recently I have branched out and now care for Emperor Purple Tetra. Each time I go to the local fish store or shop online, I introduce myself to a new tetra species. Here are some general care tips that work for my tetra. They always seem to do well in groups and are a peaceful species. I do keep the water heated to at least 75 degrees Fahrenheit. They are usually small, an inch or smaller, and can generally handle smaller aquariums having a smaller bioload. I still recommend at least a ten-gallon aquarium. However, smaller aquariums can work—something eye-catching about a large aquarium with a vast group of smaller nano fish.
Tetras are known to be schooling fish; however, the tetra in my fish room shoal more than school. You will often find one-offs on their own, but they don't move like one. If in a species-only tank or community tank, they are in a group close together but doing their own thing next to each other.