This very popular freshwater tetra comes from the clear water streams of South America. Neon Tetras live in shoals, sometimes with other small fish. Generally iridescent blue with a bright red tail, the Neon Tetra is a peaceful fish that will make a great addition to a community aquarium.

Neon Tetras add beauty to a planted aquarium; the plants in turn will provide plenty of hiding places and securitty for the fish. Rocks and driftwood also help to mirror its natural habitat. Neon Tetras stay mainly to the lower and middle reaches of the tank. The Neon Tetra thrives in slightly acidic water and will do best when water parameters are kept constant.

To breed Neon Tetras, separate a pair into a "breeding tank" with no lighting at first, and gradually increase it until spawning occurs. Females are rather more robust than males with more rounded bellies. Males are slimmer with flattened bellies. Water hardness should be less than 4 degrees and live food such as mosquito larvae are great inducers. Be sure to remove the adults after the eggs have been laid, as the adults will eat them. The eggs should hatch within 30 hours.

Neon Tetras will accept many small foods such as brine shrimp or daphnia, freeze-dried bloodworms and tubifex, micro pellet food, and a high quality flake food. My tetras also like to eat fruit flies.