Water Conditions for Neon Tetras

Neon tetras (Paracheirodon innesi) are a very beautiful and easily cared for freshwater fish. They are best kept in groups of at least five since they like to swim together in groups or shoals. They are originally from South America and are usually found in the Paraguay River basin, the Rio Taquari, the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul and Brazil. They are identifiable by their red and electric blue stripes. They are omnivorous and will eat flake food, bloodworms and small crustaceans. They are difficult to breed in captivity because this calls for maintaining proper water conditions in the breeding tank.

  1. Water Temperature

    • The native habitat for neon tetras in South America has a temperature that stays between 68 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If you wish to breed neon tetras you need to keep the water temperature under 75 degrees Fahrenheit at all times, according to the website Aquatic Community. The females can lay up to 100 eggs and can spawn every two weeks.

    Water Hardness

    • Neon Tetras require very soft water conditions to thrive. Although they can tolerate a variety of dH or water hardness levels, the ideal range is between 1 and 2 dH. This is roughly equivalent to 10 to 35 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved calcium carbonate. Anything above 4 dH makes successful breeding almost impossible. Water can be softened by filtering it using reverse osmosis or peat moss. Test strips can be purchased that will measure the water hardness when submerged.

    pH Level

    • The pH level is the measure of hydrogen ions or "potential hydrogen" in the water. It is rated on a scale of 1 to 14. The lower the number the higher the acidity. Neutral water is 7, and higher numbers are less acidic or alkaline. Beware of decaying plants; they can acidify the water. Neon tetras ideal range of pH is 5.0 to 7.0, which is slightly acidic to neutral. The pH can be tested using an inexpensive test kit, in which the water is mixed with reactive drops that change color depending on the pH level. This color is checked using a color chart to determine the number value of the pH level.

    Livestock and Plants

    • Since neon tetras are a shoaling fish, they do well with other tropical freshwater fish that are the same size. Their natural habitat is full of vegetation and is shaded by dense jungle growth. It is important to mimic these conditions in the home aquarium. You can add plant life and use a dark rocky substrate to re-create this habitat. An underground filter should provide adequate filtration for a neon tetra tank; however, a hanging filter or a canister filter will provide even higher-quality water filtration.