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Paracheirodon innesi
Neon Tetra information:
Scientific name: Common name: Max. size: pH range: dH range: Temperature range: Paracheirodon innesi Neon Tetra 2.2 cm / 0.85 inches 5.0 7.0 1-2 20 26C / 68 - 80F
The Neon Tetra is an extremely popular aquarium fish. It is sturdy and inexpensive and is often one of the first fish species purchased by beginner aquarists. A shoal of brightly decorated Neon Tetras will add colour as well as activity to the aquarium. Since the Neon Tetras stay quite small and have a peaceful temperament, they are often found in small community aquariums.
Captive bred Neon Tetras are often adapted to conditions that differ a lot from those found in the original Neon Tetra habitat. Wild Neon Tetras inhabit very soft and slightly acidic waters in tropical regions of South America where the water temperature usually stays between 20 and 26 C (68 Neon tetra picture. Copyright www.jjphoto.dk and 80 F). Rainforest rivers and streams are frequently replenished by soft downpour and frequent water changes are therefore recommended in the aquarium. Generally speaking, the recommended pH range for Neon Tetras is 5.0 7.0 and the recommended dH range 1-2. If your Neon Tetras have been raised in an aquarium with different water chemistry, a rapid change can however harm them. Neon Tetras should therefore always be gradually adjusted to new conditions. Since Neon Tetras are so popular, the Neon Tetra breeding business has naturally attracted not only dedicated Neon Tetra breeders but also irresponsible ones that do not really care about creating high quality fish. A lot of the commercially bred Neon Tetras will end up in aquariums kept by novice aquarists that will assume that they have done something wrong when their Neon Tetras die shortly after being purchased. Selling low quality Neon Tetras is therefore not really risky; it can even be a good for business since many inexperienced aquarists will return to the store for more and more Neon Tetras as the old ones succumb. This is naturally a problem since you might get really fragile Neon Tetras from your local pet shop that will not adapt well to new conditions. It is therefore always recommended to provide your Neon Tetras with plenty of time to acclimatize themselves when you introduce them to their new home. Carefully monitor your Neon Tetras and quickly remove dead specimens before they get a chance to contaminate the water. It is perfectly natural for a Neon Tetra to look dull during the night since it turns off its iridescent colours. In the morning, it can need a little time to recover. If your Neon Tetra continues to show dull colours throughout the day you should however try to figure out why, since it is a warning sign that your fish is not doing well. A Neon Tetra that is kept alone instead of in a shoal can loose its iridescent colours, and the same is true for tetras that become stressed by the presence of bullying fish or that are kept in a barren aquarium without any good hiding spots. It can also be a sign of disease, poor water quality or malnutrition.
Neon Tetras are susceptible to the Neon Tetra disease. There is still no available cure for this disease and it will often kill the fish. Neon Tetra disease is caused by a sporozoan named Pleistophora hyphessobryconis. The disease is therefore also known as Pleistophora. During the initial stage of Neon Tetra disease, parasite spores enter the Neon tetra. Common symptoms include restlessness and dull colouration. As the disease proceeds, cyst will develop and the fish body can become lumpy. The Neon Tetra will often have trouble swimming and towards the final stages of the disease the spine can become curved. The weakened fish is also susceptible to secondary infections. As mentioned above, these is still no cure for Neon Tetra disease and trying to prevent the parasite from entering your aquarium in the first place is therefore the best course of action. The parasite is typically introduced via live food or newly purchased fish. By cultivating your own live food you will gain a greater control over what you put in your aquarium. Brine shrimp is for instance very easy and hassle-free to cultivate at home. When you purchase new fish, you should ideally keep them quarantined in a separate aquarium and look out for signs of illness. In the aquarium, fish often catch the disease when they eat dead fish. Removing sick and dead fish as soon as possible is therefore important. Some aquarists report that using a diatom filter decreases the risk of Neon Tetra disease, but it is only a supplement, not a substitute for the precautions described above. A diatom filter can reduce the amount of free parasites in the water. There is also a disease known as false Neon Tetra disease that is often confused with true Neon Tetra disease. This disease is not caused by a sporozoan; it is caused by bacteria. The symptoms are however very similar and unless you have access to a laboratory it will be virtually impossible for you to tell the difference between the two diseases.
Neon tetra eggs are somewhat adhesive and will often stick to the surface of aquatic plants. They are nearly transparent when they have just been released, and will hatch after 22-30 hours. It will take the fry 3-4 days to become free swimming. Neon Tetra fry are very small and must be provided with miniscule food, such as infusoria, rotifers or egg yolk. After 1-4 weeks, they will be large enough to eat newly hatched brine shrimp. Large fry will appreciate shaved cattle liver. When the fry is roughly one month old, they will start displaying their adult colouration.