One species · 3 varieties

Neon tetra

Paracheirodon innesi

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 70–77°F; 21–25°C
pH: 5.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.5 in; 3.8 cm
Minimum tank: 11 gal; 40 L

Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Beginner
Breeding: Egg scatterer · Hard
Rarity: Very common
Family: Characidae
Origin: Peru, Colombia, Brazil

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One setup covers every line on this page: care is the species' care.

Overview

The neon tetra is a small, peaceful schooling fish for the middle of a community tank, and a good first fish.

Did you know

The neon tetra's blue line is not pigment. It is a layer of reflective cells called iridophores, and the fish can tilt those crystals to change how the stripe looks. At night the blue fades almost to gray, then comes back when the lights come on.

Caring for the neon tetra

Keep neon tetras in a group of at least six, and more if the tank allows, in 11 gal (40 L) or larger. A planted tank with some floating cover and a dark substrate suits them, and they show their best color in lower light. They swim in the middle of the tank and school tightly when something spooks them.

Give them soft water on the acidic side, at 70 to 77°F (21 to 25°C) and a pH of 5.0 to 7.5. Feed small flakes and micro pellets, with the odd frozen treat such as daphnia or baby brine shrimp.

Neon tetras are peaceful, so keep their tank mates small and gentle. They are egg scatterers with no parental care, and breeding them is hard.

Good to know

The neon tetra is a small characin in the family Characidae, and a healthy adult can live several years. Wild stocks have declined in places from deforestation and pollution, though the species is not threatened. Most neon tetras in the trade today are commercially bred.

In the wild

Neon tetras come from soft, slightly acidic blackwater streams in the western Amazon, across Peru, Colombia and Brazil. These are dim creeks, stained with tannins and shaded by the forest canopy.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Every variety on this page wants the same water, so one set of picks fits them all. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator