Freshwater Fish Neon Tetra Paracheirodon innesi

In addition to the popular Cardinal Tetra and the exotic Gold Neon Tetra, some freshwater fish species of the Characidae family pretty much kept and bred - including Neon Tetra which is popular first among the aquascapers world. Small sized, the body length can reach about 3 cm.

Paracheirodon innesi which comes from Colombia, Peru, and Brazil is often described as the jewel of the freshwater aquarium hobby. It is easy to see why Neon tetra is one of the most popular freshwater tropical fish species for aquascaping. With their iridescent blue bodies and bright red tails, Paracheirodon innesi creates an exciting splash of color in any aquarium, especially when kept in schools of six or more.

Native to the clear water streams of South America, Neon tetra prefers densely planted systems with plenty of low light areas to hide. To best recreate its natural habitat, place rocks and driftwood amongst the plants for added areas of refuge. However, the Paracheirodon innesi will tend to swim or remain suspended in the water column in schools to create a breathtaking display of color. Extremely peaceful, the Neon Tetra should be kept with similarly non-aggressive tankmates of a similar size.


As the member of the Characidae family, Neon Tetra thrives in the slightly acidic water with stable water parameters. Separate a pair of Tetra fish into a "breeding tank" with no lighting at first usually done by the breeders to breeding Neon Tetras. They also gradually increase the lighting until spawning occurs and for the optimal results. Another thing to note regarding the breeding of Neon Tetra - the water hardness should be less than 4 dH and live foods 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.

Water quality is a matter that should be in maintaining the Neon Tetra. Common diseases of Tetra fish species such as White Spot or Ich usually caused by the poor water quality. In addition to the regular aquarium water replacement, add the methylene blue into aquarium water to protect Neon Tetra from the white spot disease.