At the end of this article is a copy of the form I have used on occasion and may be of assistance. They are much more confident when around others of their own kind. Are cardinal tetras hard to keep? They are the reason I am considering RO asap, and they are the reason I am currently using Seachem Neutral Regulator. How to paint the background of your fish tank black. supports HTML5 video, If you want to keep these fish, you will need to know their ideal environment, diet and tank mates. Neon tetras, on the other hand, require constant, painstakingly maintained water parameters and a tank that has been cycled and let run for six months with fish in it beforehand. Are the Val's doing any better? I was planning on having this being primarily a species-only tank for them (besides some shrimp and various bottom feeders for the clean up crew), as it's only 25 gallons and I really don't want it to look so mixed and matched. Cardinal Tetra As a beginner, you probably have to focus more on the ease of management and keeping your pets healthy. Cardinal tetras are non-aggressive and commonly kept in community aquariums with other peaceful tropical fish species of similar size. It'll look nice when everything grows in. You should definitely be keeping Cardinal Tetra in groups. They are sometimes referred to as Red Neon Tetra due to their similarity to the famous Neon Tetra. I wish every success to those of you who are going to give breeding cardinal tetras a go. eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'fishkeepingworld_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_6',115,'0','0'])); Cardinal Tetras naturally live in flooded forest areas, shallow creeks and tributaries to large rivers in South America. I believe most are now farm raised, thus making them more adaptable to aquarium life. The Cardinal tetra is a good choice if you are looking for fish that will occupy the top and mid part of the aquarium. I keep my cardinals in ph stable 7, gh 7 drops, nitrates 0, temperature 81F. Although there are plants and rocks spread around the bottom of the water column, there is lots of open space for swimming. Both species have a blue line that bisects the body. So the GH is another parameter to consider, recommended for cardinals below 4 and the pH between 4.6 and 6.2 You can adapt your Cardinal tetra to alkaline water but this will make them very sensitive. It fluctuates like crazy, there is nothing worse for GBR (and any other fish) than "jumping" PH, and even if it is all the time below 7.0 the fact that it is fluctuates made me use Seachem product. Regardless of pH and hardiness, Cardinal tetras are very sensitive to nitrate. Remove them from the tank as quickly as possible so that they are not eaten and don’t infect other fish. Neon tetras are really small and delicate. There are far fewer nutrients in dried foods compared to live or frozen foods. We will cover all of this and much more in this article…. The water straight of my tap is 8.4! I wouldn't get them for aquarium with ph 8. I used to keep Neon Tetras, but then I gave Cardinal Tetras a try, and since then, Cardinal Tetras are my favorite fish. These fish have high vitamin requirements, so at least 75 percent of their food should be quality flake food. The nitrates are always between 5 and 10ppm. I feel like Cardinal tetras will really stand out and make a statement more than any other fish ever could. She will let a male swim alongside her as they move around plants. Neon tetras aren’t the only organisms that live in aquariums. Anyone can make keep them in an aquarium and can take care. For example, these fish cannot survive a drop of temperature for long.eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'fishkeepingworld_com-netboard-2','ezslot_28',123,'0','0'])); Not only do parameters need to remain stable, but the aquarium should be kept clean. Some areas receive lots of sunlight, and others are heavily shaded. Everything seems to conflict with itself and I really have no idea what I should believe or even what the proper course of action to take in order to keep these guys would be. Bigger fish could bully neon tetras and attack them a lot. Cardinal Tetra Habitat and Tank Requirements. You would obviously have a difficult time choosing because all tetras are not that expensive and most of them have the same bright, irresistible colours. These fish have high vitamin requirements, so at least 75% of their food should be quality flake food. You should also wipe down excess algae before it can cause issues. And Cardinals grow up to 2 inch, while neons are 1.5" maximum. These fish are native to the Orinoco and Negro Rivers in South America. Keep the water temperature between 73 and 81 degrees F (23 and 27 degrees C). It’s best to keep Cardinal Tetras in groups of at least six. The Jungle Vals actually had many leaves pink-ish and even black. The Difference Between Cardinal and Neon Tetras. Oh and the the lighting on the 55 is a t8 shoplight with two 48" 40w bulbs. They are easily bullied by aggressive fish as they are unable to defend themselves. Let it be 7 but let it be stable. Would using a mix of RO water and tap water lower both the kh and the ph?[/quote]". , If you get them, when you bring them home and before drop acclimate, make sure the water is at least 82, - start with higher, you can lower it to 80 slowly after they adapt, in two days. It's a dirted 55 gallon, the nitrates are only a product of the vast amounts of ammonia and nitrite and stuff the dirts been leeching. For the Cardinal Tetra, it extends from the gills and runs down to the tail. The Cardinal Tetra will eat most appropriately sized foods. Neon tetr… Cardinal tetras should be kept by intermediates. Sounds awesome! A little easier. Differentiating the neon from the green neon is slightly trickier, but not by much. Thanks tropics! Are Neon Tetras Hard To Keep Help/Advice I've heard many different opinions on Neon Tetras, they're not begginer, they're begginer, I'm new to the hobby and I love the look of neons and I'm just wondering if I can keep them easily without dying on me. The good news is they can be bred at home, they just need quality conditions which replicate their natural breeding environment. Breeding Cardinal Tetra. The Rasbora you mentioned is actually a Danio and should be compatible with the smaller tetras. Super, and I like the lights). Cardinal Tetras are growing in popularity and can be found in most pet stores for as little as $2. My aquarium hmm here is the Pic: http://www.myaquariumclub.com/jungle-vals-309977.html. I have 8 neon tetras. On cardinals, the red line extends entirely to the head while in neons it stops about halfway through the body. Neon tetras, quite simply, have less color than cardinal tetras. For most specimens, the red color even bleeds into the tailfin a bit. Oh that should be good then, 1.5WPG is the ideal wattage for aquariums like yours since yours has Java Ferns, Amazon Swords, and Jungle Vals. So this means they are coming from South American rivers which have extremely soft water with a low pH, and very warm water temperature. They are fairly undemanding and can tolerate a range of water conditions and setups. Watching your tetras consistently die is a frustrating and heartbreaking experience. You can scatter around some decorations, but plants are ideal if you are trying to provide some shelter. You need to stay on top of cleaning your tank, weekly water changes are important for this. The cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) is a small, colorful, freshwater fish from the Amazon River.It belongs to the family Characidae. PH 8 is high for cardinal tetras, maybe some of them can adapt, but won't be comfortable and won't live long. If your Cardinal Tetras are not receiving the nutrients they need, then they will lose their color and their immune systems will weaken. My lighting a t5 Dual 48W . I wouldn't get them for aquarium with ph 8. The lighting is just a t8 15w 18" fluorescent tube with a color temperature of 6500k nothing super special. Rattlesnake, i love your aquarium, looks truly amazing, way better than my 30 :) Where did you get the driftwood at and what lighting do you have? If you add live plants , nitrates will go to zero. Therefore, they can be kept with most other peaceful fish. Cardinal Tetra Diet and Feeding . They are an undemanding fish which makes it … This can be difficult to eradicate and it’s important to ensure fish … In about a month, they should all be green. Your Cardinal Tetras will hide in them when stressed. It is very difficult to identify the males from the females because they have the same coloration. If you overstock by even one neon tetra, most if not all of them are almost guaranteed to die. When they’re alone, these fish will become shy and stressed. Last night... How can I put sand into a tank that already has water and fish in it? It's really the only plus about keeping soft water(ish) tanks in Southern California. They are an undemanding fish which makes it simple to design a suitable tank. Drift wood lowers PH. Zebra Loaches, Yoyo Loaches and Otocinclus work well if you are looking for occupants in the lower regions of your tank. You can keep as many as 1 neon or cardinal tetra in one gallon of water.