kittenface14

I went to Petco today (surprise surprise lol) and they had the Neon Tetras on sale 3/3 and so I got 6, six hrs later I now have 3....I think I give up on the Neon Tetras, no matter what I do I cant seem to keep them alive. The messed up part is I should of read Fishlore about adding tank water slowly...I didnt even know about...

If I keep the dead body of the one I found...I think Jaws and Jaws II (mystery snails) got the other two before me Will Petco replace the one I have?

I tested the water too:
nitrite 0
ammonia 0
pH 7.6
Temp 79

Fingers Crossed the other three make it...

agabr123

did you mean nitrate or nitrIte was zero?

petco should give you a new fish if you bring him in tomorrow and a sample of tank water.

i haven't had any luck with neons either unfortunately...i'm sorry you lost the little guys

kittenface14

Thanks, this is my second attemp with them. They are so darn cute and my son really likes them so I thought I would get a few, but guess Im not meant to have them.

I fixed the typo...hehehe sorry!

agabr123

Don't give up, neons can be very sensitive to water conditions and new tanks and the like, so it may take a few tries but if you keep things really clean then the ones that do make it should live for a good long time

Lol, no problem, I was just a little concerned for a minute there, but I figured that you meant nitrate.

cerianthus

I never have kept Neon at pH of 7.6. I dont know if Petco is keeping at 7.6. I am not saying you cant but higher chance of having difficulties at extreme ph as yours when compared to their natural habitat they are evolved to.

Aries

Slowly acclimating them is important. They are sensitive. Try drip acclimating them next time. Google drip acclimation and you'll figure out how. Try getting cardinals. People who dont know about fish can't tell the difference (to me cardinals look better) They are less sensitive and they dont get neon tetra disease.

kittenface14

I have 2 out of 6

kittenface14

I took back the one dead fish and told the guy about the other 3 and he gave me a refund on them, I thought that was nice of him.

Aries

That was nice. Really though, try the cardinals. Have you looked them up. they are way hardier and look just as good if not better.

Shaina

I'd second this...I lost 2 of 10 neons, and both were within a week of getting them. They seem to be sensitive to that first adjustment, but now a year later the other 8 are thriving despite being moved around the country, tank overhauls, etc.

I've kept them at a pH of 8.0 for several months, and they grew quickly and thrived. Benefits of captive-raised fish I suppose.

docjr03

Don't forget, sometimes the fish you buy can come with problems, too. I got some unhealthy rasboras from petsmart to go with my neons, and they didn't last 4 days! I have since bought neons from Petco, and they have been great (go figure!).

Fishies-for-me

I also have neons and have had them for almost a year with very few loses ( 3 out of 14 ) and one of the losses was cuz he got stuck in the tank and died. They are in water with a ph of 8 and have no prob with that...healthy and colorful.

kittenface14

Hmmm...Maybe Im not cool enough for neons lol

I still have two and Im on the third day.

Fishies-for-me

Maybe you are to cool for them...lol

kittenface14

lol

kittenface14

Down to one Neon

Amanda

I was going to get neons today, but then I remembered the problems many members are having with them. So I went with danios instead.

kittenface14

Well I woke up to the last Neon gone..

agabr123

i'm sorry you lost them

Angelwhispers

I'm sorry you lost your Neons. It's strange that so many people seem to be having problems with them. I have 6 out of an original 10, and they're doing just fine in a ph of 7.0 and a temp of 78.

So many people say they're sensitive, but I only lost 4 of mine because my (brand new) heater was defective and frying my Neons alive!

cerianthus

When buying Neons or Cardinals, observe to see if loners are in the tank, hanging around the corner not schooling with the rest. Beware when buying out of such tank. And another thing about pH for the Neons or as matter of fact any fish, try to keep them in their preferred water which will definitely decrease their mortality rate by big margin.

Angelwhispers

That's good advice, but the thing with Neon tanks in stores, most times, there are so many fish in them swimming around that it's not that easy to spot loners. And as well, when they're disturbed, by the net, they all fly all over the place, so really, you don't know what you're bringing home. It's another reason why Quarantine tanks are so important.

Gagaca

Sorry to hear about them Neons,
Just lost a Neon today, not too sure why it died, i placed my neons 2 days ago.

Ph= 7.1 -7.8
nitrate= 0 to<20
nitrate= 0
Temp= 78 F

Planted tanked with 2 plants (leafy)


I think maybe there were sick and weak to begin with, and the truama of moving them and tank shock did them over



I just started my 10g tank, and after my hybrid nitrogen cycled tank was ready,

i bought

4 neons
2 swordtale plats
1 oto catfish
plus two guppies that survived in my hybrid nitrogen cycle.