penance

I'm really interested in these small guys I saw some at a LFS and I like how they stand out ... however is there anything negative info I should know or are they just like their counterpart the blue neon tetra?

Jaysee

They are a different species than the neon tetra. Nothing out of the ordinary, just another tetra.

aquarist48

Hello Penance. I do recommend that any type of neons go into an established tank of at least several months old. Be sure to acclimate them properly as well should you purchase them.
Ken

Gouramiguy17

Black neon tetras are one of my fav type of fish. They aren't nippy and they are pretty hardy compared to other neons. Something that looks cool is to have 5 black neon tetras and 5 glolight tetras.

AlyeskaGirl

I have 5, I've had them for awhile and no problems with them. The school with 5 Gold Tetras, but they all spread out across the tank when you are not standing there. lol Fun fish.

Tom

Black neons are a lot hardier then the regular neons only because they aren't bred as a huge mass as much as the regular neons. But you should still acclimate them properly.

They actually can be nippy and will attack the really long fins that some fish can have, otherwise they are really good fish to keep.
Tom

Jaysee

All tetras can be nippy - remember, they're in the same family as pirhanas.

peacemaker92

Really? LOL I never knew that.

Black Neons are cool, but I've never really had an interest in them because they don't have much color compared to other tetras. My friends say their very dull if you look into the color of the tank. But I love any tetra.

Jaysee

They are characins - all characins have actual teeth.

Peffico

Hmm I guess I'm the only one who's had problems with black neon tetras? Make sure the tank is established. And carefully select any tetras before you buy them. It only started with one that had neon tetra disease. But then again a grenade has one explosion to it.

But if it's a local fish store ask them how they have been doing when they change the water when's feeding time etc. I got mine from petco. Guess that's where I went wrong.

Jaysee

I had a DISASTER with NTD about a month ago - killed off 80% of my tank. I didn't finish quarantining the new fish (needed the tank for my girlfriends new fish), went away for a the weekend and came back to a dead black neon stuck to the filter intake - half eaten. The ONLY species in the tank that was not devistated by it were the kuhli loaches, interestingly enough.

The best thing you can do, IMO and E, is to immediately cull any sick tetras. The disease is untreatable and can only be transmitted by the other fish consuming part of the sick fish.

Oh yeah, NTD is not just for tetras.

Butterfly

Black Neons are more hardy than most neons in general and do get bigger. Like all new fish they need to be quarantined first before adding them to an established tank.
Years ago when I first set the 75g up I put 20 black neons and 20 green neons in the tank after it was cycled as starter fish ( I like to add fish slowly even into a fully cycled tank)
The black neons were the perfect backdrop for the more colorful green neons.
carol

Jaysee

I agree - mine are with regular neons and von rios - it's a nice contrast

penance

Hi guys I finally got my black neon tetras from Petco as they were on sale so I got 30 of these little beauties

They are adjusting well and school even better than the blue neon tetras I have

Gouramiguy17

wow 30, how much did u end up spending? they look very cool, what else is with them

penance

the special was on blue and black neon tetras at .99 cents, cheap enough for me

I have a large variety of fish, mostly gouramis, silver dollars and some bottom feeders. It's all listed in my aquarium info ^^

mommybaby295

30 at once? was it okay for your tank?

penance

^ not at once it was 10 on one day and 20 on another day, I checked to see how the 10 did before I went out to buy 20 more ^^

I've had bad luck with my blue neon tetras dying off no later than a day when bought so I waited for results