How many Neon Tetras in 2 gallon tank?

I have a 2 gallon aquarium. I would like to know how many neon tetras I can have. Can you please help me?
I am a newbie fish owner

I don't know anything about fish but I have a 2 gallon aquarium. Can anyone help me get started?

 

Re: I AM A NEWBIE FISH OWNER

Do you have the space and money to buy a 10 gallon tank with everything that goes with it? I would start from there.
Tom

 

Re: I AM A NEWBIE FISH OWNER

No. I only have room for a 2 gallon. I already have it and have had the water circulating for 24 hours. I am going to pick up some fish in a little while. Which fish should I get and how many? I want some neon tetras but I don't know how many would survive in my tank.

 

The general rule for how many fish you can have is one inch of fish for every gallon.

 

So I can only have 2 neon tetras?

 

You could probably get away with more. That's just a good rule of thumb to remember though (especially for community tanks). If you got a school of the same kind of tetra that would be alright too. Just don't pack your tank like the stores do. That's just cruel. But you could probably get away with 3-6.

 

Re: I AM A NEWBIE FISH OWNER

No. I only have room for a 2 gallon. I already have it and have had the water circulating for 24 hours. I am going to pick up some fish in a little while. Which fish should I get and how many? I want some neon tetras but I don't know how many would survive in my tank.

If you can't get a 10 gallon, then for the 2 gallon, do you have;
a heater
a filter
a source of light(optional)
a test kit
and a thing to change the water with?
If you don't have any of that, before you get any fish, I would advise going and spending mney on thost first before the fish to make sure they have a long and happy life. As for what fish, the neons have been breed so many times, there DNA is a little screwed up and wouldn't last very long in a tank. Have you seen a zebra danio, if so, waht do you think of it? If any fish for a 2 gallon, I would advise 1-2 zebra danios or 1 cory cat since the tank isn't very big and following the 1"/gallon guidline.
Tom

 

So if I got like 3 neon tetras would I be able to get one more fish? I like the orange and white and black ones. They are kinda round but I don't know what they are called.

 

You could probably get away with more.  That's just a good rule of thumb to remember though (especially for community tanks).  If you got a school of the same kind of tetra that would be alright too.  Just don't pack your tank like the stores do.  That's just cruel.  But you could probably get away with 3-6.

But also you have to remember that the stores are selling their fish and the fish will be gone soon(that's what they hope) and they can do that, but if the fish wish to spend the rest of their lives happy and healthy with you, just go by the guideline.
Tom

 

Re: I AM A NEWBIE FISH OWNER

ok. I have a light and an air pump. I really like the neon tetras so I think I'm gonna get some of those. how many should I get?

 

Oh yeah, that's true. I didn't think of that :-[ Ah well, I accidentally packed my ten gallon tank with 13 fish (I got a post on it) and most of them aren't doing too hot, but my tetras are good. They just sit in their little group all aloof from everyone else.

 

So if I get 3 tetras and maybe one other fish would they survive?

I really need to know how many neon tetras would survive in a 2 gallon tank? thank you

 

So if I get 3 tetras and maybe one other fish would they survive?

Just go with the 3 tetras. Have you seen the black neon tetras?
Black Neon Tetra Care - Size, Life Span, Tank Mates, Breeding
What do you think of them, they are easier to keep then the regular neons, IMO.
Tom

I just merged your 3 topics since you are asking the same thing 3 different times and Mike and the other mods don't really like that and would have done it anyways. I hope you don't mind.
Tom

 

no thank you. I didn't know that I couldn't do that. I think I'm just gonna ask the pet store if I could get 3 tetras and the other fish I want. but thank u very much for all of your help

 

no thank you. I didn't know that I couldn't do that. I think I'm just gonna ask the pet store if I could get 3 tetras and the other fish I want. but thank u very much for all of your help

Did you take a look at the b.neons? Did you like them? Like I said they are better than the regulars since they haven't been bred as much and still have a DNA structure. I would really only advise getting one fish, but 3 should be fine as long as you do water changes every week(about 50%) and only get the 3 tetras and nothing else. I mean that.
Tom

 

wat kind of water changes?

 

Take out 50% of the water and replace it with the same temp and dechlorinated water(not the same water of course).
Tom

 

I think you should probably only get one small fish (maybe a Platy or Danio) until your tank is completely cycled... read this page- https://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm. Neon Tetras are very fragile and would probably die very soon if you were to get them now. Maybe you could even get a cheap feeder goldfish to cycle your tank and then give him back to the fish store when your tank is ready for the Neons. You could probably get away with 3 or 4 Neons in a 2 gallon. The one inch or fish per one gallon is only a guidleline, it's not absolute law. If I were in your place, I'd get a feeder goldfish and a test kit for now. You probably shouldn't think about getting the Neons for at least a month or so...

Also be sure and check all the articles on this page: https://www.fishlore.com/Beginners.htm

 

I think you should probably only get one small fish (maybe a Platy or Danio) until your tank is completely cycled... read this page- https://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm. Neon Tetras are very fragile and would probably die very soon if you were to get them now. Maybe you could even get a cheap feeder goldfish to cycle your tank and then give him back to the fish store when your tank is ready for the Neons. You could probably get away with 3 or 4 Neons in a 2 gallon. The one inch or fish per one gallon is only a guidleline, it's not absolute law. If I were in your place, I'd get a feeder goldfish and a test kit for now. You probably shouldn't think about getting the Neons for at least a month or so...

Also be sure and check all the articles on this page: https://www.fishlore.com/Beginners.htm

Or instead of a feeder fish, you could get some ghost shrimp and leave them to clean up any excess food that your possible neons leav behind.
Tom

 

Your tank will take 4-6 weeks to fully cycle. During that time whatever fish you have in it will be put under extra stress, even with ideal conditions of 1" (adult size) of fish per gallon. Even 2 neons would call for 3 gallons -- 3 would be 4.5gallons and another fish would put you at 6.5 or more probably (over 3 times the general guideline for safe bioload and waste levels!) Combine that with the ammonia and nitrite levels of a cycling tank and it's a very good chance they'd all die.

I'd look into small fish that can be happy with just 1 - dwarf puffers call for 3 gallon but are happy on their own. a female betta would be happy on her own. Either of those fish have a lot of character and with regular testing and water changes can be happy. The dwarf puffer would like live snails for food though.

 

beta fish will live in a tank that size

 

I vote for a betta too! They're much more attractive than those little neon tetras, and you can probably find one that's a beautiful colour that you just love!

If your heart is set on neons though, you really should know that they are not the hardiest of fish. I think neons are best left to a bigger tank where they can be in a large enough school to really feel natural.

Have you considered an African Dwarf Frog? You could have one of those guys in this tank, probably.

 

Neon tetras are definitely pretty. They can also be fairly easy to care for.
Good luck with your tank. I personally wouldn't get any more than 3 or 4 neons for that tank, and make sure you've got a good filter in the tank. Also maybe a little plant if you can afford it (be sure to check it out on plant geek to make sure you've got the lighting requirements and that what you're buying is actually an aquatic plant. (I've been sold a couple of plants that were supposedly aquatic that actually weren't.)