Neon Green Tetra school size

I am currently cycling my five gallon Fluval spec and have come across the neon green tetra at my LFS. I was intrigued as the owner said that I could have four with a cardinal tetra or even six neon green tetra. What is the bioload of these guys and what is the recommended school size?

 

I am currently cycling my five gallon Fluval spec and have come across the neon green tetra at my LFS. I was intrigued as the owner said that I could have four with a cardinal tetra or even six neon green tetra. What is the bioload of these guys and what is the recommended school size?

Recommended school size for green neon tetra is a minimum of 6, minimum tank is 10 gallon. A 5 gallon Fluval spec isn't suitable for green neon tetras or cardinals or any tetra species because they are schooling fish.

Cardinal tetras should be housed with other Cardinal tetras, not a mix of tetras. Cardinal tetras minimum tank size is a 10 gallon.

 

There actually are some schooling fish that would do well in your tank, provided it was planted with lots of hiding places.

dwarf spotted rasbora and microrasbora come to mind.

 

A school of ember tetras would work. They are also very small. Alison

 

I wouldn't put ember tetras in a 5 gallon, the only fish suitable imo would be a Betta or one of the microrasboras species

 

Neon Green rasboras are really beautiful nano fish if you wanted to go with something green. I have a few of them and they are really interesting to watch, one of the more true schooling fish that I have found. I have neon tetras also and they don't seem to care to hang out with each other all that often. The rasboras tend to stick together tightly and swim about which is really cool. Their color is also very bright green as long as their conditions are good. They also have neon blue rasboras which are quite beautiful but for some reason I haven't had as much luck with them.

 

sounds like good ideas with the rasboras. I really like the coloring of the blue ones. So I will be taking a trip to the LFS to look at them.

 

Neon green rasboras, Microdevario kubotaI I definitely wouldn't keep in a 5 gallon, they may be quite small but they're incredibly active, mine use every inch of the 3 footer they're in

 

Yeah, Coradee, I didn't think of that. They are pretty active little fish. Oops. Sorry if I piinted you in the wrong direction, Technik! Maybe Celestial Pearl Danios or Badis Badis? They are both really pretty little fish and I know the Badis are better as species only. Maybe someone with a bit more experience could chime in on those options.

 

Yeah, Coradee, I didn't think of that. They are pretty active little fish. Oops. Sorry if I piinted you in the wrong direction, Technik! Maybe Celestial Pearl Danios or Badis Badis? They are both really pretty little fish and I know the Badis are better as species only. Maybe someone with a bit more experience could chime in on those options.

how many celestial danios do you think I can keep?

 

I would think with some plants in there you could probably do 5 or 6.

 

With CPDs you could actually go a bit heavier, as they are inactive and have a very low bioload. I think you could easily keep 7 in there with plenty of plants.

Also I saw that badis badis were mentioned... they get too large for this size tank and frankly are not beginner fish. They are sensitive to water quality and require live foods in almost all cases.

 

Sorry, I was thinking of the scarlet Badis...

 

Eh, same thing, just smaller haha. Either way they are hard to keep fed.

 

thanks for all the help guys, going to see CPD, chilI rasboras, and some neon green rasboras. throw some RCS in there and I think its going to be a nice tank.