Neons staying at bottom

I have had my neon tetras for a little over 2 weeks now. They seem to only swim towards the bottom. Sometimes they venture to the middle of my tank, but not for very long. If I got some floating plants, do you think that would make them less shy? My tank is planted, and the only other fish in the tank is 7 sterbaI cory cats.

I know neon tetras are mid-bottom dwelling fish, but they never leave the bottom.

**Ignore the weird white algae I have on the walls of my tank. I gotta take care of that soon!

 

Is it live plants? How long are the lights on? Water parameters?

 

I'd switch out the SterbaI or the cories - they're not temp compatible.

At what temp do you keep the tank?

Can you take a pic of your tank?

 

Yes, everything is alive in my tank! My lights are on for 4 hours in the morning, then 4 hour later on in the afternoon to help with algae growth. My tank stays at 76-77 degrees. Neons are from 68-80 degrees and sterbaI cory cats are from 75-80 degrees. How are they not compatible?

There is a picture already posted, but I'll post it again here.

 

What are your water parameters?

 

I would say neons usually swim just above cories for the most part.

 

I'd have to test when I get home but yesterday everything was normal! I need a smaller schooling fish that swims mid-top level in my aquarium. Any ideas?

 

Harlequin rasboras

 

Have you actually kept them? Everything I read says they stay in the middle and don't really venture to the top.

 

Nope I haven't but I was planning on it or I would also get neons

 

You don't want to keep fish at their extremes.

Take a read through this:



http://www.fishbase.ca/summary/10691

 

Well my tank can't be any cooler than 76 degrees, personally I feel that they are fine and happy. Id have to get a chiller to lower the temp. Summers are so hot where I live that its nearly impossible to lower it. During the winter my tank normally sits at 74-75.

 

That's the tough thing - ideally you should stock for the conditions you have.