Soft Water? (+ Neon Tetra Care)

Now that I've finally developed a stocking plan for my tank, I'm eager to bring home my new fish. However, I figure it's a good idea to ask those with experience about the care and keeping of the fish I plan to keep, one of which being the Neon Tetra.

Originally, I had wanted Cardinal Tetras, but I couldn't find them anywhere locally, and the prices online were a bit out of my budget for one school of fish. Although not as hardy, Neon Tetras look so similar, so I thought I'd give them a try. As I've been preparing for their arrival in the coming months (I still am working on cycling) I have heard that they are a lot more sensitive than I first thought.

Apparently they need really soft water, but I don't know how to bring my water to that state... Could somebody refer me to a good Hardness Test Kit? Do those water softener pillows do any good? Basically, I'm just seeking out tips and tricks to keep the water as soft as the tetras need. Also, feel free to leave some Neon Tetra care tips if you've got any!

 

If the neon tetras are captivity bred, then they can adapt to the pH and GH of our water. API GH and KH Test Kit is the one I use.

 

Neons should be able to adapt to your water with a drip acclimation. The lfs you got them from probably does not have especially soft water

 

Hello! Softening water isn't too hard. There are actual products online like softening pillows (filled with peat) that will do fine soaking in the tank. You could also use demineralized water for water changes, but we all know that's inefficient, expensive, and not too reliable.
Anyways, what's more important than the water's hardness is just how established, stable, and clean your tank will be. Assuming that you get your neons from a LFS, they'd be captive bred and slightly conditioned for harder waters. Seriously, they drop like flies if your nitrates are too high or a water change is too stressful on them (shock).
Also, watch out for NTD. It's like the number one killer. (Mainly why people buy cardinals and not neons.

 

I used to be obsessed with “soft water dreams”. Today, I have over a dozen jumbo neons in a school in my 75 gallon planted and the water has a GH of well over 12. My neons have also weather drastic temp changes when I had a heater go on the blitz. Like Chimera said: don’t buy them unless you have a solid community of bacteria and be prepared to lose half if you mail order.

 

Hello! Softening water isn't too hard. There are actual products online like softening pillows (filled with peat) that will do fine soaking in the tank. You could also use demineralized water for water changes, but we all know that's inefficient, expensive, and not too reliable.
Anyways, what's more important than the water's hardness is just how established, stable, and clean your tank will be. Assuming that you get your neons from a LFS, they'd be captive bred and slightly conditioned for harder waters. Seriously, they drop like flies if your nitrates are too high or a water change is too stressful on them (shock).
Also, watch out for NTD. It's like the number one killer. (Mainly why people buy cardinals and not neons.

Thanks for the advice - so do you think with careful acclimation (maybe float them for an hour, adding a small amount from the tank every fifteen minutes or so) they would do fine in addition to a well established tank? Do you recommend I purchase a softening pillow for safety measures?

Also, I have heard that Blackwater Extract helps them...?

Like Chimera said: don’t buy them unless you have a solid community of bacteria

I plan to add them to my tank last, so the tank is well established

 

Thanks for the advice - so do you think with careful acclimation (maybe float them for an hour, adding a small amount from the tank every fifteen minutes or so) they would do fine in addition to a well established tank? Do you recommend I purchase a softening pillow for safety measures?

Also, I have heard that Blackwater Extract helps them...?

I honestly think the softening pillow is a bit extra, but it will be useful if you want as much of a success as you can. Black water extract does help to an extent (adjusting ph and other parameters to imitate its natural habitat) Ideally, I would take the neons and pour them into a bucket gently, then do a simple drip acclimation. All you'd need would be to use some airline and siphon tank water into the bucket. Once it's been maybe 30 minutes to an hour, immediately use a net to fish them out of the dirty water and transfer them swiftly into your tank.
Expect some losses. When it comes to certain tetras, I always order more just in case for DOAs and acclimating accident.

 

Always acclimate new fish. But keep in mind that wild caught neon tetras can't adapt to hard water. If you do get wild caught keep the gH at 1-2 dGH. If they are captivity bred they should be able to adapt to the water. I don't think you need any softening pillow,IMO. You will more likely get captivity bred.

 

I have neon tetras and they can be not so hardy during the cycling process, but once the cycle is complete, I don't believe they have too much sensitivity.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the softer the water, the less stable your pH will be, so there are some drawbacks from super soft or super hard water. I think a fair middle ground is easily adaptable for your Tetras.