Setting Up A Tetra Tank:)

Hey Guys   

So I'm thinking of setting up a tetra tank,

I want it to be a bigger tank that can hold neon tetra, cardinal tetra and penguin tetra.
In at least groups of 5 each because they are schooling fish.

Will those fish school together though? as they are all relatively the same size?

I'm just wondering what would be the minimum size fish tank for this?

What type of plants?
I was thinking a nice thick flame moss to cover half of the tank, and some of the rocks, and then on the sides and back of the tank have Anubias Barteri and Hornwort as well.

Also how do you get Flame Moss to grow on rocks and drift wood etc. ?

Thanks for the help

Hi Daniel,
 
 
"Bigger" is a relative term.  How big are you thinking?  The display with shoalers improves as you improve the size of the tank, and the size of the shoal.
 
 
Neon and cardinal tetras are nearly identical in appearance.
 
Cardinals:

 
Neons:

 
 
They are also roughly the same size, with the cardinals growing just a bit bigger.
 
Penguin:

 
Penguin and Neons are nearly the same size.
 
 
 
I don't know if they would all shoal together or not.  For me, having 3 different species in a tank only makes sense if they are significantly different (but this is just a personal taste thing).
 
 
 
To have 15 of these fish, you would need at least 20 gallons, but 30 would be better, as the commonly accepted number for shoalers is 6.
 
 
If you wanted to go "bigger" and have a truly spectacular looking display, I'd suggest at least 50 gallons or a 4 foot long tank.  And get 15 of each - and I might suggest trading out either the neons or cardinals for a different shoaler - tetras that would be strikingly different from the ones mentioned (but similar sized) glowlight, bloodfin, lemon, phantom (red or black), and there's plenty of other shoalers that require the same parameters as tetras, that aren't 'tetras'.
 
 
I'd also suggest that if you are going with a smaller tank, that it might be better to cut out one of the neons or cardinals - and up the numbers of the other two species.
 
 
If you are a beginner with plants, you'll probably want to go with low maintenance, low light, easy plants - Amazon swords (Echinodorus spp), Cryptocoryne spp (bunches of different height options for background, mid and foreground), and then there are the ferns and mosses.  Java fern, anubias, and flame moss, java moss, etc.
 
 
Attached the latter mentioned plants to rocks and driftwood is very easy.  You have a few options.  The easiest is to dry off the plant and rock/wood, and "Super glue" it on.  If you don't want to do that, just tying the plants (use the rhizome to attach it) to the rock or wood would hold it in place until the plant itself grows to attach itself.
 
 
 
Any more questions, and folks would be happy to offer suggestions...  (Disclaimer: there is nothing wrong with having both neons and cardinals in the tank, just my opinion that their appearance is so similar that it might be more appealing to have different looking fish in there.)

I know I shouldn't mention that AQ....... stocking calculator here.  But it mentions that penguin tetra are too agressive to co-exist with neons, and a few other species of tetra.  And as a result I didn't add penguins to my new tank.
It might very well be wrong, or exaggerated, but I wouldn't add them unless you're sure they won't fight.
 
I'd look around a bit.  There are plenty of tetra species around to choose from.
 
In my tank, I added 20 bloodfin tetra, 20 lemon tetra & 20 black neon tetra
 
bloodfin tetra

lemon tetra

black neon tetra

 
Also, I agree about not mixing neons & cardinals.  It poses no problems but you wouldn't see the difference from far.
(that and non-fish geeks will just think it's a big school of neons)
 
Anybody has experience with mixing penguins with neons or other tetra's? (basically why I posted this)
 
Apart from that, everything I can think about is already in eagle's excellent post before me.

Rummynose tetras shoal really well.

Tek oot.

I can't believe I forgot to mention rummys! 

eaglesaquarium said:

I can't believe I forgot to mention rummys! 

Click to expand...

Don't worry, happens to the best of us lol.

Tek oot.

Hey guys, we'll my original idea was to have a tank with lot's of plants and tetras and fish all relatively the same size, just different colors or styles,

I was thinking maybe now have neon tetras and blood fin tetras just in one tank, with at least 5 of each.
But now that it is only about 10 fish would I be able to keep them in a 15 gallon tank? 


 

eaglesaquarium said:

If you are a beginner with plants, you'll probably want to go with low maintenance, low light, easy plants - Amazon swords (Echinodorus spp), Cryptocoryne spp (bunches of different height options for background, mid and foreground), and then there are the ferns and mosses.  Java fern, anubias, and flame moss, java moss, etc.
 
 
Attached the latter mentioned plants to rocks and driftwood is very easy.  You have a few options.  The easiest is to dry off the plant and rock/wood, and "Super glue" it on.  If you don't want to do that, just tying the plants (use the rhizome to attach it) to the rock or wood would hold it in place until the plant itself grows to attach itself.

Click to expand...

Thanks so much I might try the tying on with the rhizome as super glue seems a bit harsh.. I will be putting anubias and some amazon swords around the sides and back and then some flame moss to cover the rocks and ground etc.

 
 

misterpro said:

I know I shouldn't mention that AQ....... stocking calculator here.  But it mentions that penguin tetra are too agressive to co-exist with neons, and a few other species of tetra.  And as a result I didn't add penguins to my new tank.
It might very well be wrong, or exaggerated, but I wouldn't add them unless you're sure they won't fight.

Click to expand...

I read up about on what you said and could not find any websites that where on that topic, so I'm going to be using different fish just to be sure

thanks so much for the help guys )

I'd say 20 gallons for that stocking.  And bloodfins aren't really ideal for that size tank, even though they are small, as they are very active swimmers.
 
In a 20, the neons would work well... maybe with lemons or phantoms.

If you wanted to go "nano" and get even bigger and thus more striking schools, you could go with: 10 Green Neon Tetras, Paracheirodon simulans; 10 Ember Tetras, Hyphessobrycon amandae; and another compatible school from the nano thread here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/416824-nano-fish/.
 
Because, in general, the larger the school, the more impressive the school.  So people tend to want to keep only one kind of tetra at any given moment because it increases the school's overall impact.  But keeping nano fish means that you can keep larger numbers, effectively creating a more impressive environment.  Plus 6 should be seen as a minimum and not a sufficient number of schooling fish.

If you're looking for Nano Fish, check out my thread in the Freshwater Nano Tank section.

Tek oot.

Well I was thinking Bloodfin tetra as I was given a tank with to many fish and all in small groups even though they are in a big tank, 
it came with:
2xbloodfin tetra,
2x harlequin
2xkuhli stripped loaches
1xOrnate tetra
5xNeon tetra
1xpeppered cory

^As most are schooling fish and just I need to redo the tank because it's incredibly mean,

I was planning to have in one tank:

5 bloodfin tetras and 5 neon tetras,
 
and then 5 harlequins and 5 ornate tetras 

as the main fish in the tank, but then bottom dwelling fish such as kuhli stripped loaches which hide under rocks and stuff etc, with glass shrimp that the fish eat and to clean the tank aswell.
 

So will be buying a new tank on friday, 
Also if you don't want fish anymore such as the blood fin tetras because like you said they are fast swimmers and not suited for that tank, and looking to get other types of fish.. what do you do with them? you can't just flush them down the toilet as thats cruel, and you can't give them back to the place you got them because they don't take it back because water isn't the same, differnt bacteria etc.?

TekFish said:

If you're looking for Nano Fish, check out my thread in the Freshwater Nano Tank section.

Tek oot.

Click to expand...

^ I have read your guide and you suggested some really interesting fish!
Will look into something like those ones soon..

No problem.

Tek oot.

You can ask any LFS and see if they will let you drop them off.
 
 
What size tank are you going to get?

What is an LFS?

I was thinking about a15-20 gallon tank as that's all I can really afford, as most places are really expensive for tanks aha.

Local Fish Shop.

Tek oot.