7 tetras died when I was on vacation :(

[Retired Viking]

Cardinals are very similar to neon but are a little bigger and more robust if you get the water conditions right, both are soft water fish. Cardinals appear to be more wild caught and neon more tank bread and lately they have been having a higher mortality rate from all the articles I have read. The first thing is to wait until your tank matures. At least 6 months before you get them. They are sensitive to water chemistry changes and tanks tend to be unstable for those first months. I made the mistake of getting them in my 3rd shoal of fish about 2 months and lost most of them in the next few months.

 

[wtusa17]

Cardinals are very similar to neon but are a little bigger and more robust if you get the water conditions right, both are soft water fish. Cardinals appear to be more wild caught and neon more tank bread and lately they have been having a higher mortality rate from all the articles I have read. The first thing is to wait until your tank matures. At least 6 months before you get them. They are sensitive to water chemistry changes and tanks tend to be unstable for those first months. I made the mistake of getting them in my 3rd shoal of fish about 2 months and lost most of them in the next few months.

How mature? I have 1 neon so I need some more. Would a neon school with cardinals?

 

[Retired Viking]

How mature? I have 1 neon so I need some more. Would a neon school with cardinals?

It takes about 6 months for a tank to mature/stabilize, I have been told that cardinal and neon will school together, my glow light tetra school (swim as a group) with the neon tetra but they shoal separately. (they will sit in their separate groups but swim together in one big group)

 

[wtusa17]

It takes about 6 months for a tank to mature/stabilize, I have been told that cardinal and neon will school together, my glow light tetra school (swim as a group) with the neon tetra but they shoal separately. (they will sit in their separate groups but swim together in one big group)

Ok. The tank is about 7 months old now. What are the specific perimeters? Don’t they need it hot? The tank is at 78

 

[Retired Viking]

Temp for both is the same 70-78 degrees, I keep my tank at 75.5. The cardinals are a little more demanding about water chemistry and prefer PH below 6 and dGH at around 5. Which is just a little less than neon so both have no trouble living in the same water. I have moderately hard water so I have been using RO water to reduce the hardness.

 

[wtusa17]

Temp for both is the same 70-78 degrees, I keep my tank at 75.5. The cardinals are a little more demanding about water chemistry and prefer PH below 6 and dGH at around 5. Which is just a little less than neon so both have no trouble living in the same water. I have moderately hard water so I have been using RO water to reduce the hardness.

O dang I have hard water. I guess I’ll have to stick with the neons

 

[Retired Viking]

O dang I have hard water. I guess I’ll have to stick with the neons

neon tetra are soft water too, they will not live as long in hard water and will have a higher chance of health problems since their body is not designed for hard water and is stressed. That is why I am reducing the hardness of my water with RO.

 

[JuiceBox52]

neon tetra are soft water too, they will not live as long in hard water and will have a higher chance of health problems since their body is not designed for hard water and is stressed. That is why I am reducing the hardness of my water with RO.

They are soft water but will tolerate slightly higher than cardinals will

 

[wtusa17]

They are soft water but will tolerate slightly higher than cardinals will

That’s why I’m gonna stick to neons.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

I think Peacock Gudgeons may do sneak attack on other fish.
They will attack from behind when the fish are not looking.
I used to have these fish but I had to give them away as they kept attacking my other fish.

Another possibility is the Sparkling Gourami.
How many do you have?
I'd seen some people commented that Sparkling Gouramis can gang up together and kill other fish.

Here is a link to the comment. Read the comment by Rhaethe on 07-04-2010, 06:40 PM.

Sparkling Gouramis [Archive] - Aquarium Forum

I'm looking for info on keeping sparkling gouramis. Can people share their experiences? What sort of tankmates are they known to get along with? Can they be bought in singles or pairs? Eating habits? I've looked the specs up but I'm looking for feedback from people who have them on their...

www.aquaticcommunity.com

 

[wtusa17]

I think Peacock Gudgeons may do sneak attack on other fish.
They will attack from behind when the fish are not looking.
I used to have these fish but I had to give them away as they kept attacking my other fish.

Another possibility is the Sparkling Gourami.
How many do you have?
I'd seen some people commented that Sparkling Gouramis can gang up together and kill other fish.

Here is a link to the comment. Read the comment by Rhaethe on 07-04-2010, 06:40 PM.

Sparkling Gouramis [Archive] - Aquarium Forum

I'm looking for info on keeping sparkling gouramis. Can people share their experiences? What sort of tankmates are they known to get along with? Can they be bought in singles or pairs? Eating habits? I've looked the specs up but I'm looking for feedback from people who have them on their...

www.aquaticcommunity.com

Ummm…peacock gudgeons are the most peaceful fish I’ve ever owned. Never seen them go at other fish or each other. And I have 1 sparkling gourami and he is tiny and I’ve never seen him attack any other fish.

 

[Colin_T]

Peacock gudgeons don't attack fish but there are other types of gudgeon (Mogurnda species) that will attack and eat smaller fish.

Sparkling gouramis don't attack fish either.

 

[Essjay]

My peacock gudgeons will even sit and watch while a shrimp steals food from under their noses.