Adding More Tetra

[PrairieSunflower]

Since I first added neons some months ago... maybe 6 months ago?  I forget exactly.  I lost several to NTD.  I hadn't planned on replacing them as I still have 12 left... but lately, there has been a rather lot of bickering amongst the ranks.... or seems to be 3 males in particular.  So... I was thinking to bring my number back up but to add cardinals instead of neons.  Will this work?  I know they will get along, but will they school together?

 

[NeonBlueLeon]

Here's my two cents.
 
My rummy nose tetras used to school with my neons all the time!  I think most people agree that tetras that look different will not school together, but that's quite contrary to what I've seen.  However, I had them in relatively small numbers.  That is, I had five rummy noses and seven neons, and they schooled together most of the time.  There were no "predators" in the tank with them that would force them to school.
 
Of course, in your case, you have 12 neons.  Also, cardinals look quite similar to neons, so I guess all bets are off.  Just wanted to say that I've seen small tetras school together even though they are different sub-species.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Mine don't really school much unless they are tired, they all like to gather in the same place.  Just don't want to add a smaller number of something and they end up hiding in the corner alone.  LOL

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Mine don't really school much unless they are tired, they all like to gather in the same place.  Just don't want to add a smaller number of something and they end up hiding in the corner alone.  LOL

Interesting.. How do you know they are tired?

If it were me and I only wanted to add a few, I'd add Neons and not Cardinals so you don't have a handful of one species sitting on their own which could happen.

 

[NeonBlueLeon]

That's true.  When they're "broken in," they tend to intermingle everywhere until it's near bedtime.  Ahhh tetras are so fun.
 
Anyway, in my experience (rummy noses mostly), small tetras are quite communal.  Not sure how 12 neons would react to a few cardinals, but I'd bet that they will be accepted

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I only really assume they are tired.  They often congregate around dinner time at the end of the day but while the lights are still on.
 
The reason I'm thinking cardinals instead of tetras is NTD (which is how I lost my other tetra some months ago).  So, I am thinking eventually to have only cardinals.  I don't know that my remaining neons will get NTD or not as I have had a good long period without... but I remain open to the possibility it could happen. Cardinals are supposedly immune so that sounded like a better idea for increasing the numbers.

 

[TallTree01]

I'd agree that's it's best to stick with one species. I suppose as they're so similar they will probably school. After all, neon tetras brains are kind of small.