Black Neons

[Teelie]

I did a search in the forum and found some information on them but not much. They don't school as tight as other tetras, and they get bigger than neons, but that's about it. I'm looking to get some midlevel fish for my cory tank and I saw some black neons at the store, as well as regular neons and harlequins but I'm not sure which to go with.

Schooling isn't a necessity but it would be preferable. Do black neons shoal loosely together and will they get aggressive or picky at feeding time? Usually I feed my cories sinking pellets though bloodworms are a once a week treat. My only other food sources are flakes and betta pellets so whichever species I get will probably have to contend with flake food (my cories and snails are bad enough as it is competing for the sinking food).

 

[candy]

my black neons school togeather much better then my normal neons.yes thet do get a bit bigger but not to huge.

mine eat flake and have bloodworms once a week and they seem fine i have a pleco with mine and i feed them sinking stuf but the black neons dont go for them but normal neons do go for them

hope this helps a litle bit

 

[Teelie]

That helps some, thanks.

 

[Lateral Line]

I think the Black Neon is a very underated fish. It only grows a little larger then regular neons. An elegent attraction rather then a flashy one, although I would have to say the same for Harlequins.

Schooling/shoaling is a response to the environment. Fish school/shoal up when there is a perceived threat, i.e. a benefit from schooling/shoaling. If there is no threat, fish tend not to school/shoal. Put a group of small tetras in a small crowded tank, they'll do their own thing, put exactly the same group in a large sparsley stocked tank with a lot of open water, they'll school up.

 

[tear-scar]

I agree with lateral line. Though if you like dense plants, there are other methods . . .

Add a dwarf cichlid species that's bigger than them and they'll school right up. Apistogramma Cockatoides is a good choice-- stays small, relatively peaceful . . . most are really small when you buy 'em though so it might take a while for them to get bigger than the black neons.

One of my LFs was thinking about adding a pair to his display tank to make the cardinals school-- but then he realized the cardinal tetras were bigger than the cichlid.

My Harlequins and WCMMs school just because they share a tank with a juevenile betta. Maybe he looks big to them.

 

[myfrint]

I currently have 2 black neons in my 10 gal tank, and they are doing great! (I used to have 4, but unfortunately 2 of them sucked into the filter )

They are really easy to keep, and they are not picky at all. Mines are eating too well. Flakes, freeze-dried blood worms, they don't care. lol. (They even steal some of my cory's pellet. )

Also, they school really well. When I used to have 4 of them, they always stick together like a team. (They even swim in same direction.) In my opinion, black neons school tighter than neons.

They are a bit timid. Even if I try to get closer to my tank, they run away.

But, they are great fish and fun to watch. It would be your great addition to your tank.

 

[Teelie]

I'll probably be getting some this weekend then, thanks.

 

[Teelie]

I've got them, had them for a week now. I initially bought 6, but somewhere, somehow, 1 of them disappeared so now I have 5. They're doing great in my 5 gallon quarantine tank and will be moved to my 30 gallon this Friday once they're cleared of disease.

 

[bugsy66]

Does anyone know if you get say 4 regular neons and 4 black neons will they 8 of them school together?

I am wanting some fish that stay in a nice bunch, school together for my discus tank. Many recommend the cardinal tetra and the rummy nose. Cardinals are hard to get here, but both types of neons are readily available.

Also, will they do well in 82 degress?

bugsy