Different Colors,different Tetras

[blackfinshark_3]

im setting up my 35g still and was wondering if instead of getting lets say 5-7 neon tetras i get 1 of each tetra species(ones that grow to 1 inch) so i can get more color. If i do get them will they still school together as if they were the same species?

has anyone ever tried this before? thx for the future help!

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

No they won't school, you not only need 6tetras minimum to any tetra school, they have to be the same type so if you want 2 different types of tetras its advised you have 12 tetras in total. Not all tetras are nice either, many of them are very nippy towards other fish so you'll need to research each tetra type that you want to buy to see if its suitable for your tank or not.

 

[IMCL85]

Some different species of tetra will school together but their coloration must be very close a good example would be cardinal and neon I have 4 neon that always go arround with my cardinal another example would be clownloaches and tiger bars.

 

[Lateral Line]

Schooling is a defensive behaviour. It is not often seen in small tanks. Small fish feel more secure in a school in big open spaces.

In a big tank with a lot of space, small fish of similar type will school up, in a small tank, even a group of the same species are more likely to do their own thing.

 

[kat and james]

we have three different types of tetra - platinum, neon and black neon, and when we first put them in our current tank they schooled together all the time, they do occasionally now, but only slightly at night! but in my opinion yes, they will school together, if they feel threatened, or are nervous in thier environment!