neons or cardials?

[bartender_in_ny]

i am planiing on adding some more tetras when fully cycled..as the sig. states i have 8 glowlites, i realy want another small school of color NEONS OR CARDINALS i really was leaning toward cardinals...what do ya thnk?

 

[Lateral Line]

Both Neons and Cardinals are sensitive to Nitrogen pollution. You will ften find advice which says something like "don't add Neons/Cardinals to a tank that has been running less then 6 months" - the reason being that newly cycled tanks tend not to be very stable and can throw the odd nitrite or even ammonia spike which will not be tolerated by these species.

That said, the commercially farmed Neons are generally tougher then the mostly wild caught Cardinals so easier to keep.

 

[Tenko]

I added 9 cardinals to my tank as soon as ammonia and nitrite had remained at 0 for a week. The tank had been established with a bit of fishless cycling, finished off with guppies.

I think the cardinals were captive bread and my tank was 180 litres, with frequent water changes I don't think they were exposed to anything bad enough to injure them.

By keeping an eye on the water conditions and adding fish slowly, I was able to add them about 6 weeks after initially setting the tank up. The only problem I had with them was when a gang of black widow tetras decided to lunch on them.

I think I've been lucky enough not to have had a spike, or if I have it's not been bad enough to kill off the tank occupants.

 

[BigSteve]

As a rule neons are a bit tougher than cardinals, but they are still pretty
sensitive and vulnerable.

 

[rollntider]

at one time I had a mixture of neons Cardinals and glow lights, and the schooled together. it was a pretty site. I would add both....

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

i would say go for cardinals.. they look wonderful

 

[crazie.eddie]

I vote for cardinals also. I used to have neons, but got rid of them. Cardinals get a little bigger.

 

[Pointy_kitty]

IMO and in my experience
cardinals are far more heartier than neons
but its different everywhere
i would go for the cardinals
i also think they are (although VERY simular) much prettier!!!!!!!!

 

[cometcattle]

My LFS once told me cardinals were hardier. They said their cards were tank bred and their neons wild. Of the 6 they sold me that day, 5 survived a tough move. lived for over 3 YEARS, and were bigger than those kept at the John G. Shedd Aquarium in their huge flooded Amazon exhibit.

 

[Pescado Guy]

I would personally prefer cardinals but I can never find them anywhere. I guess I will have to be content with my Neons. You seem to already have a lot of fish for a 20L tank. I don't know how crowded you want your tank to be though. I personally prefer just a few fish. I think it gives a more natural look and is easier on the filters. But it's really a matter of oppinion.

Kevin

 

[bartender_in_ny]

i got 10 cardimals today, i kept um warm during ride home ...got um home aclimated them to temp for 15 min...let um loose and the frigging tiger barbs (my one biggest one) justt wouldnt leave them alone....i had the light on then turn edit off for a while they seem to have calmed dwn, but OMG lost 3... 2 were caught on filter intake, one was floating..i wunder if the yjust died or actualy got sucked to the filter inlet? they were stuck on the grate..on pipe!!!!! so i pulled um off with a long hemo stat (saved from the good ole days hee hee) and the 7 left are ok it seems the yschooled up near top one is hiding behind filter lip on top...i hope they make it there soooooooooo pretty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! il se how they do and get 3 more in a week or so, hope they wil survive, damm rowdy barb prob scard um to death..and latly the barbs have been behaving, actually i think it was just new playmates to chase however the likl card's dont like that game!!!!!

oh well im having a wine watching the fish!!!!!! im a nervouse wreck!!!!! lol keep looking at the intake pipe....this is worse tha n baby sitting lol........

to be continueddddddddddddddddd

.

 

[joshua]

IMO, i would prefer neons with glowlights; cardinals with rummy noses. the 2 pairs grow to about the same sizes which makes it looks a little more uniformed

 

[crazie.eddie]

Youd didn't acclimate the fish long enough...15 minutes is rather short. Cardinal Tetras or neon tetras are sensitive to water conditions. You need to float the bad to so that the temp adjust. Then every 10-15 minutes, add about 1/2 cup (using a shot glass) of water from the tank into the acclimation bag. Repeat this for about an hour or so. If the bag is getting filled, empty some of it in a cup and dump it in a sink. Then net the fish and release them into your tank. During this whole process, the lights she be off in your tank.

 

[Pescado Guy]

I would use the "tried and trusted acclimation procedure" from drsfostersmith.com. It is said to work great. I'm using it on my next batch of fish!

Kevin

 

[bartender_in_ny]

well the 7 cardinals that made it are doing good, the barbs act like there not even there now whcih is cool

there all eating too.....bout 4 or 5 of um are real bold and surf the tank all day + school up with the glowlites, the other 3 come out to eat and take a cruz on occasion but still stay in the weeds on top near back,,but seem to be ok..
i hope i can keep these type of fish , i really love um!!!!!

gonna get 5 more today and try to acliment then better..im sure the 3 that died was becuz of the stress from the chasers..hopefully these dump the barbs are use to the cards now, so it should be business as usual i hope!!!

what do u all feed your cards? jezz a cpl seem to have grown already!!!!!

oh BTW? we had snow here in BUFFALO all week end!!! 8" its 17 out now brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr B)