Starting Community Neon

[pseud]

how long should i wait after i add plants in? Hardy?? you mean they aren't very strong?

Yeah, something like that. Neon tetras are renowned for being fragile fish, and most people recommend that you add them to a well established tank; (after being set up for about 6 months.) This gives a chance for the bacteria in the water to develop, for everything to settle down and become constant, reducing changes in the Ph, Hardness, Ammonia, Nitrite and other such levels.

I will say however, that I added 5 Neons to a 20 gallon tank after being set up for 4 weeks and they were all fine. Still have them all 4 months later.

As for shoaling, they tend to shoal more in a bigger volume of water. In a 10 gallon tank there isn't that much open space so they don't feel as if they will easily be threatened, which is the primary reason for them to shoal. In a 125 gallon, there is obviously lots more space for them to get 'lost' in and become prey for something very hungry. It's a defense thing.

 

[hello kitty]

i let my tank cycle for 3 week then added some black neons as they are stronger than neon neons.

 

[Sunny.C]

The thing is i already have a cycled tank but it's currently go a african cichlid setup going, I will be doing a 100% water change and chaging the gravel but my filter should have alot of good bacteria in there. Does this still my i have to go threw a cycle process?