Various Tetras

[jlOisAhoTti]

Can you have 1 black tetra, 2 glowlight tetras, 4 cardinal tetras,3 rummy nose, and 9 neon tetras all school together and live happily?

 

[Majjie]

The neons and cardinals will be fine together. Ideally you'd have six rummy noses - because they do like their own company. The black tetra - if it's a black neon - should get on alright with the glowlights but ideally you'd have six of each of these as well.

I think you can normally tell if fish are happy - they swim around the tank during the day - pick at the plants or ornaments - and squabble a bit amongst themselves. If any of your fish are unhappy they'll hide away from the other fish - perhaps only coming out at feeding time. I have some tetras in lower than ideal numbers (because their companions have died and I've moved them around between tanks) - but they all seem quite happy. My four glowlight tetras, for instance, were not happy in with danios or alone with blue emperor tetras (too boisterous for them) but once I added neons and cardinals the glowlights came out and swam about with the blue emperors too.

 

[summerdragon]

Think they will do fine... But would all be much happier if you got all there numbers up to at least 4 of each type of fish....

 

[NEONCORY]

Ah, so many pretty fish not enough room.
I know there are so many beautiful fish out there and you want to get many kind. For the well being of the fish, more of their own kind is almost always better for them. Especially the Tetras. After all, most of the tetras are so called "schooling fish" and some they school in hundreds or even thouthands in wild. So I would highly recommend of having group of 6 or more if the tank space allow it.
So I personally I would never buy less than group of 6. I believe that would bring more natural behavior. And tend to live longer than they are kept in small number like 1 or 2. Also when you are buying some uncommon fish, you may find hard time try to find the same kind again later date.
Beside, bigger the tank it is the water is more steable and actually easier to maintain once it is cycled correctly.
SO BUY A BIGGEST TANK YOU CAN AFFORD AND PUT THE BIG GROUP OF FISH THAT TANK CAN SUPPORT AND ENJOY THEIR NATURAL BEHAVIOR. Unless of course, some fish that recommend to kepp in small number like territorial fish. But almost all Tetras, Danios and Corydoras are schooling fish and they do better with the big group of their own kind.