What Goes With Neon Tetras?

[Alexis]

OK, so the other day I bought 5 neon tetras to go in my little heavily planted tank. I already had 3 platies and a small albino pleco in there. Currently, one of the tetras is... on his last legs, and I kinda find that 2 of the 3 platies kinda bully any tetra that happens to stray from the small school. I am not happy about this (whoever said platies were peaceful was wrong! XP), and I'm thinking about giving a couple of platies away (we might be doing a fish exchange with a friend). I'll be getting more tetras tomorrow, as I understand that they go better in slightly larger schools.

But I wanted to ask what goes with neon tetras??? If I give the platies away, should I just have a tetra tank? Or would it be nice to put another fish in with them? If so, what?

The tetras do look lovely in there with all the plants, BTW. Very pretty.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

9gals is too small for platies in my opinion, 10gals is the absolute minimum for platies and no less than that- everyone gallon counts u'know? The bristlenose will also outgrow the tank sooner or later.
Anyways, a tetra tank would be good but although a lot of tetras are very small fish, they do need to be in large groups of 5 to 6+ and also need space to shoal. What are the dimensions of the tank i.e. length, width and height ?

 

[Alexis]

The platies have been in there since they were TINY. Their growth is part of the reason why I'll either be: A: Moving them into the 60gallon, or B: giving them to a friend who also has a 60gallon. Same with the pleco.

Uh... I'm not sure of the dimensions of the tank... but it's taller than it is wide.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

The platies have been in there since they were TINY. Their growth is part of the reason why I'll either be: A: Moving them into the 60gallon, or B: giving them to a friend who also has a 60gallon. Same with the pleco.

Uh... I'm not sure of the dimensions of the tank... but it's taller than it is wide.

If its a tall tank rather than a long one then you probably won't have room for anymore tetra species as its already very small gallons-wise, its still worth measuring the tanks dimensions though.

 

[Alexis]

The platies have been in there since they were TINY. Their growth is part of the reason why I'll either be: A: Moving them into the 60gallon, or B: giving them to a friend who also has a 60gallon. Same with the pleco.

Uh... I'm not sure of the dimensions of the tank... but it's taller than it is wide.

If its a tall tank rather than a long one then you probably won't have room for anymore tetra species as its already very small gallons-wise, its still worth measuring the tanks dimensions though.

Oh dear... the dimensions are 35cmx25cmx40cm.
Maybe that doesn't sound big enough, but I have seen lots of tanks in pet stores and stuff that are smaller than mine with many more neons in it than 4 or 5. But if it's too small, then maybe I'll just leave 4 tetras in there. XP

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Oh dear... the dimensions are 35cmx25cmx40cm.
Maybe that doesn't sound big enough, but I have seen lots of tanks in pet stores and stuff that are smaller than mine with many more neons in it than 4 or 5. But if it's too small, then maybe I'll just leave 4 tetras in there. XP

Dimensions 35 x 25 x 40cm/14" x 10" x 16
Surface area 0.09 sqm/0.97 sq ft/ inches sq in
Volume 35 l./8 gal. (9.25 US gal.)
Probable volume 32 l./7 gal. (8 US gal.)

To keep neons properly you need a group of at least 6, but the tank is closer to 8gals, while the advised minimum amount of gallons for neons is 10gals. If i were you i would get a larger tank (15gals) for the platys, neons and bristlenose and just use the 8gal for some other type of more suitable fish like dwarf puffers or females bettas .

 

[Alexis]

Are you sure about that? I've seen different places online saying you can keep them in a tank ranging from a 4gallon sized tank and up (as in here, here and here). I'm not saying you're WRONG, I'm just saying that everyone seems to have a different opinion on what size is "ideal" for whatever fish. I know bigger is usually better, and if I have no other choice to put them in one of our other tanks, then fine, but this topic was simply asking what other fish went with tetras.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I would say those sites are definately wrong, and i wouldn't be suprised if those sites have not kept the fish- on this forum the advised minimum tank size for the majority of small tetra shoaling species of fish is generaly 10gals or more.
Even with the 1inch of fish per gal rule of thumb, 6 neons in a 4gal tank would be very overstocked- and keeping them in groups less than 5-6 is not good, as these fish will become very stressed in too smaller groups and often die or become sick or show abnormal behavior etc. In the wild, they stay alive by shoaling in huge numbers which helps protect them from predators- when in small numbers they become very stressed, even if there is no imediate sign of danger, its very unatural for them to be in small groups as they often don't last long this way.

 

[tophat665]

OK, your first citatation goes to a web page that does not recommend any minimum tank size, though some folks have posted comments with tank sizes in them. The other two citations are not for neons, but black neons and cardinals - not the same fish, and, in any case the minimum tank sizes given are, shall we say, overly optimistic.

With that said, though, everyone will agree that Neons max out at 1.5" (4 cm), and that you should keep at least 6, preferably more, and ideally many more. So, 1.5 x 6 = 9. By the inch per gallon rule, you can keep 6 neons in that tank and nothing else. On the other hand, the surface area of your tank is 140 sq", and each inch tropical freshwater fish should have at least 12 sq" surface, so you could keep up to 8 neons comfortably, and nothing else.

The other thing to bear in mind is that neons are a river and stream type fish, and want more room than a rice paddy/swamp type fish. I wouldn't say your tank is too small to keep a minimal school of neons, but I would say it is too small for anything beyond that, and you would probably be better advised to put a couple two or three female bettas or one male.

 

[Fizban]

i agree with the line of thort tophat665 is on i would say 6 is okay but dont go for any more they probly would be happyer in a bigger tank and more of there own typ but most schooling typ fish would like as many of the same typ as you will give them .......you said you may get a bigger tank well if you do u could use the first smaller one as a place to care for any sick fish u get oh and a typ of fish thats okay with them are cory but again you may hit the same problem cuz they like a group of at least 6 as well you would need a bigger tank ....................................................but you just want to no about fish that wont hurt your neon Tetras the rest of there happy ness will be for anuther time right

 

[Alexis]

OK, thanks guys. Yeah, I'm really thinking hard on what to do with my little tank at the moment. I'm probably going to be moving the platies out pretty soon and putting them in the 60gallon. As for the tetras, I'd be hesitant to put them in there, too, as there are quite a few much bigger fish in there. If I can keep only tetras in there, then I may do that for a while, otherwise I'm not too sure. Maybe they'll end up getting transported too! =P

 

[n3ont3tra]

To answer your original question of what gets along with neons:
Pretty much anything that can't fit a neon in it's mouth will get along with neons. Including most platies. I really don't know why your platies are picking on your neons, maybe they feel cramped. I have neons in my tank, and nothing picks on them. I've also had neons with guppies, bettas, mollies, swordtails, and 3 tiger barbs, although the Tiger Barbs did occasionally nip at the neons. Nothing fatal though.

 

[Alexis]

Thanks n3ont3tra! I used really like platies, but the longer I've had them, the more and more I realise that they're nowhere near as peaceful as so many people seem to think they are. I'm really quite disappointed.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Thanks n3ont3tra! I used really like platies, but the longer I've had them, the more and more I realise that they're nowhere near as peaceful as so many people seem to think they are. I'm really quite disappointed.

Platies IME react quite quickly to stress. They are probably rather cramped in there. Do they have plants and things to go in? Are they male or female? I've had more problems with males, they seem less well able to cope with things. And fewer problems in bigger tanks. I'm not sure we should really blame the fish, humans also react to stress with aggression. Platies are quite active fish, who need space to move around. The most I've ever kept was 4 juvie females in a 7 gallon, with no other fish, and that was only temporary. They got on all right, but then there was noone to get in their way.

 

[tetraman]

My platies completely ignore my neon tetras. They don't seem to notice that they exist. I find platies quite peaceful, although they did nip my ghost shrimp.