# Success with Neon and Other Tetras



## BSquared18 (Mar 6, 2009)

Hello,

I wanted to share a success story concerning blue Neon and other tetras. I have a 30-gallon tall tank and was using river water (Mississippi), thinking that water would be soft enough for Neon Tetras. However, they kept dying on me.

Then, I noticed a tank containing blue Neon Tetras at the Minnesota Science Museum, so I contacted the service technician who keeps that tank. Below is what he recommended:

"Tetras, including neons, can be a challenging fish to keep. However, under the appropriate water conditions they can be enjoyed in the home aquarium.

"One important water parameter that needs to be addressed for all Tetras is using soft water. Reverse Osmosis water from you local grocery store will work for this. I recommend mixing 80-90% RO water with 10-20% de-chlorinated tap water. 

"Second, make sure you are not overfeeding. The fish should be able to eat the food you give them in 3-5 mins. 

"Third, conduct frequent partial water changes. 10-15% per week or 15%-20% every two weeks with soft water. 

"Fourth, use live plants. If you don't have experience with live plants you may have to buy new plants every few months. The fourth recommendation is not necessary but will improve your chance of success.

"Mississsippi water is fairly soft by human standards. The number I could find has the hardness directly from the river at 9 KH. It looks like the City softens it down to about 5 KH. The natural hardness of the water where Neon Tetras originally came from is 1.0-2.0 KH."

For my 30-gallon tank, I started using three gallons of reverse osmosis water (40 cents a gallon at a local grocery store) mixed with one gallon of de-chlorinated Minneapolis water. I also added a second living plant. I went from changing the water every three weeks to changing it every week.

The results have been extremely gratifying: the mortality rate has gone virtually to zero, except for a couple of apparently sick fish that died soon after entering the tank. Currently, in addition to nine blue Neons, I have five Black Neons, four Gold Neons, three Black Skirt tetras, and one Congo tetra. Also, a plecostomus and albino Cory.

Hope this info helps.

Bill


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## JIM (May 27, 2009)

*Thanks for that info Bill Im sure those folks wanting to keep fish will find that info very helpful *


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## Shotgun (Mar 1, 2009)

Very handy Bill. I have kept an assortment of neons in my days, and currently have a school of 12 cardinals, and this information is nice!


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## Saprobic (Nov 14, 2008)

Great info thanks. I guess I'll cross neons off my wish list for next aquarium don't really want to have to buy water and the water here is hard its crunchy.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

Sap, I had neons for years in 8.4 Ph water. Chicago tap.


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## MissiesFishies (Jul 29, 2021)

Oh my gosh thanks you so much.
I have been searching for how to get my black tetras to breed and everything I read or watch say that I "Have to" use collected rainwater, Which I'm not allowed to do here in canada nor do I trust the rainwater here. I always thought why not RO water but when ever I asked people would tell me that it's completely unacceptable to use RO water and the absolute only way to breed was to collect rainwater. So glad I can finally tell them to [email protected]#$ off!


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## kansyfish (12 mo ago)

I apperciate your success story. Thank you


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