# How to find better neon supplier?



## darsunt (Feb 12, 2012)

Many people have warned me about the present poor quality of most mass bred neons. Although I spent a long time looking for good stock, when I finally bought seven of them two croaked on the first night. I test my tank and I know it is in good condition.
Is there any way to find a stock of neons that is not weak? I've heard there are a few breeders out there who still produce decent stock. The seller I bought from of course denied any such problem exists.


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## jbrown5217 (Nov 9, 2011)

I assume you are talking about neon tetras. 

Neon tetras contrary to popular belief are more of an intermediate level fish, because they don't do well when water conditions change. 

They are extremely popular because of their color.

Depending on the size of your tank (larger is better, easier to keep stable conditions) there could have been a small swing in ph, ammonia, nitrites, or probably the culprit nitrates that killed your fish.

Also realize that no matter where you buy your fish from there is always a chance to lose the fish because they could be stressed from traveling, and different water conditions. 

To lessen the chance of high stress when putting fish into a tank, do a drip acclimation, it will solve most stress problems when introducing fish to a tank. It has been proven to increase the survival rate of fish when they are introduced to the tank. It allows them to get used to the water beforehand. There is a post on the forum about it. 

I don't think you got "bad stock" I think you just got fish that were stressed from being shipped and introduced into a new environment.

Also, saying you test your tank and know it is in good condition doesn't tell us much. Tell us your actual levels and we can better help you out as well.

Minimally tell us,

Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. ph doesn't matter as much, but providing that can't hurt either.


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## debisbooked (Jan 7, 2012)

I've had neons in my tank for years, adding a few every now and then but never managing to get the school over 12 members at any one time. Each time I buy, a number of them die within a week of getting them home. I usually buy double what I want because I've come to expect that about half will die during the quarantine process. And I _always_ quarantine since I bought six neons some years ago from a reputable dealer I trusted and did not quarantine. Within a few weeks my three clown loaches were dead, along with the six neons. Strangely enough, if neons live past those first weeks, they remain very healthy and seem to live forever.


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## darsunt (Feb 12, 2012)

My ammonia is 0, my nitrates are 0, my nitrates are 5 ppm. My other fish are doing well. The PH is high, but awhile back I kept neons in this same area with this same water. It is planted, and the plants are growing.
I do believe that those neons are poorly bred now. My cousin warned me not to get neons because he said they aren't any good anymore, and I've read many sources in the internet saying how the mass breeders over dose their stock in antibiotics, never cull weak stock, etc. I delayed buying them for months looking for some stock that looked healthy ( most of the stock I've seen look pretty sad) found some that seemed good, waited a week, then bought 7. 2 died that night, I never had fish die on the same day I bought them, ever.
Anyways the surviving neons won't compete with the other fish for food, and are picky even if they get food in their mouths. It's like they don't really want to live. I'm overfeeding to try to get them to eat ... going to be bad for the ammonia level, bad for the whole tank. I thought about taking that bunch of neons and flushing them down the toilet, for the sake of the other fish and so I don't have to see them die one by one. But my wife says no, they are so pretty.
I don't think I'll buy anymore neons, unless I'm sure I can get strong healthy stock.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

It's not really the breeding as much as the rearing conditions on the Asian fish farms. They make the fish cheap, and that's what the buyers want. That's what we want. So buy ten, and expect six to make it through quarantine. Low quality fish farm fish are a problem with many species, as crowded conditions lead to disease, over use of antibiotics, etc. 
Any one who tries to raise them properly has to charge five times as much for them, and the consumer wants cheap. And so, we get cheap.


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## darsunt (Feb 12, 2012)

My harlequin rasboras were doing great. I hate to put them at risk for these neons. 
Maybe no more neons (sigh)


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## jbrown5217 (Nov 9, 2011)

Never flush your fish down the toilet. It is illegal to my knowledge. Also flushing live fish is a worse death than euthanizing them, the water conditions they would live through would be so terrible. If you are worried about getting bad stock that is constantly diseased, set up a quarantine tank and let the fish stay in the qt for a month and then move them over, by the time you move them, they should be "disease free".


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## darsunt (Feb 12, 2012)

Flushing, I'm just frustrated. So many people warned me about poor neon quality, but I tried anyways. Just wanted to fix my mistake quickly.
A quarantine tank would be great, but we don't have the space, or the money. Condo is small, budget is tight.
I have read that there are neon breeders who create good stock. I mean the contrast between the vigor of my present fish and these neons is like night and day. These neons are pretty, but you want beauty inside as well as outside, and the spirit of a healthy fish is beautiful. Heck I'd spend more money if necessary (although the rasboros are so vigorous, and they were SUPER cheap).
I'd try to get wild caught, but I heard they can't take the hard water like tank bred ones can.


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## jbrown5217 (Nov 9, 2011)

Once again never flush, if you need to get rid of a fish find someone to take them off your hands or euthanize them.


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## darsunt (Feb 12, 2012)

Yes you are correct, I did not flush them


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