All fish / Characidae

Neon tetra

Paracheirodon innesi

Also known as neon, 红绿灯, 霓虹灯鱼, ikan neon

Small shoaling tetra with an electric-blue line and a red lower rear half that stops at mid-body.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

3 cm

Temperature

20 to 26 °C

pH

5 to 7

Smallest tank

40 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 8 or more

Diet

Omnivore: micro pellets, flakes, frozen daphnia

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Peru, Colombia, Brazil (upper Amazon)

Breeding

Egg scatterer in very soft, acidic water kept dark; remove adults after spawning. Rare in home tanks.

Good to know

Often confused with the cardinal tetra, whose red runs the full length of the belly.