Neon Tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Family: Characidae
The Neon Tetra is hands-down the most iconic freshwater fish for planted tanks. I've kept these in nearly every community tank I've built. Their blue-red shimmer under planted tank lights is unmatched—especially when you have 15+ schooling together through your Rotala forest.
Water Parameters
Temperature
pH Level
Hardness (dGH)
Care Tips
Keep at least 6, but honestly 10-12 looks way better. They're shy in small groups. Mine always school tighter when I do water changes, which is normal stress behavior. Lost a few when I skipped water changes for 3 weeks—don't do that.
Feeding
Not picky eaters. I rotate between Fluval Bug Bites and frozen brine shrimp. They go absolutely nuts for live baby brine. Feed small amounts 2x daily—their stomachs are tiny.
Breeding
Tricky to breed on purpose. Requires super soft water (pH under 6) and dim lighting. Most people fail because the parents eat the eggs within hours. I've never successfully raised fry—always bought from my LFS.
📚 Sources: Care parameters based on SeriouslyFish, FishBase, and Aquarium Co-Op. Personal observations from the author's 5+ years of fishkeeping experience.