The belly is usually white. In fact, they’re one of the most popular…, Clown Loaches are one of the most popular freshwater fish in the aquarium scene. The main difference between Cardinal Tetras and Neon Tetras is the length of this stripe. Diet / Foods : Will go after flakes, live and freeze dried foods. Cardinal Tetras are very docile and peaceful creatures, which makes them easy to care for. It runs the entire length of the body and even bleeds into the transparent tail. It’s a parasitic disease that’s often brought into tanks through other infected fish or infected live foods. The cardinal tetra, in the wild, swims upstream in large numbers to parts of its native river habitat completely enclosed above by rainforest canopy. They prefer water slightly on the acidic side and for best results you'll want to acclimate them very slowly to your tank. It only takes about 24 hours for the eggs to hatch. Some have reported their fish living past this four-year mark. This is especially true around breeding season. Though, their distribution is quite vast. The Cardinal Tetra (scientific name: Paracheirodon axelrodi) is a stunning freshwater fish that can liven up any aquarium. Slowly mix in a little water from your tank to the bag they came in over a period of an hour or more. The cardinal tetra has no white at all on it. It’s best to keep Cardinal Tetras in groups of at least six. Though these Cardinal Tetras should fare well if properly acclimated, this is not the fish to add to a new aquarium. Neon Tetras have been in the aquarium trade longer than Cardinal Tetras and are usually the less expensive of the two species. These fish are delicate and don’t have much in terms of defense, so it’s best to keep things peaceful. They are also a bit smaller than Cardinal Tetras, rarely reaching an adult size of more than 1 inch. They make a wonderful addition to a Discus Community Tank. Failure to address their needs could result in stress, disease, and even premature death. Fish that can Cohabit with Cardinal Tetras The cardinal tetra is a very popular aquarium fish, however is less widespread than the neon tetra as a result of till recently, it was difficult to breed in captivity. The water needs to be slightly acidic and very soft. Make sure that your tank has completed the aquarium nitrogen cycle. We love chatting with our readers and helping them out! There are many possibilities when it comes to tank mates. Care Level : Easy, acclimate slowly to your tank water and don't even think about adding them to an aquarium that has not completed the aquarium nitrogen cycle. They aren’t known to show any signs of aggression in genera! Aquarium Source is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This applies to peaceful species, too. They will accept all sorts of tropical fish food, including flakes, frozen and freeze dried foods and definitley live foods. There are a few different diseases that you need to keep an eye out for. Throughout the day, the fish will explore the tank and swim together. These fish do not show any parental instincts and will eat the eggs. Neon Tetras do best in soft acidic water with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5 and a hardness level of 5 to 10 dGH. These are very healthy and active Cardinal Tetras. These fish are susceptible to common freshwater problems like Ich, dropsy, and fin rot. Such waters are subject to heavy shading by the rainforest trees, and virtually no sunlight reaches them. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for it. Despite its name, this disease affects a wide range of different types of tetras. Strike a good balance between floating plants and submerged plants. We know tons of owners who absolutely love these fish and plan on keeping tanks with them for years to come. Sometimes this can happen by mistake! They’re often the target of bullies due to their peaceful nature. In many areas, they’re believed to be an annual species with a very short lifespan! These fish can do well in tanks of that size. Water chemistry must be stable before they can be introduced. Peaceful by nature, Cardinal Tetras make wonderful additions to community tanks big and small. Temperament / Behavior : This is a very peaceful tropical fish and best kept in schools of 6 or more. Cardinal Tetras stick to the middle of the aquarium, but that doesn’t mean that you can ignore the substrate. The fish that live the longest tend to have the most space! pH : 5.5 - 7, prefer water slightly on the acidic side. The disease causes spinal issues, cysts, and a load of other health problems. In many areas, they’re believed to be an annual species with a very short lifespan! Also, avoid any larger fish that could eat them (obviously). Like the Neon, these fish have two distinct stripes of red and blue. The Cardinal Tetra will have the red stripe the full length of its body on the lower half, whereas the Neon Tetra will have the red stripe only half way. The cardinal tetra only grows up to 2” in size and only lives an average of four years. However, we always recommend using an aquarium that can hold at least 20 gallons. In the wild, Cardinal Tetras are considered annual fish and have brief lives of about a year. In the aquarium, a single pair can be conditioned for breeding, but the breeding aquarium not only needs to contain water with the correct chemical parameters cited above, but the breeding aquarium also needs t… Author Note: Interestingly enough, these fish are known to live longer in captivity than in the wild. These two species have very similar appearances. In the wild, these fish form groups of hundreds, creating large schools of moving color! This guide will teach you the fundamentals of Cardinal Tetra care, so you’ll be fully prepared once you decide to buy some. Being kept with other Cardinal Tetras is very important. One unique health issue to be wary of is Neon Tetra Disease. I love them and will probably get more in the future. It closely resembles the neon tetra, and is often mistaken for this more common fish. The average Cardinal Tetra size is around two inches in length when fully grown. The cardinal tetra has no white at all on it. They can be very sensitive to dramatic changes in water chemistry (especially pH). There are many different types of aquarium catfish out there. Avoid keeping with tropical fish large enough to eat them. The fry will survive off of the egg sac for about five days until they can swim freely. Natural decor that mimics their natural habitat is best. The Cardinal Tetra is a slender fish with a torpedo-shaped profile.