Cardinal Tetra
Paracheirodon axelrodi
Photo: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Looks like a neon that went to art school. Wants warmer, softer water than a typical community, and a bigger school.
A showier neon that wants better water.
In the tank
- Same schooling job as neons, with a full-body red stripe.
- Water
- freshwater
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Swims
- Midwater
- Adult size
- 1.5 in
- Minimum tank
- 15 gal
- Group
- School of 6+
- Temperature
- 73–81°F
- pH
- 5.5–7.5
- Diet
- Micro pellets and frequent small frozen feedings. They are pickier than neons.
- Beginner
- Not a first fish
How to keep them
- Warmer and softer than a typical livebearer tank.
- Keep a bigger school than you think — eight-plus looks right.
Tankmates
Rams, other Amazon tetras, corys. Not mollies.
Avoid
Hard alkaline African cichlid tanks and cool unheated setups.
Check tankmates · Stocking calculator
Same group
Neon Tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
The default midwater school.
A group of six-plus fills the middle of a 20 long so the tank does not look empty.
Ember Tetra
Hyphessobrycon amandae
Nano school for a planted 10.
Actually fits a 10-gallon as a group.
Harlequin Rasbora
Trigonostigma heteromorpha
Calm midwater school for a 20 long.
Less nippy than barbs, less fragile than cardinals.
Zebra Danio
Danio rerio
Fast top-water school. Hardy, slightly chaotic.
Tolerates cooler rooms than tetras.
White Cloud Mountain Minnow
Tanichthys albonubes
The honest no-heater school.
Lives in the mid-60s without a heater if the room stays cool.
Cherry Barb
Puntius titteya
A peaceful barb for a planted 20.
Schooling color without tiger-barb nipping — if you keep six-plus.