Black neon tetra

Albino Black Neon Tetra Hyphessobrycon Herbertaxelrodi 

The black neon tetra is an energetic little beauty with a pleasant personality. Put this fish among contrasting plants and a dark background and you will have a vibrant and beautiful aquarium. The black neon tetra has been successfully bred in captivity, and most black neons available for sale for the aquarium trade are captive-bred. An albino variant is sometimes also available.

Family: Characidae

Origin: Brazil

Social: Peaceful, schooling fish

Tank Level: Mid to top-dwelling

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallon

Diet: Omnivore

Breeding: Egglayer

Care: Easy

pH: 5.5 to 7.5

Hardness: Up to 6 dGH

Temperature: 73 to 81 F (23 to 27 C)

Origin and Distribution

The black neon tetra is native to the Paraguay basin of southern Brazil. In the wild, these fish prefer small tributaries, creeks, areas of flooded forest, and sandbanks. Their natural habitat is usually very acidic, and the water is stained brown from the tannins released by decaying organic material.

Colours and Markings

Sporting an iridescence of white, greenish, and black, the black neon makes an excellent contrast fish. They stand apart from the similarly sized tetras, such as the red-splashed rummy nose or neon tetra, and they are also a bit taller in the body. They can readily be identified as they have an enamel-white to greenish neon stripe contrasted with a rich velvety black colour below.

Tankmates

At an adult size of little more than 1 inch, black neons are suitable for small aquariums. They are a schooling fish and should always be kept in groups of a half dozen or more. They also make a nice addition to a larger community aquarium, as they are peaceful and easy to care for.

Neon tetras do well in a community tank, as long as tankmates are not large or aggressive. They get along well with all sorts of other peaceful fish, such as rasboras, danios, gouramis, and other small tetras as well as the corys and other small catfish. Avoid larger fish, as they will eat these tiny tetras at the first opportunity. The rule of thumb is, if the mouth of the fish opens large enough to swallow the neon, they will do it sooner or later.