Mary Allen
The different species of neon fish have one thing in common: their bright color. Whether blue, red, or black neon – the beauties in the aquarium do not necessarily have close family ties.
Neon Tetra – Always Follow the Sparkle
The stripes that stretch across the skin of neon tetras reflect light extremely strongly even at the tiniest glimmer. That makes sense since their natural habitat is mostly dark jungle waters. The reflectors ensure that individual fish do not lose their swarm in the dark. It is, therefore, necessary to keep these small tetras in swarms that are as large as possible – there should be at least 10 animals. When the fish are inactive, their luminosity decreases, so they are not immediately spotted by potential enemies. In addition, the neon colors look like sunbeams reflecting in the water.
Neon Tetra
The best-known of the neons is the 3 to 4 cm long Paracheirodon innesi. It’s bright red and neon blue coloring, which is best seen at dusk, is probably the reason why it is one of the most popular aquarium fish. In addition, it is very robust and easy to care for with a little basic knowledge of aquarists. Its main food is tiny invertebrates.
Red Neon
The red neon, which can reach a body length of up to 5 cm, also belongs to the tetra family. If all parameters are correct, healthy animals are easy to keep. However, since red tetras are mostly still wild-caught, they are a little more difficult in the acclimatization phase. The purchase of these little beauties can therefore not necessarily be recommended to beginners.
Blue Neon
The blue neon looks similar to the red neon and the neon tetra but is not very closely related to them. It grows to around 3 cm and should also be kept in swarms with at least ten of its own kind. Its bright colors are particularly effective when you keep it in a blackwater aquarium.
Black Neon
The black neon grows to around 4 cm. Of all neon species from the family of tetras, its appearance and behavior are most different from the best known, the neon tetra: While these are often on the ground, the black neon is mostly in the tank.
Neon rainbow fish
The neon rainbow fish also carries the noble name diamond rainbow fish. It does not belong to the tetra family but is one of the rainbow fish. He is very lively and should be kept in a river biotope. The fish, which likes to swim, feels at home in a large aquarium in which it will find many fine-feathered plants.