While neon tetras are hardy fish, like most tetras, they are susceptible to something called “neon tetra disease:” An illness caused by a parasite which can be fatal. This is why they’re often recommended as one of the best beginner fish to start with.Īs a shoaling fish, they need to be kept with at least six or seven of their own kind in order to remain healthy. Neon tetras are native to the Amazon River basin in South America, and are one of the easiest freshwater fish to care for. If you like the look of these two fishes, definitely go with the neon tetras instead! Plus, neon tetras can be a tiny bit smaller which makes them even better for smaller tanks! They look very similar to and are often mistaken for cardinal tetras, which look the same except hat their red stripe runs the full length of the body.Ĭardinal tetras are wild caught and are thus more expensive, and ethically compromising. Neon tetras have a bright red stripe that runs half the length of their body, and a blue head. This is why many of the best aquarium fish stores are on the fence about taking fish from the wild. When you take a fish from the wild (eg, “wild caught”) you’re tampering with a natural ecosystem and running the risk of damaging it. This means they are an ethical choice for your freshwater aquarium. Not only are they a good-looking fish, easy to care for, and peaceful, but they are easily bred and raised in captivity unlike some of their other tetra family members. Neon tetras are definitely my second top pick for smallest tetras for nano tanks. NOTE: Remember that for ember tetras and all of the fish on this list, their lifespan and coloration will be maximized by how well they are cared for and how closely their original native environments are replicated. Don’t keep them with fish big enough to eat them! I recommend keeping ember tetras in a group of no less than 10.Įmber tetras are going to do best in a well planted tank that has lots of vegetation, similar to their natural habitats, but still gives them enough room to swim around. This is part of how they feed and protect themselves from predators. Remember that ember tetras are schooling fish This means that in the wild, they live with a large number of their own kind and swim in the same direction together. This makes easy math for you when it comes to choosing tank mates: They’ll need to be housed with other peaceful, nonaggressive species like neon tetras or cory catfish. Plus, they’re super hardy and resistant to diseases.Įmber tetras are curious, gentle, and peaceful, and hang out almost exclusively in the middle of the water column. They’re very active and peaceful which means that you’ll see them bringing lots of fun activity to the aquarium while also playing well with other fish. They are entirely bright red orange in color, and are around 0.8 inches in size.īecause they’re also super easy to care for, they’re definitely my top pick for nano tanks and beginner nano tanks. Its native habitat is densely vegetated with slow flowing waters, and these are the conditions that you want to replicate in your tank.Įmber tetras are the smallest tetras you can find, and they really make a statement in any size tank. This tiny, gorgeous, bright fish is native to central Brazil in offshoots of river basins. Ember Tetra (0.8in) – The smallest tetra! The remaining tetras on my “smallest tetras” list range from 1 to 3 inches in length.ġ. That’s tiny! Nevertheless, they still pack a punch with their stunning red color. The smallest tetras available are definitely ember tetras, clocking in at a maximum size of around 0.8 inches. I worked hard to create a list of the smallest tetras according to size, from small to large, to make it easy for you. This is especially true if you’re putting together a nano aquarium in which every niche counts. Novice aquarists might be familiar with the fact that tetras are among the smallest aquarium fish you can find, but it can be challenging to figure out the variations in sizes among them.
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