Description

There is almost no person in the world who has not seen this fish at some point in their life, and almost no hobbyist who hasn’t kept this fish at some point in their life, this is the cardinal tetra! The cardinal tetra, or Paracheirodon axelrodi, is arguably the most famous fish in the world, and it’s easy to see why, when you see a large school of these nano tetras swimming around in a tank. The top side of this fish is a neon glowing blue from tip to tail, running straight through the eyes, and the belly side is a deep red, also from tip to tail. These bright colors and small body size make it a popular fish to add to any size aquarium.

In the wild these fish have a vast range, covering the majority of the course of the amazon river, and so are fairly adjustable anyways, but ours are European tank bred, which means they are even more readily adapted to aquarium life, and ready to grace your aquarium! Coming in at about an inch currently, you can expect them to get up to double that, but most specimens will cap out around 1½ inches. These tetras really appreciate decorations such as branches and plants to swim in and out of, and these will contribute greatly to more natural behavior. Contrary to what you might think, more hiding places tends to bring fish out into the open more to search for food, as they have a secure place to dart back to if a threat does happen to emerge, which does not happen in your home tank. Some slow flowing water is a good thing as well, and since they are small fish that don’t eat too much, a sponge filter which moves water slowly would be good to have. These fish will thrive in water that is acidic to slightly alkaline, and you will want to keep the hardness of the water under 150ppm. Although these fish can adapt to harder water and still be healthy, their colors will tend to wash out slightly, and never be as vibrant.

When considering tankmates for the cardinal tetras, it is best to remember that they are a fish which requires a school to thrive, and you should consider getting at least 8 of this species, with more always being better as long as your filter is capable of handling it. Besides more of their own kind, you might also consider some bottom dwellers to clean up the food that makes it past the cardinals, as they will not feed from the substrate, and only eat while the food is in the water column. A very popular choice in this regard is some Corydoras catfish, and just the two kinds of fish can make a very attractive display alongside some plants and wood. These shoaling fish do not ship individually bagged.

Common Name: Cardinal Tetra
Scientific Name: Paracheirodon axelrodi
Country of Import: Czech Republic
Prophylactic Treatment: Erythromycin / Ich-X / Metro
Approximate Current Size: 1" - 1.25" each
Temp/pH/TDS: 75F / 6.5 pH / 100

Please be aware that all fish are sold on a BUY THIS WEEK, SHIP NEXT WEEK basis, and fish are shipped only on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Weekly shipping cutoff is EVERY SATURDAY at 12 Noon Pacific US Time. All fish are shipped via UPS Next Day Air. Minimum order is $50.00 (excluding shipping) and all orders to the lower 48 US States qualify for FLAT RATE $60.00 shipping via UPS Next Day Air. Hawaii and Alaska State Residents: Please contact us if you would like to purchase Live Animals for delivery.

When you place your order, you will be required to agree to our Terms & Conditions of Sale

Warranty Information

All Live Fish are delivered via UPS Next Day Air and are covered by our DOA Protection Guarantee with the following terms

1. All sales are final and no return of goods is possible
2. The shipping cutoff each week is Saturday at 12 Noon, Pacific US Time
3. We reserve the right to delay the shipping of Live Animal orders due to inclement weather and/or other unforeseen incidents; if dangerous weather conditions or other impactful incidents occur, we may delay the shipping of your Live Animals. Customers who wish to cancel their orders under these conditions may do so with a 10% cancellation fee
4. All Live Animals are sold on a Purchase This Week, Ship Next Week basis, and orders are shipped out on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of the week after sale. Tracking numbers are automatically sent to customers via email notification when orders are shipped
5. Once an order is placed, it may be cancelled and refunded upon customer request, however a 10% cancellation fee will apply
6. The minimum order amount for Live Animal orders is $50.00 (USD); we reserve the right to cancel and refund Live Animals orders with subtotals of less than $50.00 (USD)
7. All animals sold are slightly variable in size, color, pattern, and in overall appearance, and may differ from this website's photograph(s) of the animal
8. Live Animals delivered with UPS Next Day Air are covered against Dead-On-Arrivals if the following conditions are met:
   a. Live Animal shipments must be delivered on the first delivery attempt; if for any reason Live Animals were not delivered to you on the carrier’s first delivery attempt, then there is no guarantee against Dead-On-Arrival animals in your shipment and no refund will be issued
   b. Live Animals must be delivered to the original delivery address entered when the order was placed; if an alternate address is chosen and communicated to the carrier by the customer or customer agent, then there is no guarantee against Dead-On-Arrival animals in your shipment and no refund will be issued
   c. In the very unlikely event that Dead-On-Arrival Animals are received in a shipment delivered via UPS Next Day Air, the customer must begin the Dead-On-Arrival claim process by informing us through our website within two (2) hours of the electronically registered delivery receipt of the Live Animal package
   d. All Dead-On-Arrival Claims must accompany photographs clearly showing the Deceased Animal still heat-sealed in the plastic bag that it was originally shipped in, and the photographs must be provided to us during the Dead-On-Arrival Claim Process. Any Dead-On-Arrival Claim which does not also include required photographs will be denied and no refund will be issued
   e. If Dead-On-Arrival Animals are received via UPS Next Day Air but are not reported to us within the first two hours of the electronically registered delivery receipt, then there will be no refunds issued; our Dead-On-Arrival warranty period for Live Animals ends two hours after the Live Animals have been delivered to you, and any claims made to us outside of this strict two-hour claim window will be denied
   f. No other warranty or guarantee applies to Live Animal purchases
9. Shipping Fees paid to us are forwarded to UPS to pay for your Live Animal shipment, and as such, shipping fees are not refundable
10. All refunds are issued in the form of store credit