Description
The green neon tetra, or Paracheirodon simulans, is a pretty nano fish that comes from the Amazon river, more specifically in Brazil from the rio Orinoco and rio Negro. From the latter you might guess that the water they are found in is not clear, but stained dark by all of the rotting leaves and sticks that constantly fall into the water from the trees above. It looks very similar to the other two commonly kept fish in its genus, the neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) and the cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi). However, unlike those two, the green neon tetra is found exclusively in blackwater, and is a bit more rare.
Being from slow-moving waters that feed the Amazon river, these shiny, iridescent micro fish will really appreciate an acidic aquarium that is between 5.5 and 7ph. These fish also want adequate turnover but not extreme flow. You should aim for very soft water, from 15 to 140ppm or so. Our fish are captive bred, which is not something commonly found with this species! As such, they are quite a bit more tolerant of different water parameters than their commonly wild congeners. This does not mean, however, that you can put them in dirty water. Quite the opposite, since these guys do not get very big, less stress factors can affect them to a greater degree, and so make sure your filter is well seasoned before you add these green neons to your tank. They really appreciate a densely planted tank, or a tannin stained one with a lot of branchwork to hide in. They will show their most natural gregarious behavior most in such a tank. These fish do not exceed an inch, even at an adult size, and as such you should provide a reasonably large school of them, at least eight or so, otherwise they may stress out. Ours are nearly at adult size, about ¾ inch each currently, so get a good group of them and watch them swim around together!
If you are trying to breed them, you may find that babies survive in small numbers on their own if you keep these green neon tetras by themselves. These fish are egg scatterers, and exhibit no parental care, but they also do not actively hunt their fry, especially if they are well fed to begin with. You may also have fun keeping them in a more biotope style aquarium, with other small fish, like perhaps some Apistogramma! These fish would be a great addition to a nano community tank as well, if there are no other fish that would be too aggressive or too quick to eat. These fish are very peaceful, and can easily be outcompeted by other fish for food. These schooling fish do not ship individually bagged.
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