Neon Tetra (Neon Fish) | Freshwater Fish are the most Common Pet in United States

Neon Tetra (Neon Fish)

Neon Tetra is a freshwater fish which belong to the ‘Characin’ family. Such type of species found mostly in the black-water and clear-water streams in Amazon basin of South America. The color of such species is bright which makes them visible in black-water streams and also makes them more popular for freshwater fish hobbyists.

In the United States, freshwater fish is considered the most common pet with 171.7 million population. The owners of freshwater fish in the United States prefer the freshwater fish to domesticate them because of their simple and less maintenance. These fish are also used as decoration at homes. Freshwater fish are found in the United States very commonly because they help in reducing stress and tension by watching them. The most common freshwater fish species in the United States comprise Neon Tetra, Angelfish, Guppies, Cherry Barb, and Rainbow Fish.

Let’s know about the Neon Tetra the most popular and décor pet in the United States.

Range and Habitat

Neon Tetra is mostly found in eastern Peru, southeastern Colombia, and western Brazil (alongside the western and northern Amazon basin). Neon Tetra lives in the waters having temperature between 68°F to 82°F (20°C to 28°C). Neon Tetra prefers to live in acidic black-water streams but it can be found in transparent clear-water. However, Neon Tetra do not found the white-water rivers.

Color and Size

The outlook of Neon Tetra is light-blue back above the silver-white abdomen. The fish is categorized by a shimmering blue horizontal line along each side from nose to base of the adipose fin. Additionally, a shimmering red band that starts from the middle of body and covers posteriorly to base of the caudal fin. Neon Tetra is moderately transparent excluding these patterns. At night, the blue & red color become gray or black when the fish reposes and it becomes active in the morning. Neon Tetra generally grows to 1.2 inches (3 centimeters) in overall length. 

Nutrition

As Neon Tetras are small in size, they eat mostly small and micro pellet foods. A tropical sinking pellet is best from the Neon Tetras, as its most brands contain natural color enhancers which spotlight the color in the fish. Some frozen diets comprising frozen blood-worms are added as variety to their diets.

Breeding

The male is slim and its blue-line is conventional. The female is rotund, creating a bent blue-line. Some aquarists say that female’s appearance is fatter when watched from the above. However, the straight line and chubbiness in the females might rarely exist due to the eggs she is carrying. 

To breed Neon Tetras, the hobbyists place a couple of fish in a breeding tank without any light. They slowly increase lighting till the reproduction occurs. The eggs are mostly sensitive to the light and they hatch within 24 hours of laying.

Breeding of Neon Tetras in home aquariums is considered very difficult. Hence, Neon Tetras are becoming very popular in the United States as less than 5% are caught from the wild, and more than 1.5 million are imported each month from fish farms of different countries.

History

Initially Neon Tetra was imported from South America and introduced by the famous ichthyologist Dr. George S. Myers during 1936. Now in the United States, most of the Neon Tetras are imported from Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and with lesser extent (5%) from Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. A sufficient amount is spent in the United States on import of Neon Tetras for few commercial farms which breed them experimentally. However, captive breeding on commercial level is not started in the United States.