Do Neon Tetras Need A Heater?

Let us first consider what neon tetras are: a brightly colored South American characin fish often kept in a tropical aquarium. You may have heard of or seen neon tetras in fish tanks, and you wonder “Do neon tetras need a heater”; yes, they do.

So, “do neon tetras need a heater?” The answer is Yes! If neon tetras are being kept in fish tanks, then there is a need for a heater. Without heaters, in an overpopulated fish tank, they wouldn’t be living healthily as they battle fin rot, stress, etc.

Neon tetras are tropical fish meaning they can’t survive in cold water. So, if heaters aren’t available, it is wise that you place the aquarium in a place where the temperature maintains the tropical climate. Whichever way, it is best you get a heater with a regulator.

Are you planning on getting a heater for your neon tetras’ aquarium? This is the right article for you.

Can Neon Tetras Live in Cold Water?

Fish keepers wouldn’t want to go wrong on this one; planning on getting a neon tetra for your home then you should know how they survive.

Neon tetras can live in cold water, at least not healthily. The natural habitat of neon tetras are tropical waters with a temperature of 70⁰F to 81⁰F, cold waters can cause sicknesses like fin rot, drop in the immune system, etc.

Unlike neon tetras, bloodfin tetras can live in cold water and do not need heaters in their fish tanks.

The first thing to do for your neon tetra if you seek that it lives long and happy is to get it a habitat that resembles its original habitat, a warm temperature.

The provision of this heater would help prevent some diseases the neon tetra could be exposed to from stress and the many that it is already prone to like ich, columnaris, and neon tetra disease.

What Do Neon Tetras Eat?

Dieting is another aspect of fish breeding as the wrong kinds of food would cause harm to your fish. The neon tetra is omnivores which means they eat both plant/vegetables and animals/meat.

They feed on a variety of food including live foods, fine flake food, small granules, live or frozen brine shrimp, or even freeze-dried bloodworms.

The size of the fish also contributes to the size of what it eats. Neon tetras should be fed with extremely small pieces so that they can swallow and food gets to digest.

Young adults tend to eat more than adults. They should be fed twice a day as much as they can eat in 3 minutes. While the adults’ feeding can reduce to once a day in three minutes, see Fish Keeping World for more details.

Neon tetras are peaceful fishes and so do not eat other fishes but they could be eaten by bigger fishes.

How Many Neon Tetras Can Live in A Tank?

Tank sizes are actually the first prerequisite to knowing how many neon tetras you can own in your tank. Neon tetras aren’t so big at birth but a single female could grow and lay anywhere from 60 to 130 eggs.

Neon tetras do better when they are in numbers. It is advisable that you put them together in a tank, a group of at least six (6) and a maximum of twenty (20).

Any number short of 6 could make this peaceful species of fish nervous and aggressive.

They are schooling fishes that enjoy swimming together. You could add up plants, rock, and driftwoods in the tank to offer them security.

In a bid to get beauty, fish keepers should not overpopulate the tank. Neon tetras grow up to 1.5 – 2 inches on average. So, in the long run, small tanks would not be enough especially after adding the decors.

What Tank Size Is Ideal for Neon Tetras?

Is this your first fish tank or you just want to add more neon tetras to your fish tank? Well, whichever way, you should know the right size of a fish tank suitable for the number of fishes you want to keep.

First, the number of neon tetras you wish to have determined the size of the fish tank you should be getting. If you want just a pair and not a huge school of them, 2 gallons of a fish tank is fine.

However, the ideal size to get is 20 gallons. This is so that you get to accommodate up to 15 neon tetras with enough space for décor. Your fish will swim and not feel nervous or aggressive. Check.

The nature of neon tetras demands they have a large space to navigate. Therefore, tanks should replicate their natural habitat with driftwoods, plants, and rocks thrown in to offer a bit of security and fun swimming around.

Do Neon Tetras Need A Bubbler?

Asides from the beautiful fishes that swim in your fish tank, aquarium bubblers also add beauty to your fish tanks.

The neon tetra like every other fish kept in a fish tank can do with an aquarium bubbler. Although their survival does not depend so much on it.

Well, let us consider the simple definition of bubblers. Where a bubbler refers to any device that attaches to an air pump via an airline tube. They tend to create bubbles inside your aquarium giving a more elaborate definition.

Knowing now that neon tetras as well as other fish can survive even without aquarium bubblers, I bet you’re wondering what then is it used for.

Aquarium bubblers help to aerate the water, adding extra oxygen to the fish tank. So little that it is barely worth mentioning. This comes in handy in a heavily stocked tank.

Neon Tetras Tank Mates?

To add spice to your tank, you could put different species of fish in your fish tank. It is a tad bit confusing to select the fish to put together in your fish tank. This is so they don’t go about eating each other.

Anyways, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to tank mates for neon tetras. A variety of options awaits you in your selection.

Bearing in mind the size of neon tetras, getting a tank mate that’s bigger in size would mean doom for the neon tetras. The bigger fish could eat them up or not allow them to get any food.

If you want just a school of neon tetras, that’s fine. However, if you want to add different tank mates then you should add other fish like rasboras, small tetras, dwarf gouramis, cory, small catfish too.

You should also note some tank mates to avoid: jack Dempsey, jaguar cichlid, goldfish.

Can Neon Tetras Die Easily?

You must be wondering how easily do these bright-colored fish pets die just so you know if they’re the long-term pet type.

Neon tetras live up to ten years although they could die easily if there are changes in their environment. So, you have to be extra careful with these beauties.

The first few weeks after they change environment are always difficult for them as a cause of the means of transportation; these fishes also do not like being stressed. Intriguing, right?

Asides from being eaten, the other most common cause of death is the neon tetra disease that causes them to lose color, restlessness, slow movement, have low immunity and allow for other diseases like fin rot.

To prevent these mishaps or your neon tetra dying easily, it is pertinent you get to know some of these symptoms a how to prevent them. You can check out this guide for more details

Last Thoughts

This page clears the air for those asking the questions such as “do neon tetras need a heater?”, “What do neon tetras eat?”, “Can neon tetras live in cold water?”, “Neon tetras tank mates?”, “Can neon tetras die easily?”, and other related questions.

In the end, we found out that neon tetras do not ultimately need aquarium heaters but they are good for overpopulated fish tanks so that they aerate the tank and add a little more beauty.

We also got to know the right fish tank conditions suitable for neon tetras, their favorable tank mates, and what they eat.