#Cardinal tetra how to#

You should note that larger schools will help create more vibrant coloring in your tank gang too. The more you can have, the better for these fish, however. They absolutely require a group to school with and to boost their confidence. You’ll need a minimum of six to enable them to feel secure in a tank. This is key to know, as any such behavior towards these little guys will stress them out to the point that they lose their potent coloring, become reclusive despite their need for socializing, and even die as a result.Īctive and energetic swimmers like most Tetras, your Cardinals will provide plenty of enthusiastic daytime action for observation, and their little personalities will really shine through. In fact, you’ll need to worry more about who you add to the community on behalf of your Cardinal Tetras, as they are easy targets for bullying and bad behavior by other more aggressive fish.

These are very peaceful little fish who will not cause any sort of issues within a tank community.

#Cardinal tetra how to#

Let’s cover how to best care for these fish, find their perfect setup, and ensure they have all of their needs met for a happy and healthy life. Incredibly fun to watch in a home aquarium, most owners find they will spend an inordinate amount of time observing them and enjoying their active and mesmerizing behaviors. They school in hundreds in the wild, which makes for quite a sight to behold if you’re lucky enough to see them in action. Unusually for such a small fish, most that are available in the trade are actually wild-caught. Native to South America, they are usually found in the upper reaches of the Negro and Orinoco rivers. These fish love to school and are easy to care for, so they are a favorite for newbies to the hobby too. Looking similar to and often confused with its cousin, the Neon Tetra, it has a diminutive size that works well for smaller tanks adding a flourish of vibrant color and shimmer that is exceptional. The Cardinal Tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) is a small tropical freshwater fish that is extremely popular and well known in the aquarist hobby.