can you mix neon tetras with cardinal tetras?

[preggoguppo]

my darf gourami died today, i was sad, but yet kinda happy since he was very mean, and my 4 month old guppys can finally be free in the tank since he was the only fish i was worryed about attacking my guppy fry.. ANYWAYS... i want to get a school of tetras, if i get about 3 neon tetras and 3 cardinal, will all 6 school together? or will the do there own thing?

 

[TigerBarb56]

I've seen Neon tetra's and Cardinal tetra's school together, i used to have a bunch, so i would say the probably will, but i'am not garenteeing they will all school, but i would think so!

 

[Igor The Cat]

They most likelily will but it depends on the fishes indiviual personalitys

 

[dbacksrat]

you can mix them....

 

[Fish Friend]

id say that maybe they will mix but most prob stay in threes of each kind

 

[FroggyFox]

Most schooling fish school with other fish that look similar to them...OK I didn't mean that to sound like I was pointing out the obvious. What I meant was that fish that are similar, like my ember tetras and my harlequin rasboras always used to school together even though they're vastly different in size...they're still the same body shape and a lot of the same color. I think cardinals and neons would school together.

Sorry to hear about the gourami by the way

 

[Seleya]

You can mix them but the visual effect can be a bit distracting because they're so alike yet definitely different. I prefer one or the other just for that reason.

 

[SANND]

I've read that once tetras are comfortable in your tank they stop schooling so much. Just something to keep in mind.

I have 3 different types of danios (zebras, long-finned blue, purple passion) and they all school together even tho they all look completely different.

 

[rohnds]

Yes.
I had neons that schooled with cardinals. I also had loaches that schooled with tiger barbs.

Rohn

 

[Balloon Fish]

i have 12 neons and 6 cardinals and they school together in my 40g (cause my angels chase them around ) tank now after i moved them but SANND is right, once they get comfortable they dont school

 

[LongTime]

I've read that once tetras are comfortable in your tank they stop schooling so much. Just something to keep in mind.

I have 3 different types of danios (zebras, long-finned blue, purple passion) and they all school together even tho they all look completely different.

Mine tetras have been in the tank for years and they still school. The tightness of the school depends on if they feel afraid of something. When comfortable they usualy end up in small trios or so. When the "Python Tank Monstor" is arround, even outside the tank, or I'm looking REAL close, they schoo gets very tight.

 

[discus4everGrl]

In my tanks, the tetras school tighter in the larger tank than in the smaller ones. I am thinking that if the tank is small and they can still see each other then they still feel safe. Now in the 55 they school better because I don't think they like to lose sight of each other.

 

[Balloon Fish]

you know i've found neon tetras react to shadows because i have these two lamp lights over the tank and i move my hand under one of the lights creating a shadow and the neons try to dodge it and you can sometimes chase the neons and cardinals across the tank with your shadow lol (just thought i'd share that with ya'll )

 

[jediinthedark]

I'm schooling Neons and Cardinals at the moment.
Balloon Fish is right. As they get comfortable in the tank they will form a looser school.
My personal experience has shown Neons and Cardinals to both be pretty easy and undemanding fish to care for. The one problem though is that they are much more prone to disease then any of my other fish. The Neons especially.
Aparently Neons are also short lived little fish. Their lifespan is only supposed to be about 1 year. All of my neons are about 2 years old now.
As they die I'll be replacing them with Cardinals.

One more thing: Neons are farm raised. I think most Cardinals are wild caught. If that makes a difference to you.

 

[Balloon Fish]

no, neon tetras's life span is from 5 to 10 years http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/beginnerinfo/a/lifespan.htm and if i'm not mistaken neons are also wild caught but they could be farm raised now that mroe and more people are breeding them.

 

[jediinthedark]

no, neon tetras's life span is from 5 to 10 years http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/beginnerinfo/a/lifespan.htm and if i'm not mistaken neons are also wild caught but they could be farm raised now that mroe and more people are breeding them.

5-10 years makes me feel better that I don't have geriatric fish. But yeah... they are farm raised. I'm sure some are wild caught, but not most. Originally there was a problem raising them as no one had figured out the "trick" yet. Once that was discovered they became pretty easy to breed.
That is partly why they are about 3X less expensive then Cardinals.

 

[Balloon Fish]

cardinals and neons at my lfs are only like 20cents difference but the only thing is cardinals are seasonal and neons aren't i think. I dont really think there is much of a "trick" to breeding neons... just recreate their natural environment and the water condition and they should breed .

 

[Fish Friend]

i always buy bigger ones ... my lfs sell small, medium and big sized noens.. i have found out its best to go for bigger ones because the smaller ones always get neon disease and never make it.. thats what i found out anyway... is it they are just a weak fish or what ??

 

[freshyyf]

Yup, they only schoal when they are scared. My 14 neons schoal only when I change water! But sometimes, out of nowhere, they will just schoal for fun, which is so cool to watch. I guess your tank is too small for them to schoal. Just for your information, cardinal tetras need older cycled tank.