Black Neon Tetras

The Black Neon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) is a small freshwater fish. It is an omnivore and forms part of the Characid family of fish. The Black Neon Tetra is a peaceful fish that is easy to keep and makes a great addition to community aquariums.

Black Neon Tetras are naturally found in the Paraguay River Basin of southern Brazil. Its natural habitat is in rivers with acidic water and a degree of darkening from decaying organic material. They will usually grow up to 4cm (1.6 inches) in length and have a lifespan of 3-5 years.

The life expectancy of a Black Neon Tetra is around 5 years but they can live up to 10 years in the right conditions. Similar to other Tetras, Black Neon Tetras are best kept together in groups. 15+ in one schools works well as long as the tank is of sufficient size.

Although this Black Neon Tetra and Neon Tetra both have a horizontal stripe (and confusingly have similar names) there are, in fact, completely different fish. The Black Neon Tetra’s stripe clashes wonderfully with its overall black color and makes for a visually appearing aquarium fish. The female has a slightly rounder body and will often grow slightly larger than their male compatriots.

Caring for your Black Neon Tetra

Habitat

Black Neon Tetras are native to the streams of South America, including the Paraguay River basin of Brazil. These streams are often tributaries of larger rivers and allow for relatively slow water flow.

Within these streams they prefer to find protected areas out of direct sunlight. They are assisted by the surrounding forests which provide a dense canopy to keep out the light. They further seek protected areas around rocks, roots, sand banks and driftwood.

Their natural water conditions are very acidic, with the water usually naturally darkened as a result of decaying organic material.

Fish Tank Conditions

As always, it is sensible to provide Black Neon Tetras with a similar environment within your fish tank that they would experience in the wild (within reason).

Given their preference for dimly lit, protected areas within the streams it is important to provide them with similar protection within the tank. This could include an abundance of plants as well as rock or other formations. It is also reasonable to go one step further and block out light (particularly bright light) from entering one or more sides of the aquarium.

At a minimum a 10 gallon fish tank is required. However, given that Black Neon Tetra’s are active and schooling fish, it would be better to keep 8-10 of them in a 20 gallon fish tank (or larger). As they love to swim in schools, and giving them more space to move in a larger tank will make the visual display all the more impressive!

Ideal Water Conditions

Black Neon Tetras thrive in water conditions similar to their natural habitat. The water should be soft, clean and acidic (i.e. pH below 7.0). There is some debate as to the optimal temperature range, but Neons will certainly be happy within the 70-77 degrees Fahrenheit range (21-25 degrees centigrade).

A pH range of 5.5-7.0 works well. It is possible to keep them in slightly alkaline water, but this is not optimal – particularly if you intend to breed the Black Neon Tetras. The use of soft water with a hardness of less than 10 dGH is ideal.

To further mimic their natural habitat, consider using:

• Driftwood, rocks and plants to provide cover
• A dark substrate such as a dark colored gravel.
• The addition of some leaves to help to darken the water. Not only will this help to replicate their natural environment, but it will also help to bring out the color in their stripes. Remember to remove the decaying leaves every few weeks to prevent the excessive build-up of organic material.

Changing the Water

It is important to change the water over time to prevent the buildup of nitrates, phosphates and organic matter.

The best way to do this is to change 25% of the water each week. This will keep the water clean whilst avoiding changing the environment too much at one time – something which could lead to the Black Neon Tetras suffering from shock.

Feeding / Nutrition

Black Neon Tetras are omnivores and can be fed a wide range of foods. It is best to vary their diet to ensure that they obtain all of the required nutrients. Options include:

• Flakes
• Small live worms
• Brine shrimp
• Daphnia
• Frozen and freeze dried foods

Be careful to ensure that you only feed them small pieces to ensure that they do not choke.

Black Neon Tetras are energetic fish and can be fed every day. As they are growing you may wish to feed them twice a day. Either way, feeding them as much as they can eat in 2-3 minutes should help you to regulate their food volumes. Stop adding food if they stop eating it immediately (don’t allow food to wallow in the tank).

Difficulty

Black Neon Tetra are hardy fish that are relatively easy to care for. Their commercial breeding has further allowed them to become more tolerant of fish tank conditions. As long as the tank is well maintained at the appropriate conditions, your Black Neon Tetra has the ability to thrive.

Black Neon Tetras are, however, a little more demanding than Neon Tetras. They are very active and so require plenty of space to move in the aquarium. A small school of around 6 would do well in a 20 gallon fish tank.

Black Neon Tetra Behavior

Black Neon Tetras are sociable and peaceful fish that live in large groups in the wild. They are very energetic and for this reason, it is best to ensure that you have a large enough fish tank to move freely. They should ideally be kept in a school of at least 6 fish.

Within the fish tank, the they, will spend the majority of their time near the top of the tank. They are a great candidate for adding to a community aquarium, particularly if their other inhabitants mainly occupy the very top and bottom of the tank. They therefore go well with bottom feeders such as Corys, who will eat any excess food that ends up at the bottom of the tank.

Black Neon Tetras are peaceful fish. It is best to keep them with other non-aggressive fish – consider Rasboras, Dwarf Gouramis and Corys. Avoid putting them with aggressive fish such as Angelfish and Cichlids – you may wake up to less fish than you started with!

Black Neon Tetra Breeding

Black Neon Tetras are considered to be relatively moderately difficult to breed. It is possible to breed them in a school, but it is much more efficient to breed them in a separate breeding tank. This tank should be:

• Shallow with appropriate filtration
• 80 degrees Fahrenheit
• Have soft, sterile water, with less than 4 dGH
• Initially have no light at first, with the lighting being increased gradually until spawning occurs

A 5 or 10 gallon fish tank works well as a breeding tank.

Black Neon Tetras are egg scatterers, with the female scattering 100+ eggs, at which point the male fertilized the eggs. The eggs will then hatch after approximately 30 hours. They will turn from fry into free-swimming fish approximately 3 days later. At this point they can be fed either liquid food or very small pieces of other food.

Diseases

As with many fish, the Black Neon Tetra can contact a wide range of diseases. They are, however, very hardy. Disease is rarely an issue as long as the fish tank is kept in good condition. Remember to quarantine any fish that you plan to add to your tank to ensure that they are not exhibiting signs of disease before adding them to your main tank.

Although not a widespread issue with Black Neon Tetras, young fish has been known to contact Neon Tetra Disease. This is a highly contagious disease, incurable and can result in the death of the whole school unless swift action is taken. Symptoms of Neon Tetra disease include:

• Restlessness
• Loss of color on the body
• Unusual curvature of the spine
• Fin rot (a secondary effect)

Sadly, this disease inevitably leads to the fish death

Black Neon Tetras – Conclusion

Black Neon Tetras make for great aquarium fish. Their stripe contrasting with their black bodies, and their tendency to swim as a school, can create some brilliant visual displays. Added to this their hardiness and non-aggressive nature it is easy to see why they have become such popular fish to keep.

Although breeding them can be moderately difficult, it is certainly worth trying if you have the time and interest in doing so.

If you end up deciding that Black Neon Tetras are not for you, there are still a range of different options available to you. Fish such as the Harlequin Rasbora and the standard Neon Tetra could make great alternatives for your tank!