FishProfiles.com Message Forums

I have 8 regular neons in my 29g right now. I seeded the tank pretty good and it is about mid-cycle. I have to check the parameters again in a few and see what they are at now.

Anyways...in my 38g post I thought I had decided on glowlights to go with my neons...when the tank is through cycling. But, today I went to a different LFS and they had neons and black neons in a tank together. They were schooling and looked great together. I think I want them instead of glowlights because of the different coloration (kind of opposite I guess...light and dark).

I want something like the neons that will school together, so I think I'll get the black neons.

Do they school like that often? They have similar body shapes but not colors. They were not stressed because they were the only fish in that tank and there were maybe 15-20 fish total (neons and black).

I would love to have a group of each (glowlights, black neons, and neons) but I think it would look too unorganized. Remember it is only a 29g.

What do you think about the black neons? Has anyone ever kept them with regular neons? Do they school together alot?

*Kristin*

The different species don't school TOGETHER, but they do all school -- and they get along with each other just fine. (Most tetras do.) The only advice I'd offer is to seriously consider getting Cardinals instead of Neons; they're a bit more expensive, but they seem to be clear of that blasted Neon Tetra Disease which has hit near-epidemic proportions in store-bought Neons, and which is extremely hard to deal with once it gets into your tank. Cardinals also strike me as less delicate than a lot of the books say.

One other thing: since you're interested in optical effects, consider a black background for your tank -- it really brings out the beauty of Black Neons far more than a light-colored background does. (It also does so for Glowlights, and for Harlequin and Hengeli Rasboras.)

Come to think of it, I see you've already got regular Neons, which of course means that you don't have to give them the bum's rush and replace them with Cardinals -- if they had NTD, you'd know it by now. Boy, would you know it.

Thanks Bruce. Yes I already have the neons and have had them for about 5 months now (half i've had for only 3 months), so I don't think they have NTD.

I do have a black background on the tank and I am slowly planting it. I want it pretty heavily planted.

I do wish I had cardinals instead...but I have only found them at 1 LFS that I have only been to a couple times and it was too late when I saw them there. I already had the neons.

I still have time to decide on either the black neons or the glowlights. I won't be getting the for atleast another week...maybe 2. I want the constrast but also think a big school of neons and glowlights would look great. So I am kind of undecisive at the moment.

What do you think would look better in a heavily planted tank...the neons/glowlights or neons/black neons?

*Kristin*

Both Glowlight & Black Neons are beautiful fish & it's up to you which to choose to add them with your Neon Tetras.

Have you taught about Rummynose Tetras?.



http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/s8xi5heh/my_photos
http://www.geocities.com/s8xi5heh/classic_blue.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/buzaqq/
http://www.deathbydyeing.org/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

Yes...I have 4 Rummies in my 55g. They are not readily available here though. I recently ordered 6 from a LFS and they all died...so I am going to wait until I can find them already in a store before I buy more.

I would love to have a huge school of them...but I can't find them and it would be hard to put together a big school. They are by far my fav tetra, I just wish I could find them. A store I went to this weekend said they only order them in the spring and summer months...so I will have to wait until then to build the school in my 55g.

I want a tetra I can easily find in my 29g...plus I already have the regular neons.

*Kristin*

Black neons are a good fish. They get along fine with my rummies, rasboras, and danios. I even got 4 little ones once I moved the parents from the qt to my main tank. First baby fish I had, and now they're over a year and a half old.

In a heavily planted tank, I'd tend to go with Glowlights instead of Black Neons -- after all is said and done, the stripe on a Black Neon is greenish, and therefore wouldn't show off as well against a backdrop of green plants. This, however, is a matter of personal taste if anything is.