Neon Tetras are some of the most iconic fish in this hobby. Anyone who has walked into a pet store can probably identify that familiar red and blue coloration. Many people choose Neon Tetras because they are commonly found in pet stores, are vibrant in color, and are incredibly cheap. It makes sense why they are so popular. This guide will discuss what you need to set up a planted aquarium for Neon Tetras.
Aquarium For Neon Tetras
To set up an enclosure for Neon Tetras, you’ll first want to start with acquiring a fish tank. A small school of Neon Tetras will do great in a 10-gallon fish tank. You’re always welcome to go for a larger aquarium, but I do not recommend going smaller. If you have an aquarium stored away that you’re thinking of using but don’t remember how many gallons of water it holds, check out some of the Standard Aquarium Sizes to figure out what size it is. If you’re planning on only keeping Neon Tetras, and perhaps a few snails or shrimp, 10 Neons should do great in a 10-gallon aquarium.
Filtration For Aquarium
The next thing you’ll want to consider when setting up a planted aquarium for Neon Tetras is what type of filtration to use. The most common ones I suggest are sponge filters or power filters, especially for smaller fish tanks. In most cases, Neon Tetra’s bioloads are minimal so a combination of plants, filtration, and water changes should be plenty to keep your aquarium clean.
Sponge filters will take up some real estate in the fish tank, but are fairly cheap to set up, use a very small amount of electricity, and provide a lot of surface area for beneficial bacteria. All you’ll need to set up a sponge filter, is an air pump, airline tubing, and the sponge filter. Most air pumps come included with airline tubing. If you’re new to the hobby, check out Sponge Filter Use Cleaning and Extra Tips to learn a few things about this type of filtration.
If you want a more in-depth filtration experience consider getting a power filter. There are many types of power filters available to choose from. Most will get the job done but my favorites are the Fluval – Aquaclear Power Filters or the Seachem – Tidal Power Aquarium Filters. I love these filters mostly because of their customizable and large media baskets. You can swap filter media to whatever you desire and they’ll continue to work well. Neon Tetras don’t have an incredibly large bio-load, but it never hurts to have a good filter running on the fish tank. If you’re shopping around for power filters and are not sold on these, take a look at 7 Best Hang-On Back Power Filters For Freshwater Aquariums to see many other options.
Lights For Plants
You’ll need to purchase lights for your aquarium that will complement the plants you’re planning on growing. Some plants do better under more intense light while others do great under medium to low light conditions. If you’re new, I’d start with plants that are very tolerant of lower light conditions and that are not incredibly demanding. I have gotten great results growing plants such as vals, crypts, and anubias with the NICREW Full Spectrum Planted LED Light. It’s a great budget light and a solid introduction to LED aquarium lighting.
Aquarium Heater
Unless you live in an area where the ambient temperature is always between 72° and 78°F, you’ll likely need an aquarium heater. You’ll have to pick out the one that will work best for your aquarium’s dimensions. There are a lot of brands that make fantastic heaters. If you’re in the market for a heater, take a look at 6 Best Aquarium Heaters for Your Fish Tank. There are many different options to choose from, I have always had good results from the Fluval M-Series Heaters but I have also used many other brands like the Aqueon Pro Series Heaters that have worked great. Remember, that heaters are the pieces of equipment that are likely to fault out in your fish tank.
You can take precautions by purchasing an Inkbird Temperature Controller to help keep the heater from causing irreversible damage to your fish if it were to malfunction. An internal aquarium thermostat will also give you a good idea of your water temperature.
Decorations and Plants
There are plenty of different decorations to choose from when setting up an aquarium. You can add rocks, live plants, driftwood, artificial decor, and more. What type of decorations you choose is entirely up to you. The most important thing is that what you put in the aquarium is fish-safe. I love aquariums that look and feel like a slice of nature, so my fish tanks are usually dominated by plants, wood, and rockwork.
Substrate
A substrate is essentially the “ground” of your aquarium. I have seen many different brands, types, colors, and textures of substrates in my years of fishkeeping. However, if you’re considering setting up a planted tank, I assume you’re looking for a natural look to your aquarium. For planted fish tanks, my go-to substrate is CaribSea Eco-Complete. This substrate is nice because its dark color makes the decorations and fish swimming above pop in color. The opposite occurs when you use a white-colored substrate.
Another great substrate used for planted aquariums is the Fluval Stratum for Freshwater Fish Tanks. I don’t use this one too often, but many fishkeepers and hobbyists love the quality and look it provides. It also comes with the perks of being very porous to help plants root faster and it helps maintain neutral to acidic water parameters. Before choosing a substrate, consider doing some research on the effects it may have on your plants.
Rocks, Driftwood, etc.
Adding rocks and driftwood to your fish tank will surely add a natural-looking touch. Some species of plants and mosses can be grown off of driftwood, and plants growing around stones can make your fish tank look incredible. I recommend giving your driftwood and rocks a good rinse before adding them to an aquarium. However, do not use any household chemicals because those can be dangerous for fish and invertebrates.
Many aquarists boil their driftwood to help remove the tannins they will likely release into your fish tank. Tannins aren’t dangerous, they are actually beneficial for your fish. However, tannins will cause your fish tank water to turn tea color or sometimes even darker than that.
Certain rocks can alter the water parameters in your fish tank. For example, limestone or Texas Holey Rock will increase your fish tank’s water hardness and pH level. This is fantastic for high pH, hard water-loving fish, but that’s not the case for Neon Tetras. Lava rock and slate are pretty safe options, but there are plenty of rocks out there that won’t alter your water parameters. Unlike driftwood, do not boil or bake your rocks.
Plants
This article is specific to setting up a planted tank for Neon Tetras, so I’ll list a handful of plants that are very easy to care for to get someone started.
- Anubias are a fantastic option for a planted aquarium. They are very tolerant of low light conditions and have beautiful broad leaves. You can wedge them in between driftwood and grow them out of the substrate. If you plant them in substrate, ensure part of its rhizome is exposed. Otherwise, the rhizome will likely rot and eventually kill off the plant.
- Java Fern is another great option for a planted aquarium, especially when you’re first starting out. It has a lance-shaped leaf and is usually a nice vibrant green color. This plant is also fairly tolerant of lower light conditions. It’s a great choice for a background plant
- There are many different species of crypts. You’ll see some that’ll grow much taller than others, and you’ll also see a few color variations. This plant usually grows very well in an aquarium and may even dominate parts of a fish tank if you let them grow out. After breaking down an aquarium, i had a singular root run the full length of my fish tank. The aquarium was about 30″ long.
- You can’t go wrong with attaching mosses to driftwood. The most common you’ll likely see are java moss or Christmas moss. Moss is a great way to grow something green in an aquarium without losing much open swimming space.
- There are quite a few different species of Val. The most common i see are Jungle Vals, Italian Vals, and Corkscrew Vals. From experience, they grow very easily and they’ll grow to the top of your fish tank. Once they’re acclimated, they will quickly begin growing vertically and horizontally, taking over much of the background of your aquarium.
- Pearlweed are very easy-to-grow plants that can be added to a planted fish tank. They’re great for backgrounds and will often propagate quickly. A few sometimes can turn into a jungle.
Adding Neon Tetras into the Aquarium
Before adding Neon Tetras to your aquarium, guarantee that your fish tank is established and has gone through the Nitrogen Cycle. The Aquarium Co-Op does a great job explaining what the Nitrogen Cycle is. As a quick summary, your aquarium has to go through a nitrogen cycle when it’s first set up. There are different ways to do it, but I suggest a fishless cycle if possible. Even better, if you know someone with an established fish tank, or own one yourself, you can take filter media, substrate, a rock, or any other hard surface (where bacteria can colonize) and put it into the new fish tank. This will seed the new aquarium with beneficial bacteria. Although it will not fully cycle the new fish tank, it should at least speed up the Nitrogen Cycle process.
The result of your nitrogen cycle will result in your aquarium reading 0 ammonia, and 0 nitrites, and you’ll likely have a hint of nitrates. You can test for these with the API Freshwater Master Test Kit.
Final Notes
Neon Tetras are fantastic fish to add to a freshwater aquarium. They look even better in a freshwater planted tank. Their magnificent blue and red color pops in an aquarium full of plants. Due to inbreeding, they’re a little more sensitive than other fish but are still a very sought-after species.