Can Neon Tetra Live with Goldfish? Compare And Contrast

Can Neon Tetra Live with Goldfish? A Guide to Compatibility

You must be a goldfish or neon tetra fishkeeper who is curious about whether you can add them to the same aquarium. Neon tetras and goldfish are very popular among the fishkeeper and are known as easy to care for. While these two fish may appear to be similar, they have different requirements when it comes to their environment and care. But can Neon Tetra live with Goldfish?

Due to the differing water requirements, neon tetras have for survival, goldfish cannot live with them. Moreover, goldfish pose a hazard to tetras because they can grow triple the size that a neon tetra can reach. In addition, tetras may get along with goldfish, just as they would with some other fish species, but the goldfish can make the water too muddy for them, and large goldfish will also devour tetras, so this is not a good situation for them.

To create a wholesome atmosphere in the tank, think about pairing your goldfish with guppy or other appropriate fish. Shrimp and neon tetras are great aquarium companions. Tetras may consume young shrimp but are too little to consider larger shrimp to be food. Good options are ghost shrimp and cherry shrimp, both of which can reach lengths of 1.5 inches (3.8 cm).

Can Neon Tetra Live with Goldfish? Compare And Contrast

Neon Tetra Overview

Neon tetras are one of the most commonly kept tropical fish in the world, and their vivid coloring makes them visible to conspecifics in the dim blackwater streams and is the key factor in their appeal to freshwater fish hobbyists.

The neon tetra belongs to the order characiformes and is a freshwater fish. It is a native of clearwater and blackwater streams in the Amazon basin of South America.

Aquarium Standard

They live in very soft, acidic waters in the wild (pH 4.0 to 4.8)  Although a pH range of 6.0 to 8.0 is acceptable, 7.0 is the ideal pH for aquariums. Although they can live up to ten years, they often only survive two to three years in an aquarium.

Neon tetras are thought to be simple to maintain in aquariums with a minimum volume of 10 US gallons (38 l; 8.3 imp gal), a temperature range of 72-76 °F (22-24 °C), a water pH of between 6.0 and 7.0, GH of less than 10 dGH, KH of less than 1-2 dKH, and nitrate levels of less than 20 ppm.

They must be kept in groups of at least six because they are shoaling fish, but groups of eight to twelve or more will see more activity. In order to closely replicate their natural Amazon habitats, neon tetras do best in tanks with lots of plants.

Nutrition

Since neon tetras are omnivores, they will eat most flake foods as long as they are small enough, but they should also have some small foods to supplement their diets, such as brine shrimp, daphnia, freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex (which can be attached to the aquarium’s side), and micropellet food.

The best option is a tropical sinking pellet because the majority of these products contain natural colorants that enhance neon tetras’ colors. Their meals can be varied by incorporating some frozen foods, like frozen blood worms.

Breeding

Both the blue line and the male are straight. A twisted blue line results from the female’s rounder shape. When seen from above, some aquarists claim that the females appear plumper. But, occasionally the female’s girth and the line’s straightness could be attributed to the eggs she is carrying (yes, neon tetras lay eggs). Because of overeating, a neon tetra’s abdomen may appear slightly chubby.

To breed, neon tetras need a temperature of 75 °F (24 °C), a DH of less than 1, a pH of roughly 5.5, and dim lighting. The water must also include a lot of tannins. Around 12 weeks, neon tetras are old enough to reproduce.

In household aquariums, breeding neon tetras is thought to be challenging. Nonetheless, it is growing increasingly prevalent; less than 5% of the specimens currently marketed in America were obtained from wild capture, and more than 1.5 million specimens are imported from fish farms each month.

Can Neon Tetra Live with Goldfish? Compare And Contrast

Goldfish Overview

The goldfish is a freshwater fish and it is one of the most well-known aquarium fish in the world. Goldfish are frequently maintained as a pet in indoor aquariums. More than a thousand years ago, several unique breeds were created in imperial China when it was first carefully cultivated for color. Size, body shape, fin structure, and coloration vary significantly between goldfish breeds.

There are various color combinations of goldfish white, yellow, orange, red, brown, and black.

Aquarium Standard

Like the majority of carp species, goldfish release toxic substances into the water as well as a lot of waste through their gills and excrement. This waste can accumulate in lethal amounts in a relatively short amount of time, which is readily fatal to goldfish and other fish like neon tetras. Each goldfish needs roughly 20 US gallons (76 l; 17 imp gal) of water for the common and comet kinds.

The recommended amount of water for goldfish, which are smaller, is 10 US gallons (38 l; 8.3 imp gal) per goldfish. How much oxygen diffuses and dissolves into the water depends on its surface area. 1 square foot is the standard (0.093 m2). A water pump, filter, or fountain is needed for active aeration and increases the surface area.

The goldfish is categorized as a coldwater fish and can maintain a comfortable body temperature in an unheated aquarium. Rapid temperature changes, however, can be fatal to them, especially if the tank is tiny (for instance, when the heat is turned off at night in an office building in the winter). While adding water, caution is also required because fresh water can be at a different temperature.

Goldfish can suffer damage from temperatures as high as 30 °C (86 °F). Yet, greater temperatures may aid in the prevention of protozoan infections by quickening the parasite’s life cycle and eradicating it. Between 20 °C (68 °F) and 22 °C (72 °F) is the ideal temperature for goldfish.

Nutrition

Goldfish typically eat crustaceans, insects, and different types of plants in the wild. They are opportunistic feeders and do not stop eating on their own, like the majority of fish. Overfeeding can harm a person’s health, usually by causing intestinal blockage. Selectively bred goldfish, which have an intricate intestinal tract, are the ones who experience this most frequently. They create more waste and feces when there is excess food available, in part because protein digestion is not complete. Sometimes overfeeding can be identified by looking for feces that are trailing from the fish’s cloaca.

Compared to regular fish food, goldfish-specific food contains less protein and more carbohydrates. Bloodworms, blanched green leafy vegetables, and shelled peas (with the outer skins removed) can all be used as dietary supplements by fishkeepers. The inclusion of brine shrimp in the diet of young goldfish is advantageous. Every species has different preferences, including goldfish.

Breeding

Only with enough water and the correct diet can goldfish reach sexual maturity. The majority of goldfish breed in captivity, especially in pond environments. Breeding typically occurs after a substantial temperature change, frequently in the spring. Male goldfish pursue gravid females (females bearing eggs) and bump and prod them until they release their eggs.

All cyprinids, including goldfish, are egg layers. Their eggs stick to aquatic vegetation, usually thick plants like Cabomba or Elodea or a spawning mop since they are sticky. Within 48 to 72 hours, the eggs will hatch.

The fry starts to take on its final shape after about a week, but it may take up to a year for them to turn the color of a mature goldfish; in the interim, they are metallic brown like its wild predecessors. The fry grows swiftly in the first few weeks of life as a result of the high risk of being eaten by adult goldfish (or other fish and insects) in their surroundings.

Some extremely selectively bred goldfish have changed shapes that prevent them from reproducing naturally. The artificial breeding technique known as “hand stripping” can help with reproduction but, if carried out incorrectly, might kill the fish.  Adults in captivity may consume any young that they come across.

Hobbyists who breed goldfish do so by choosing adult fish to reproduce, permitting them to reproduce, and then nurturing the progeny while systematically culling any fish that fall short of the desired pedigree.

Conclusion

Neon tetra cannot live goldfish as they don’t have identical water requirements. Neon tetras may be at risk from adult goldfish. While neon tetra can grow up to 1.5 inches, goldfish can reach a maximum length of six inches. Tetras demand water that is between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, while goldfish prefer a temperature between 68 and 74 degrees.

Their combined health will suffer since they are too different from one another. This is undoubtedly not what you would want for your fish as a caring fish owner.

Here is another article you must read: Can Neon Tetra Live With Bettas?