How Many Neons? - 10 Gallon Tank

[Leader-Of-The-Fish]

Hello everyone!

I have a ten gallon tank with only 1 Flame tetra. Yes, the other 4 have died because while I was away a disaster struck. The one flame tetra is really happy with all the room. In fact, his colors are better then when he was with the other flame tetras! I figure that I do not want to add other flame tetras because I really like the one I have. I know it sounds weird but I feel like he is a survivor and I want him to stand out. I am thinking about neon tetras. I am just stuck at how many I can add maximum and how fast I should add them.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[bud29]

IMHO neons need a bigger tank than a 10. Not because of size of the fish or bio load, but they need more vertical swimming space. If you're set on tetras you could maybe get a school of ember tetras.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

I dont really understand that whole swimming space thing because they are really really small.... I mean alot of swimming space for them would probably be a 20 gallon... But a 10 gallon should be fine IMO. Some people would disagree, but i had neons in a 10 gallon once (long long time ago) an they were perfectly fine. I think i had 6 or so..

 

[Sharkbait54]

I have 6 neons in a 10g with a betta

 

[bud29]

Well, that's what I have been told, regular neons need more space than a 10..... However, leader of the fish, is there a place in your area that sells green neons? You could put 6-7 of those in a 10 and then you could put in some red cherry shrimp and some snails. Plus, the green of the neons would really make the single flame tetra really stand out. And then the red of the rcs.......ooh, that would look nice.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Ya i read that on here that neons need a bigger tank then a 10 gallon and it made no sence to me... Ya if you want a school of 20 you need a bigger tank then a 10 gallon, but a comfortable school of 6 or so will be perfectly fine IMO.

 

[jcolon]

I dont really understand that whole swimming space thing because they are really really small.... I mean alot of swimming space for them would probably be a 20 gallon... But a 10 gallon should be fine IMO. Some people would disagree, but i had neons in a 10 gallon once (long long time ago) an they were perfectly fine. I think i had 6 or so..

10 or so neons in a 10gal is really not a problem, they relatively active fish that would do better in a 20gal.

 

[maxwellag]

Usually people say a school of neons in a 10g is borderline. IMO a smaller school of about 6 would be ok, but no more than that. As others have said, a bigger tank is much better for a larger school. The reason is simple: they just need more room to dart around. In a 10g they are cramped and can't swim around as much. I noticed this when quarantining my neon tetras in my 10 gallon tank. I saw much more activity when i moved them to my 20g long display tank.

 

[okapizebra]

I have 9 neons in a 10 gal. IMO, it is plenty of space for them. They are happy and healthy.