Hardy Tetras?

[DCtank]

I have a 29 gallon freshwater tank with 3 sunset fire platies and, soon, 8 zebra danios. I'm starting to consider my next additions and am deciding between:

-lemon tetras;
-balloon red eye tetras; or
-pristellas

but I'm open to other suggestions. I'm wondering which will stay the smallest and the minimum number I should have. All three are schooling fish as far as I know.

 

[tamtam]

Pristellas grow to be about 2 inches
Lemons I believe are around the same, perhaps smaller at about 1.5 inch
I'm not familiar with the Balloon red eyes. I actually had to google them to see what they were . I've often heard that regular Red Eyes can be nasty nippers. The regulars get to be about 3 inches.

Personally I like Lemons, I think they have a very nice shape and make good community fish for the most part.

Another I really like are Ornate Tetras(also known as Rosy tetras)

Rummy nose are another great schooler, they stay about 2 inches as well and are very peaceful.

All tetras are schoolers and you will need at least 5-6 of them. Of course the more the better.

 

[phoenixkiller]

Many have recommended Lemon tetras to me when I was setting up my 55, so that's my vote.

Ever considered Neon tetras? Their hardiness depends on their source, but I got mine from Petsmart, and they're doing fine. I've done plenty of things to upset them though.... sigh...

 

[DCtank]

Phoenixkiller, I love Neon Tetras -- and my kids think they are cool -- but everything I've read, and the guy at my LFS, says that they aren't good in a new tank. Also, my water's pH is high and I read that Neons like it low.

 

[tamtam]

Phoenixkiller, I love Neon Tetras -- and my kids think they are cool -- but everything I've read, and the guy at my LFS, says that they aren't good in a new tank. Also, my water's pH is high and I read that Neons like it low.

the neons will adjust to your PH. Most fish will actually, neons can be sensative fish but I find it comes down to supplier mostly. I've always found to have good luck if I go into the store and find out when the shipment was last, if it hasn't been recently(a few days at least) than I check out the tank and see how the fish are. I've found that any time I buy from a newer shipment that I always end up with deaths and I think it's just so much stress on 1 little fish. It's hard ot get a shipment thats been in the store any amount of time sometimes because they are SO popular.

 

[phoenixkiller]

Phoenixkiller, I love Neon Tetras -- and my kids think they are cool -- but everything I've read, and the guy at my LFS, says that they aren't good in a new tank. Also, my water's pH is high and I read that Neons like it low.

Don't ever, ever listen to a pet store owner, knowledgeable or not. The new tank thing may be a bit of a stretch, I agree, but the pH thing?

I have heard time and again that pH is greatly overrated, and should be ignored. This is not only by reading, I keep my Neons in 8.0+ pH, and they're doing fine.

So maybe if you wait until the tank is cycled (If you don't know what cycling is, just ask!), that should be fine. I have heard stories of people keeping scaleless and sensitive fish in tanks that are a month or so old, and they had no problems. So just make sure tank parameters are stable, and Neons should do fine. Now if you wanted CARDINAL tetras, that's a different story entirely...

Hope I helped!

 

[aqua_chem]

I've had lemons and cardinals in liquid rock. The lemons definitely did better.

 

[phoenixkiller]

I know right? My local friends had a hard time keeping the local Cardinals alive, even in quite suitable conditions. I dunno if it's just the stock, or the species, or both, but I try to stay away from those little buggers.

 

[aqua_chem]

I should add that the cardinals did do fine (not accounting for the ones that flew the coup) in those water conditions.

 

[jlbfish]

In liking my Flame Tetras. They are supposed to be hearty and good with high pH. Mine runs 8.0-8.2'ish