Cardinal Tetra Tank Help

[t57spikes]

How many Cardinal tetras could I put in a 35 gallon tank versus a 55 gallon tank? I have an AQ 70 on the tank I was just curious as two the two differing sizes.

 

[Old Scales]

Cardinal tetras stay small. Based on a tank with no other fish in it, IMO, 1 cardinal for each 1.5 gal. is a safe stocking level. OS.

 

[Brookster123]

Cardinal tetras stay small. Based on a tank with no other fish in it, IMO, 1 cardinal for each 1.5 gal. is a safe stocking level. OS.

+1 nothing beats a large shoal of cardinals.. if it were my 35?? I'd do about 20 cardinals and a nice centerpiece.. probably do a little dance as well.. cardinals make me dance sometimes..

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[t57spikes]

I really like a large school of tetras their colors just pop, and for such small fish when you get them in large groups is mesmerizing. So do oyu think it would be okay to put 25 in a 35 gallon? The would be the only fish.

 

[t57spikes]

Is it okay to hard scape with Cardinals? My idea was a black background, white sand substrate, and a few large pieces of Texas holey rock in the center with amazon swords on both sides in the back, also a 6 inch bubble wall. Would they be okay in a hard scape such as that with ample room to swim, and a break in the middle of the tank?

 

[Brookster123]

Is it okay to hard scape with Cardinals? My idea was a black background, white sand substrate, and a few large pieces of Texas holey rock in the center with amazon swords on both sides in the back, also a 6 inch bubble wall. Would they be okay in a hard scape such as that with ample room to swim, and a break in the middle of the tank?

Ok... black background yes... I'm going to say noooo to light substrate and absolutely not to Texas holey rock..I'd do a dark substrate like Eco complete, lots of tall plants like swords and crypt balansae and vals.. Texas holey rock will.raise your ph, cards like lower ph... 7 below preferably..

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[t57spikes]

Just curious as to why the no on the white substrate? I like the black substrate its just hard to decide. I thought that the white substrate would make the colors pop, maybe im wrong.

 

[Brookster123]

Just curious as to why the no on the white substrate? I like the black substrate its just hard to decide. I thought that the white substrate would make the colors pop, maybe im wrong.

It tends to wash out color.. i have a light colored pool filter sand in my 20t. It has a mixed schoal of cardinals and neons, a German blue ram as well.. the tank is heavily planted so it off sets the light substrate. When I rescape or do a heavy trim it shows in the coloration of those fish especially.. a dark substrate will offer a sharper contrast right off the bat, heavy planting will only help. They also say fish will adjust their coloration to the surrounding..

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[Old Scales]

+1 to all Brookster says! OS

 

[PNWaquarist]

I tend to agree that a darker substrate will provide more contrast and make your fish "pop" a little more, but that mostly applies to bottom-dwellers. Cardinals tend to occupy the middle third of the tank, so the background and planting are more important in that regard. That said, if you plan to add Rummys, Glowlights, rams, or other lighter-colored bottom-dwellers, I'd definitely suggest a darker substrate.

A large-ish shoal of Cardinals will definitely provide your tank with good eye candy. That said, I don't find their behavior to be all that interesting. My Black Neons have a lot more personality and look cool under subdued lighting.

 

[Autumnsky]

Driftwood centerpiece, dark sand or Eco-Complete, graduated blue background (my favorite) or black. Lots of Cardinals! They are beautiful.

Here are mine a long while back with CaribSea Naturals sand

here is black background and Eco complete/ It is a permanent black background or I would have it as blue graduated.

 

[Old Scales]

Ooh! Nice tankscape Autumn! OS

 

[theycallmekhan]

I know I'm gonna get criticized for this, but if you keep on top of your water changes and heavily plant your tank you could have about 40 cardinals in there. I suggest you go with neons instead. They're hardier.

 

[theycallmekhan]

Oh yah and a Fluorite substrate, black background, un-boiled driftwood which will release tannins making the tank yellow, and plants like amazon swords, and a slight current shoul give an amazon feel.

 

[t57spikes]

I like the Amazon idea, my old 75 gallons I had was planted and wood and had 40 cardinals 3 Angels and 20 hatchets. I personally like an overstocked tank if it's maintained I see nothing wrong with it jve been in the hobby for 10 years and always has overstocked with large filtration and never any stress released deaths or dieases. Never ick or collumaris. I was wanting to do something out if the ordinary with this 35 gallon tank and do just cardinals with some holey Rock. Most will not agree but the rock I have buffers my water at 7.8 so it's near their range. There will be basically no plants except two tall amazin swords in the back cornors. It's not their natural habitat but I want to try it and see what happens.

 

[Brookster123]

Cardinals actually prefer sub 7's.. Texas holey rock really has no place in a cardinal tank.. soft acidic water.. good luck..

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[PNWaquarist]

I suggest you go with neons instead. They're hardier.

They may have been 30 years ago. Now that they're heavily inbred, not so much.

 

[t57spikes]

I do know that fish have certain PH ranges they thrive in, with that being said that is fish from the wild and fish that are only a few generations from the wild. Now, lets rationalize the fish industry today. For the most part MANY generations back are tank bread in general tap water all over the country ranging from low 6 to low 8. Since the reproduction cycle of most fish is especially short it would be nothing to have 20+ generations in one year, each having a little more of the "wild" removed. So, the likelihood of cardinals not adjusting to a PH of 8.0 to 8.1 is highly likely, since their natural range is 5.5 to 7.5, .6 more Ph is not going to be devestating if you ask me.