Dumb question.

[FishRus]

Is a cardinal tetra the same thing as a neon tetra?

 

[HN1]

No.

Paracheirodon alexrodi is Cardinal. Paracheirodon innesi is neon. Different species.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

There are no dumb questions man, just dumb answers
No they are north the same thing, cardinals grow a bit larger than neons, and cardinals are cometely red from their line, while a neons red line only goes halfway

 

[josh7]

I think cardinals are a better fish overall to much hardier and they get bigger so their colors are more impressive.

 

[Mebbid]

I think cardinals are a better fish overall to much hardier and they get bigger so their colors are more impressive.

It depends on where they were raised. Many of them are sustainibly caught in south america which tends to give a little hardier fish assuming you can match the habitat they grew up in. If you can't match their home environment then their hardiness is overstated as they are sensitive to different parameters. However the captive bred ones have the issue of inbreeding but have a much better time of adapting to captivity.