# Cardinals or neons tetras?



## jlui83 (Apr 22, 2006)

Debating on which to get for a 20 gal long tank. Igwami setup. Cardinals or neons..... 

reason why I would go with neons is b/c they are smaller which means I can get a couple more.

Any opinions? I heard neons can get the "neon" disease very easily though. Is it the same for cardinals?


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## neonfish3 (Feb 12, 2004)

If I had to choose between Cardinals and Neons I would pick Cardinals. 
But have you considered or do you have available to you _Paracheirodon simulans_, the green neon. I bought some of these a year ago and just love them. I think they are prettier than the reg. neon, they stay even smaller, and school better.
If I had to choose between the three species, I would pick the green neon.

my .02¢


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## star rider (Feb 27, 2006)

I can tell you that recently I have had problems with neon tetras.

I buy 6 drip acclimate them add them to my tank and after 2 weeks I have 1 neon left.

in my case this is a discus planted tank the parameters are pristine .

I would opt for cardinals but they are $3.99 ea. neons are 5 for $5

I eventually went with black neons. and they are holding out well also larger than neons(up to 2")

if you're going with a species only tank the smaller green neons would be cool. 

I'd hold off on neons as lately they haven't been very hardy.


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## Cassie (May 27, 2006)

I have neons in my 29g, and they are fine, but they don't compare a bit to a full grown, fully colored up cardinal. My cardinals are a bit longer, but I think my neons have a larger body mass (cardinals are straighter, neons have a bulge in the middle when looking from the side), so I'd imagine that they have at least similar bio-loads. My neons don't shoal well, but now that I doubled my cardinal shoal to 25ish, they don't shoal much either. 

In regards to health/hardiness, it depends on where/when you get the fish. I couldn't keep black neons alive for the life of me, but the regualr neons were fine, even though I bought them at the same time...


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## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

i'll go for cardinals, i heard a lot of thing about the Neon disease


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## Brian_T23 (Jul 25, 2006)

it depends on your budget.... if you have bigger budget go for cardinals imo they look much nicer than the neons. but if you r low on money get neons, they seen to be really cheap now for some reason.. at least thats how it is where im living


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## abnormalsanon (Jun 6, 2006)

I have 8 neons--all 8 survived, no problems yet after 5 months or so. I like the little guys, though they don't school very tightly if you like that better.


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

I think if you're not worried about how hardy each species, I would go by which one do you prefer? 

Personally, I've always prefered Neon's because of their robust body shape and thier tri-coloration. But it's all down to your personal taste.


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

I like cardinals better since they're a bit bigger and easier to see. Most of the cardinals I've had in the past are a softer green color than the blue neon stripe on neon tetras and I like that better. I think it's all up to personal preference though. I've kept both with great luck in the past.


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## tejinabo (Feb 5, 2006)

*Cardinal Tetras*

I would go with Cardinal Tetras. Much more colorful.


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## jlui83 (Apr 22, 2006)

Thanks everyone for your responses... I will make my final decision once my water parameters stable.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I just got in 20 Cardinals today that I had the fish store special order for me and the price was almost the same as the Neons they have in stock, so I would definitely go with what is most appealing to you.

Even if the cost of something is a little higher, I don't mind a bit because I expect all of my fish to last for a long time.

On a side note, I had the store leave my Cardinals bagged, for one less acclimation to put them through, and they were completely colorless from the stress. The minute I got them in the tank here at home the color just magically reappeared.


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## LordSul (Mar 17, 2006)

I had 8 neons, in only one month I have only 2 left. They'll probably be gone in about 15 days unfortunately. In the same tank I have 10 Rasboras, 10 Black Neons they seem to be quite healthy. But the neons seem very fragile even to a very slight change in water parameters.

I dont have a pH controller, so Its inevitable that there are some changes in pH. Also dosing my DIY KNO3 ferts seems to have effect as well, on neons.


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## jpmtotoro (Feb 13, 2003)

nothing got my little buggers schooling tightly like adding a bigger fish to the tank! even if it's a large SAE or something... they went into defense mode!


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## Cassie (May 27, 2006)

yeah, they do that, but it's only temporary...I have two full grown angels who spawn and chase the fish (cardinals) and they still don't shoal nearly as often as I'd like... but then, I could just be picky!


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## daykinmade (Aug 26, 2005)

cardinals, no question!


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