The Cardinal Tetra is a popular freshwater fish that many people enjoy keeping in their home aquariums. Cardinal tetras will quickly become one of the favourite fish in your aquarium. These tiny, schooling fish are hardy and playful—so much so that they can outsmart even seasoned aquarists! Cardinal tetra is a friendly fish that shares space generously with its tank mate. While they can be hard to breed in captivity, these brightly coloured fish stay active and are available in multiples colours of red, yellow, and orange.
Habitat
The cardinal tetra is most commonly seen in slow-moving, shallow water. They mainly eat small animals on plants roots and leaf litter but have been known to take live prey as well. The Cardinal Tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) is a fish that has been around for centuries. Originating from the rivers in South America, specifically the upper Orinoco and to the Rio Negro River. These little guys are fascinating because they usually only live about 2-3 years due to their small size but have still managed to thrive since then.
Colour
A Cardinal tetra is not only beautiful, but it's an excellent fish for almost any aquarium. Consider these benefits; they're small and sturdy enough that they can live in a 20-litre tank. They are tolerant of water quality fluctuations and the temperatures found in your home or office environment. Plus, they grow up to just 5cm long, so their accommodations will be easy as pie! And while we know you'll want to buy this beauty some friends once he gets settled in his new digs, don't worry about other types of fish bothering him—he'd rather eat plants than other aquatic life forms!
Potential Tank mates for Cardinal Tetras
Cardinal tetras are one of the most popular fish species. They should always be kept in large schools and prefer to swim around with others, even if they're not their kind! If you want your tank to have the perfect balance between lively company and a serene environment for some time alone, then these guys will become part of it. Potential tank mates that may be suitable other than tetras are Danios, Rasbora, and Dwarf Gouramis. If the companion fish has a big mouth enough to swallow the cardinal tetra, it is not a suitable tank mate.
Cardinal Tetra Care
There are a lot of reasons to purchase a larger aquarium. One of the most important is that Cardinal Tetras live better in bigger tanks! These fish can be seen living happily and healthily in tanks with 20 litres, but we always recommend going as big as you possibly can if you wish to enjoy the fish schooling to full effect. Cardinal Tetras are delicate and need mature tanks with soft acidic water to thrive. They can't survive in a tank that's only been set up for an hour, so use caution if you're new! Luckily they love having stable conditions because it lets them live longer lives without getting sick as often. The best pH is below 6, while the hardness should stay below 4 dGH (decigrams per litre) since high levels of minerals make their health deteriorate quickly. Finally, this species loves warmer temperatures but does well from 23°C to 27 °C. We recommend having Floating Plants on their tanks; not only do they moderate the light, but floating aquatic plants also help with CO2 and oxygen levels in the water.
Diet and Feeding
Cardinal Tetra will eat most foods, but be sure to feed them 75% of high-quality flake food, so they stay healthy! Make sure to provide live foods or frozen snacks for your little guys, including brine shrimp and bloodworms that are high in protein. If you're going to feed them all day, try offering three minutes' worth of food every feeding--their little mouths can't handle large pieces very well.
Gender Identification
Males and females show few apparent differences between the sexes, with female cardinal tetras having a deeper body than males with an almost round belly. The hook protruding from the male's anal fin tells other prospective mates they are mature enough to breed!
Breeding Cardinal Tetras
Breeding cardinal tetras is a difficult task. But if you are persistent, success will be within your grasp! The female cardinal tetra produces eggs when she feels the need to reproduce - typically during evenings and late nights from 130-500 eggs. A separate breeding tank with stable water conditions, a pH of 5.0 to 6.0, and very soft water 3-5 dGH or below is essential for success.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the Difference between Neon Tetra and Cardinal Tetra?
The most obvious difference between the Cardinal and Neon Tetras is their coloration. While both are beautiful in their own right, it's hard to ignore that for Neons, only half of its body sports a vibrant red stripe while Cardinals have an equally colourful anal fin and gills as well as whole-body stripes. The main differences between these two fish types come down primarily to colouring: one has less than dazzling colours on about 50% of his body (Neon), where the other will stun you with brilliant blues, greens, yellows--even oranges! Of course, some structural distinctions like fins, but we are all more interested in how they look when swimming around our tanks anyway.
Can a tetra live without a filter and heater?
A tetra can live without a filter yes, a heater not so much. Below 24 degree's C your tetra will not be happy campers, however a regular water change can suffice in lieu of a filter.
