Cardinal Tetra Care 101: Tank Size, Tank Mates, Food, Breeding

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Cardinal Tetra fish is a very colorful and active freshwater fish species that you can keep in a small-sized aquarium. They have a very appealing appearance under dim lights.

If you love freshwater fish keeping, then I believe you may have come across or heard about Cardinal Tetra fish. These Tetra species are increasingly being produced since they are easy to breed in an aquarium.

Also, you cannot go without noticing the beautiful colors of these fish which makes them look attractive wherever you keep them.

These Tetra fish species do not grow too long, so fitting in an Aquarius is easy. In this article, we will discuss more details about the fish, how to care for them, their species, and where to find the fish if you wish to breed them.

Quick Facts:
Common Names	: Cardinal Tetra, Red Neon Tetra
Scientific Name	: Paracheirodon axelrodi
Family	: Characidae
Origin	: Upper parts of Orinoco and Negro Rivers in South America
Care Level	: Easy
Lifespan	: 4 - 5 Years
Average Size	: 1.25 - 2 inches
Diet	: Small invertebrates and plants
Breeding	: Egg Layer
Social	: Active Schooling Fish
Temperament	: Playful, Non-Aggressive
Minimum Tank Size	: 10 Gallons (20 is recommended)
Temperature	: 73 - 82 °F (23 - 27 °C)
Water Hardness	: 5 - 5 dKH
Water pH Level	: 4.5 - 6.0 (6 is the best)

Table of Contents

Cardinal Tetra Overview

These Tetra fish species, also sometimes referred to as Red Neon Tetra, are from the family of Characidae and are mainly found in freshwater bodies.

It is also crucial to note that the Cardinal Tetra fish (Paracheirodon axelrodi) is confused with Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) in some cases since they almost have the same appearance.

These fish do not grow big as an adult breed measures maximum up to 2 inches long. When it comes to lifespan, these fish can live for up to 4 to 5 years.

These fish lives in large numbers such that you may find them in hundreds of numbers moving together. Although they prefer freshwater areas, their favorite water habitats are soft and acidic levels of water with about 4.5 to 6 pH.

You will find Cardinal Tetras fish in the dense waters and prefer feeding on worms and small crustaceans.

Cardinal Tetra Size

Cardinal Tetra fish are one of the small fish Tetra species available in the aquarium trade. This is why most people keep them as pets because they can fit in a smaller fish tank setting.

The Cardinal Tetra size can only grow as long as 1.25 to 2 inches which is about 3 centimeters. However, the female Cardinal Tetra size is a bit longer and more comprehensive compared to the male species.

Cardinal Tetra Lifespan

When it comes to the Cardinal Tetra lifespan, the fish can live for 4 to 5 years as long they are cared for well. Although they are easy to care for, they also require their needs taken care of to prevent premature deaths.

So, stable living conditions and religious feedings should be looked into when keeping the fish.

Behavior and Temperament

Cardinal Tetra fish is a relatively peaceful fish species that spend its time swimming all around the tank. Because of its peaceful nature, it can live peacefully with the same sized fish species in a community tank.

They know to be fast and active swimmers that are love to be in groups. Cardinal Tetra is a schooling fish, that have to be 6 fish in a school to feel comfortable.

They are a kind of shy fish species that loves to be in a highly planted aquarium. A group of Cardinal Tetras is very beautiful to see under aquarium lights.

Appearance and Colors

As mentioned earlier, Cardinal Tetra fish are beautiful due to their colors. They favor bright colors, probably one of the reasons they hide in deeper parts of water to avoid being easily noticed.

The fish are slender, and have a blend of red and blue bodied. The red color runs from the head to the fin tail on the lower body part, while the blue color is seen on the upper part running from the nose to the tail.

The lower part (underbelly) features a white line that runs from the mouth to the trail. The edges and the fins are transparent, almost invisible when the fish moves in the waters from far.

Cardinal Tetra Care And Habitat

The first step to take while caring for any fish is to understand their natural habitat and replicate it in your aquarium. Cardinal Tetra lives in dense waters where there is a slow flow of water.

The water condition must be soft and acidic. Although there may be plants and rocks in their tank. They prefer living in clear spaces for easy movements, considering they swim in multitudes.

These fish are not used to swimming in hard or rough spaces that may scratch them. Therefore, whatever you put at the bottom of the aquariums, choose a soft sand substrate that is comfortable for the fish.

Aquarium soft gravel is the most preferred substrate for the tank since it comes in different colors and sizes. Also, they have soft finishing, which is safe for your Cardinal Tetra. Lastly, cleaning an aquarium with gravel is faster than sand.

If you opt to keep live plants in the aquarium, consider the size of the fish. They are pretty tiny and may have a hard time swimming through thick and long plants. So, choose plants that do not grow tall or halfway through the aquarium.

Also, select plants that are not too thick for easy moving around for the fish. Besides that, I bet you want to see the beautiful colors of the fish, right! So, avoid plants that may distract their views.

Another alternative is to choose floating aquarium plants as they are more comfortable for the fish and may filter the amount of fish waste floating in the waters. Ensure the fish have lighting as they will require it for viability purposes.

Just set the lighting so that it penetrates the tank, and at the same time, there is enough privacy for your fish.

– Cardinal Tetra Tank Size

One thing to keep in mind is that these fish love is moving in groups. So, it would be advisable to keep at least 6 fish together in a group for their comfort. It also helps when it comes to breeding.

20 gallons tank at minimum is the recommended Cardinal Tetra tank size. A large tank is better as it provides ample space for the fish to swim around, and still, you will be able to keep the plants and bottom dwellers that your fish need.

– Cardinal Tetra Tank Setup

Substrate: This is only required if you opt to put live plants in the tank while replicating the wild environment. The substrate feeds the live plants to make sure they get nutrients to grow while in the aquarium tank.

Use aquarium sand or soft aquarium gravel substrate along with some driftwood pieces, aquarium rocks, and caves.

Under Substrave Filtration: A aquarium water filter ensures the water stays clean and the fish have fresh breathing space while moving. Cardinal Tetra does not like staying in areas with heavy currents as they can easily be swept away for their size.

This is the reason why we recommend an under gravel filtration or choose an internal filtration system.

Lighting: Every fish require lighting, and so should your Cardinal Tetra, although they don’t like bright glares of illumination. Consider an adjustable LED lighting system that you can dim when necessary.

Any lighting with around 4500 lumens is a good option, especially for larger tanks.

Heating System: Cardinal Tetra temperature must be warm waters, and therefore, an aquarium heating system comes in handy to keep the waters at the proper temperatures.

– Water Parameters Ranges

The next care requirements for Cardinal Tetra fish worth looking at are the water temperatures and conditions.

The water temperatures should be between 73 to 82 degrees F (23 to 27 degrees C)
The pH should be around 4.5 to 6.0, although the pH is not constant throughout.
The hardness of the water should be 2 to 5 dKH.

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Possible Diseases and Prevention

Cardinal Tetra is the most sensitive fish to keep in a tank and is prone to premature death if not cared for accordingly. The possible diseases that may attack these fish are;

NTD:

Also referred to as neon tetra disease, this is the disease diagnosed with white patches occurring on the body of the Cardinal Tetra. This disease occurs due to bacteria or fungal infection.

When the fish are moved from their natural habitats or depending on what the fish feed on. The aquarium water is stagnant, and a low supply of oxygen passes through to the tank.

Also, the fish food residuals settling at the bottom part of the tank can encourage the growth of bacteria and fungus.

How to treat and prevent the NTD?

This disease is not treatable, but it is preventable using the quarantine medication trio recommended for fungus and bacterial infection. To prevent this disease from recurring, ensure the fish are fed fresh foods and carry out the routine care procedure to ensure their tank is clean and fresh.

Curved spine

This is a form of injury which mainly occurs when the fish are being shipped or captured. You can prevent it by swiftly selecting the fish individually when packing in tanks instead of scooping them together at once.

Cardinal Tetra Diet and Feeding

Another feature that proves these fish are easy to care for is their food choices. They are not as picky and may eat any fish food you give them. So, you can feed your Cardinal Tetra fish with frozen, freeze-dried, and fresh foods depending on the type.

Traditionally, the fish feed on plants and worms while in the water. So, once in a while, you can also feed them live worms.

Meat foods are the primary preference for these fish so feed them; Bloodworms, Brine shrimp, Daphnia, and Tubifex for meaty foods. For artificial foods, you can feed your Cardinal Tetra with flake and pallet foods recommendable for small fish or their species.

Feeding Schedule:

It is crucial to feed your Cardinal Tetra as often as possible, probably at an interval of 3 minutes per feeding. Let the fish eat until you see they are not scrambling for food before you stop.

Why do we recommend a feed of 3 minutes for every feeding session?

Depending on the number of fish, you can feed the fish once a day or twice if they are many.

Gender Differences

Although these fish look the same, it is easy to identify a female from a male from how their bodies are shaped. The females are a bit wider, especially around the abdomen.

They appear rounder, and they are longer than the male species. You may notice the blue strip on females s a bit bent. The male Cardinal Tetra species are slender, and the blue strip is longer than in females.

Cardinal Tetra Breeding

These fish may be easy to care for, but when it comes to breeding, the process is not an easy one. It is recommendable that you keep the breeding fish in a separate breeding tank for safety and comfort. A tank of 20 gallons size is a great option with a breading box.

However, here are steps to follow when breeding Cardinal Tetra;

Requirements parameters for breeding:

Temperatures: Should be between 75 to 78.8 degrees F
PH: The suitable breeding PH range from 5 to 5.5
Water hardness: Should adjust between 1 to 2 dKH

Although it may take some time, when successful, the females can lay multiple eggs of up to 500 or more. Once the females lay eggs, remove them from the tank to create space for the egg to breed and prevent the adult fish from eating the eggs.

The eggs take around a day (24 hours) to hatch, and within a week, you will notice waterborne fish floating on the water. At this time, begin feeding the babies with brine shrimp and infusoria.

Cardinal Tetra Tank Mates

When it comes to Cardinal Tetra tank mates, it can only house with other smaller and more peaceful fish species in a community tank.

The best compatible Cardinal Tetra tank mates are:

Avoid bigger and more aggressive species of fish as Cardinal Tetra tank mates since they can bully or kill and eat your Cardinal Tetra fish. They are fragile and not defensive due to their small size.

Origin and Distribution

The Cardinal Tetra fish originated from South America in the river Orinoco to the Rio Negro tributary of the Amazon River, and this is still their principal native home.

However, with time the fish have spread to other regions like the western part of Colombia. Some people have reported catching these species of this fish from different continents like Africa.

For example, you can still find some Cardinal Tetra species in the Manaus, in northern Brazil, where they have reached by escaping their captors.

Why do the fish favor these areas?

These fish prefer areas with dense water and with minimal light transfusion. Such places somehow harbor them from being seen by captors or predators. Therefore, Cardinal Tetra species will prefer rainforest areas that cover the waterways.

You don’t necessarily need to go fishing as they are found in some pet stores for those who may need to keep the fish in an aquarium. The best part is that they are affordable and relatively easy to maintain.

FAQs

We hope you have a very good understanding of Cardinal Tetra fish and its caring needs. The questions and answers discussed below might be interesting to read.

How Many Cardinal Tetras Should Be Kept Together?

The Cardinal Tetra fish prefer staying in schools, so the more they are, the better the tank is spacious. You can keep them in groups of between 6 to 10 fish in the tank for starters.

Are Cardinal Tetras Aggressive?

The answer is no! You may notice your Cardinal Tetra chasing one another once in a while, which is a sign of settled fish and nothing more.

You may see the other aggressiveness when they are moving fast to feed on laid eggs, something you need to be keen on if you plan to breed the fish. Other than that, these fish species are pretty calm and easy.

Are Cardinal Tetras Fin Nippers?

Yes, this mainly occurs when the fish are chasing one another. The Cardinal Tetra may also nip the fish staying in the same tank. Also, keep in mind that not all Cardinal Tetra fish nip the fins; it depends on the nature of the fish you have.

How Big Does A Cardinal Tetra Get?

These fish only grow as long as 1.25 to 2 inches or 3 cm maximum. The Cardinal Tetra size will depend on the tank environment and the food that they receive.

What Is The Difference Between Cardinal Tetra Vs Neon Tetra?

Although these two species have similar body features. The difference between Cardinal Tetra vs Neon Tetra is in terms of price, breeding process, and probably how to care for them.

For example, Cardinal Tetra size is larger than Neon Tetra size. So, they require a larger tank for keeping them. Cardinal Tetra is widely captured, which means they are challenging to grasp compared to neon tetra.

The Neon Tetra vs Cardinal Tetra is in terms of cost, Cardinal Tetra fish is more expensive than Neon Tetra fish since they are easy to catch and breed. The Neon Tetra lifespan can last for up to 8 years, while the Cardinal Tetra lifespan up to 5 years at most.

In conclusion, Neon Tetra is better than their counterpart since they are easy to care for, are affordable, and easier to breed.

What Is Albino Cardinal Tetra?

Albino Cardinal Tetra fish is a bit delicate compared to other Cardinal Tetra but still are healthy. What differentiates the Albino Cardinal Tetra from the rest is their embodied colors.

These fish have a clear top cover which slightly harbors their usual bright red and blue colors. Note that the albino Cardinal Tetra can provide habitat with other tetras but may be challenging to breed together due to the color difference.

Where Can One Find Cardinal Tetra For Sale?

You may find Cardinal Tetra for sale in different pet stores such as PetSmart, PetCo and etc in the USA. It will be easy to find Cardinal Tetra for sale online including eBay.com, Amazon.com, and other fish online sale platforms like “tropical fish online.”

However, as you buy the fish mainly for breeding, make sure you buy from a reputable seller for safety and durability.

How Much Does A Cardinal Tetra Cost?

The fish cost varies depending on the country that you reside in, the aquarium outlet you buy, and even the size of Cardinal Tetra you buy. For example, Albino Cardinal Tetra is a bit cheaper since most people may not prefer them.

For common Cardinal Tetras, you can buy them at a price range of 8 to 22 dollars in the USA aquarium market.

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Final Thoughts

There you have it! All the crucial information is worth knowing about Cardinal Tetra fish and their species. These are some of the best fish species to keep at home and are easy to care for since they don’t require much effort.

As long as the fish tank has the correct parameters and is spacious for the fish to swim around freely, well, your Cardinal Tetra fish will grow healthy. The trick comes when buying the fish.

You may need to check the fish you buy to ensure they are not injured, which is prone to occur during wild catching or when packing for shipping. Feed the fish as often as possible and clean the tanks as well as they tend to mess just like regular fish.

If you are interested to breed these fish by yourself, separate them to a different tank and be keen when the females lay eggs as they tend to eat them. Keep on checking and remove them from the tank once you notice the eggs floating in the water.