Adding Some Neon Tetras?

[ThatAquaristChick1234]

Hey guys I was curious if i could add 3-4 neon tetras in my 20 gal long with 2 mollys, 2 platys, 1 dwarf gourami, and 3 kuhli loaches.

 

[r.w.girard]

They really would do better in a larger group.  Not really 6 even, but 10.  Many report that they remain scattered in lower numbers, rather than swimming as a school.  There have also been a number of posts recently about people giving up entirely on Neon Tetras in favor of the slightly larger Cardinal Tetra, due to heavy loses from apparent inbreeding issues reducing the collective fitness of the species in the trade.  If you are worried about overstocking, you could try a smaller fish, like Green Neon Tetras, Parachierodon simulans; or Hengel's Rasbora, Trigonostigma hengeli; or Ember Tetras, Hyphessobrycon amandae; or Mosquito Rasboras, [boraras brigittae[/i], among others.  You'll want to pick the school based on what your water is like [pH and temperature].  But those are some ideas.

 

[DrSlackBladder]

I have a 20-something gallon community with corys, skirt tetras, platys and shrimp, and just added a pair of dwarf gouramis yesterday, all doing well (apart from the shrimp, I lost one probably due to copper used to treat the plants for snails 

).  But I added 12 small neons about 7 weeks ago, to a 6 month matured tank.  I was expecting some attrition after reading about weak strains of neons on this forum, so bought from a reputable aquarist.  Over the course of the first four weeks I lost 5 of them, although never found any remains, despite keeping excellent water maintenance and regular testing and changes.  The remaining 7 are all growing, feeding and mixing well.  They shoal tightly when stressed (water changes) but tend to spend most of the time swimming around in groups of three of four.

 

[Aviici]

Celestial Pearl Danios would be a nice little addition, they're tiny, but they have amazing colours They're only suitable if you've got lots of live plants though, I agree with Ember Tetras, they are pretty small, but you've got to make sure your water quality is good. Tetras do thrive best when added to mature tanks as well. Endler Guppies are an option too, if you'd just add females or just males, they school very loosely, but are nice colour for a smaller tank