Black neons

[GaryE]

Once upon a time, the black neon tetra was an exciting new fish in the hobby. That time was around 60 years ago, and they've been a favourite common tetra ever since.

When I first saw them, I was told they'd stay rare because no one could breed them. That was wrong info, and they've proven to be not very hard to reproduce. Still, I wanted to try as a kid, and I've finally gotten around to it.

The first picture is young black neons from my first batch, before they went to my friend's pet store. The second 2 are from today, of the latest batch (which I plan to keep, although there are a lot in that tank.

 

[Back in the fold]

Excellent . I don’t know why but I’m always impressed when anybody breeds Tetra’s . I’ve never known anyone who has nor have I .

 

[GaryE]

Excellent . I don’t know why but I’m always impressed when anybody breeds Tetra’s . I’ve never known anyone who has nor have I .

I always thought it was the pinnacle of fish breeding. They're often common, and when you breed them, it doesn't put money in your pocket. They're cheap fish, in general. But the old timers, the William T Innes generation bred them, and there's a mystique to that. If like you and me, people read those old fish books, you develop an appreciation for the hobby before it was a mass consumption thing. People couldn't afford big shoals, so they made them.

When I was quite young I had a very old acquaintance who told me of the first importation of neon tetras to Montreal. He said all the well to do aquarists rushed down to a store near the docks where a sailor had sold some. They went for $5 each. Back then, in the not so great Depression, my grandparents shared a flat with another family with a total rent of $2 a month. People who were into fish bred them, or else.

The ones I've bred so far have been as easy as my killies. It's my tap water more than my skills. If the water's soft (pH isn't key, so far) you have a shot at breeding a lot of these fish fairly easily. They aren't livebearer or Cichlid easy, but they just take prep.

You need good food. They breed better with live food in their diet. Get the temperature right, have soft water and manage lighting (that's where the 'work' is now - understanding lighting species by species, as light kills some eggs).

So now I know they are no pinnacle, and aren't that hard if you put your mind to it. But I'm glad a lot of people THINK it takes super skill, because there's something to be said for doing something relatively easy when people think it's really hard!