Feeding and caring for Cardinal Tetras

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dantheman1

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Hi guys,

Will be getting my Cardinal Tetra’s next week thanks to Byron’s advice.

Just a question about their general care and feeding.

How many feeds a day? Quantities? Best fish foods?

Other general care advice to make their lives happier?

Thanks,
Dan
 
First, make sure you have some floating plants. Cardinals do not like overhead light, and the floating plants will immediately settle them faster.

Many of us do not feed fish the first day or two. The fish will be stressed from the move, and the new environment, and may or may not feed but it is one less thing to worry about.

From then on, I do not feed more than once a day, and I miss one or two days a week. Feed sparingly; it is better to think you might be underfeeding rather than overfeed. Prepared (dried) foods are very nutritious these days, depending upon the brand (I'll come back to these). One day a week you could also feed a "treat," such as frozen daphnia or frozen bloodworms. The latter should not be fed more often than once each week. I use the water change day (which should be the same day each week) as my "treat" day; never feed before the water change or any similar tank disturbance. I do the WC early in their day, an hour after the tank light is one; then, about two hours afterward, they get their weekly treat of the frozen foods.

For basic dried foods I use flake and tiny pellet. New Life Spectrum basic flake, Omega One Veggie Flake (their Kelp Flake is much the same, whichever); both these brands do not have "meal" in their foods but they are made from whole fish, shrimp, kelp, etc. For a pellet I have only recently tried Nutrafin's Bug Bites, which is basically dried insects, and the fish seem to really go for these.

I alternate the dried foods so the fish get something different each day from the previous. The above three foods cover three days, then repeat, with nothing the water change day and one other day.
 
Thanks, Byron. I have put in my dwarf lettuce and all is looking good and ready for the addition of the fish next week. Many thanks.
 
Hi Dan,
Firstly make sure your tanks cycled.

I've got a few cardinals make sure you keep them in a sizeable group, the bigger the better but according to your tank size.

I think 6 is probably a minimum, but 12 might be better, I originally had 6 but one died after a bout of ich and one of the remainders started bullying another.

I feed mine a pinch of tetramin twice daily, they seem to be doing OK, when you first get them they will be a bit stunned by the move and may not eat properly, but you can try.

Its probably a good idea to build in a feeding routine, mine know that when the light comes on they'll get fed within the hour so when they hear the tank cover clatter open they come rushing to the top to feed.

Mine also don't seem to mind the light at all to be honest.
 
Hello Bettaman,

Thank you for your response.

For my 10 gallon tank do you think 8 is suffice?

Thanks,
Dan
 
Alright mate!

Please bear in mind I'm no expert, but from what I understand you need a 60x30cm tank as a recommendation to keep these fish.

That's pretty much what I've got that's a 10g uk and 14g us tank, so you could easily have 8 in your tank!
 
If my memory from the previous thread serves me, the tank here is 15 US gallon, being "round" rather than the usual rectangle...correct Dan? And we were thinking 8 cardinals in that thread. That will work as cardinals are not active swimmers so length is less critical.
 
Tank is 10 gallon. 40cm circumference. Hoping this doesn’t have a huge effect on numbers and suitability. If not cardinals could you suggest any other type of colourful schooling fish?
 
I’m not really qualified to answer this, but from your Id, it says London, so most likely you’ve got hard water, endlers live bearers or maybe a few guppies, but don’t quote me on the last.

Try and find a reputable breeder that’s based close to you, a local aquarium club could probably help and they’ll be able to give you the best info you need.

Obviously there’s a few guys on here that could perhaps help too.
 
Tank is 10 gallon. 40cm circumference. Hoping this doesn’t have a huge effect on numbers and suitability. If not cardinals could you suggest any other type of colourful schooling fish?

This gives us a bit different slant now. The only fish suited to a 10g tank are "nano" species. With hard water, Endlers and guppies. Soft water would have some other options like the dwarf rasbora species in Boraras, but water parameters are important as these will be wild caught.
 
Ahh that's a real shame. Definitely a no-no for Cardinals? How about Harlequin Rasboras?
 
And harlequins also need a bigger tank.

With 10 gallons and hard water, I would go for male endlers. They don't have the long tails of guppies which can end up being nipped. And only males as endlers breed like rabbits.
Keeping hard water fish is easier than using RO to soften tap water.
 
I know using RO is a pain, however if it broadens the range of fish I could put in the tank I’m happy to do so.
 

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