How Much Do Neon Tetra Cost?

Once you get yourself around the aquarium fish, the desire to own one takes over. Aquarium has that magic on people and if that aquarium homes beautiful neon tetras, so in this article, we will be discussing about how much do neon tetra cost and how can you get yourself one? Do each type of neon tetra fish cost different?

Well, you are lucky to fall in love with one of the cheapest fish to keep in the aquarium. the cost of Neon Tetra fish starts from $1 and peaks up to $8 per fish only and varies due to various factors. Size, type, age, etc. plays the main role in deciding the cost of neon tetras.

But knowing this won’t tell you about the cost of the exact neon tetra you fell in love with. Various things vary hence varying the cost of neon tetras.

Let’s find out about all the neon tetras cost so it will be easier for you to decide.

Table of Contents

How Much Do Neon Tetra Fish Cost?

The price of neon tetra varies according to the age they are in. Adults fish cost quite more than that of juvenile ones.

Well, breeders are probably collecting the cost of maintenance and care they provided to adult neon tetra fish. It is quite understandable.

But don’t you worry, the cost is still less than most of the freshwater fish. Thanks to their small size. Let’s find out how much each, juvenile and adult, neon tetra fish cost.

Cost Of Juvenile Neon Tetra Fish

Juvenile is the younger ones who have just been born or are a few weeks old. They are still in the growing phase and their care level is quite sensitive than adult ones.

So, the price is less, thus the cost price of juvenile neon tetra fish is just $1.

Cost Of Adult Neon Tetra Fish

Adult neon tetra fish are quite matured and well-cared for. Breeders will be more invested in these as the more the age more expense they will ask for.

So, breeders will ask a little more money when it comes to adult neon tetras. The cost price of adult neon tetra fish is $2 per fish.

How Much Do Different Types Of Neon Tetra Fish Cost?

You are still wondering if the one in the picture above is the neon tetra or the one you saw is. Well, there are various types of neon tetras, so the one you fell in love with might be among those.

Here is the list of types of neon tetras along with their cost:

Neon Tetra Types	Cost (per fish)
True Neon Tetra	$1-$2
Long Fins Neon Tetra	$1-$2
Gold Head Neon Tetra	$2-$3
Diamond Neon Tetra	$2-$8
Black Neon Tetra	$2-$3
Green Tetra Fish	$4-$7
Red Neon Tetra	$3-$4

Why Different Neon Tetra Cost Different?

You might be wondering why the different neon tetras cost differently even when they belong to the neon tetra group.

Let me help you here and clear your confusion. The availability, IUCN list, natural habitat, breeding difficulty, and the breeding location play the key role in deciding the cost of each neon tetras.

For instance, captive-bred neon tetras cost very little than the wild-caught neon tetras. Because of the conserved authenticity of neon tetras that are still in wild, they will cost you more.

The farther their natural habitat is the more they will cost. The transportation expense to the safety protocols cost rises up the cost of neon tetras for the general people.

While the captive-bred neon tetras will cost far less due to the availability but the breeding difficulty and low neon tetra fry survival rate will marginally increase the cost.

Also, if you are in love with some rare neon tetras, then there is a high chance you’ll have to pay a little more price than other tetras.

How To Breed Neon Tetras For Profit?

Some people start breeding accidentally because their fish get pregnant, while some become one to make a profit.

You can be a reputed breeder and make a profit once you start giving people high-quality neon tetras. Here are the steps to be a breeder first:

Step 1: Get High-Quality Neon Tetra Breeding Pair

The first thing you need to start a breeding tank is to get a breeding pair of fish. That’s why you need to get high-quality breeding pairs from a well-reputed breeder.

You need to get a pair of neon tetra with an established and traceable lineage that you can get from the breeder you are buying the very fish from.

The colors, patterns, health, etc. are the prime factors you need to look closely at the neon tetras you are getting for breeding purposes.

You also have to know how to breed neon tetras properly in the home by yourself so you can get high-quality fry.

Set-Up Breeding Aquarium For Neon Tetra

Neon tetra asks for specific parameters in the breeding tank. So, you may need a lot of equipment like a filter, heater, air pump, etc. in the tank.

You need to prepare 7 to 8 tanks with a 10-gallon capacity each. Each of the 7 tanks should be for breeding pairs varying with 1^st generation, 2^nd generation, tank for selected females and males, as well as a separate tank for each gender.

You need to keep 1 tank as a backup tank in case something goes wrong with any of the other 7 tanks.

High-Quality Diet For Breeding Pair Of Neon Tetra

Food is important for both breeding pair and normal neon tetras you are rearing in the aquarium. The diet helps your fish to attain their ideal size and good health.

A balanced and nutritional diet with appropriate feeding frequency helps to avoid deformities and diseases that can result from nutritional deficiencies.

You also have to look after the diet of newly born tetra fish fry and be careful with what you are giving them. You need to take care of tetra fry like you would take care of the newly-born human baby.

They are delicate and food helps them to grow properly.

Record And Monitor Every Small Detail

You have to assign letters to inhabitants, assess numbers, give the number to each tank when you start breeding your neon tetras.

Recording every single detail from the illness, types of food, number of generations, breeding techniques you used, etc. is very important.

You need to note the breeding dates to delivery dates to monitor the gestation cycle. Try to prevent any diseases that may occur, change the water from the tetra tank, keep your tetra tank clean and well-maintained.

How To Improve The Quality Of Neon Tetras?

If you are really into breeding your own fish and even make a profit out of it, you need to have the optimum quality fish in your tank.

People don’t usually prefer mutt species, ill fish, underdeveloped fish, or discolored fish. You need to give them what they come searching for i.e., well-developed, high-quality Neon Tetras.

The development and improvisation process starts from the very beginning even before the neon tetras are born. You need to have an idea about how to take care of tetra fry to get them growing properly as well as take care of adult neon tetras .

Here are some of the tips that will help you improve the quality of neon tetras in a breeding tank:

Maintain the ideal water parameters for the tetra fry as well as grown fish.
Provide high-quality food in specific and idealized feeding frequency to neon tetras.
Give these tetras varieties of food so they eat their food every day with the same excitement.
Keep live plants in the tetra tank as neon tetras love the well-planted aquarium.
Remove all the factors like larger fish, predators, inadequate oxygen level, etc. that can cause stress to neon tetras.
Clean and maintain the tetra aquarium often.
Perform water change in the tetra tank once a week with dechlorinated water.
Prevent and treat diseases in tetra fish.
Don’t compromise with the tank size as neon tetras need space and water volume to swim around freely.
Keep male and female neon tetras separately to avoid premature breeding. Same thing to do with neon tetras of various sizes and ages.
Don’t forget to turn off the aquarium lights at night.

Frequently Asked Questions

You might be wondering about some questions that might be highlighted in the FAQs too. Here are the answers to those most asked questions about neon tetra.

How Many Neon Tetras Should You Get?

Neon tetras are schooling fish so the more the better. When you plan to put a neon tetra in your tank, go for at least 15 to 20 of these fish.

They love having more neon tetras around and thrive when you provide them their ideal school size or more.

You will need a 20-gallon tank for school with 10 to 13 neon tetras, however, there is a second option to go for school of 6 neon tetras in 10 gallons tank.

This school size with 6 neon tetras will do fine as long as you maintain the tank environment but it is recommended to go for 10 to 13 neon tetras in the 20-gallons tank.

How Many Neon Tetras Can I Put In A 10-Gallon Tank?

Neon tetras are schooling fish so they would love to have more neon tetras around them. So, the minimum size of the tank you need to get for these neon tetras is 10-gallons.

Now for the 10-gallons, you cannot overcrowd the aquarium with 15-20 neon tetras, thus you need to calculate how many neon tetras in a 10-gallons tank.

Each inch of fish asks for 1-gallon of water, neon tetras are 1.75 inches in size. Now let’s do the math. 10/1.75 neon tetras in the 10-gallons tank i.e., nearly 6 neon tetras.

Conclusion

In conclusion, neon tetras are ideal for you if you are just starting off the fish keeping hobby. These fish will be within your budget and won’t even make you move mountains for them. They are easy to care for and all of the other equipment will be within the budget. Neon tetras can live in a 10-gallons tank with a heater and filter, and they will be fine. Tetras are hardy fish and will adjust to a wide range of water parameters.

If you really want to go through this fish keeping hobby, neon tetras will be one of the ideal fish for you.

Good Luck!!!

Happy Fish Keeping!!!

How Much Do Neon Tetra Cost?