When you plan to breed neon tetras in the home aquarium, you come up with so many instructions to follow. But the most important thing after setting up the breeding tank is knowing about the neon tetra eggs. What do neon tetra fish eggs look like? How many eggs does a neon tetra lay?
Neon tetra eggs are round but small with a clear whitish or yellowish color. They are known to lay eggs after spawning and lay 60 to 120 eggs at once on average.
Let’s learn more about neon tetras eggs and how to recognize them in the aquarium.
If you still have confusion whether tetras are livebearers or egg layers, here is an article to help you Are Tetra Livebearers? Do They Give Birth or Lay Eggs?
What Do Neon Tetra Eggs Look Like?
Neon tetras eggs are quite difficult to see. You need to look more closely and carefully as most people wash these eggs away mistaking them as waste.
Neon tetra fish eggs are very small, clear, and whitish or yellowish. These eggs are round and will also look like a tiny ball of jelly. It won’t be hard to look for them once you know what to look for.
These eggs are generally stuck on the plant leaves or moss and sometimes even on the substrate.
Here is a similar article you might like to read about Are Tetras Egg Layers? What Do They Look Like?
You see it is quite necessary for you to provide enough plants and space in the breeding tank so neon tetra can find the right place to lay eggs.
You might like to read about Breeding Tetra Fish – Step By Step Guide
How Many Eggs Does A Neon Tetra Lay?
The number of eggs a female neon tetra can spawn varies and ranges from 60 to 120 on average at once.
As soon as the female tetra lays the eggs, the male tetra will fertilize those eggs immediately. But don’t get your hopes up, not every egg will hatch and survive.
If you look closely only 40 to 50 of the eggs will hatch giving you nearly 30% of the baby neon tetras.
For example, if your female tetra lays 60 eggs at one time, you will have 20 baby neon tetras only as only 30% will result in viable fry.
How To Tell If A Neon Tetra Is Going To Lay Eggs?
There are certain signs your neon tetra will show if it is going to lay eggs but first you need to differentiate the male from the female tetra.
Male neon tetras have a slimmer body with longer dorsal and anal fins whereas female neon tetra has longer and slightly larger body with shorter anal and dorsal fins.
The prime factor that will help you differentiate between males and females is coloration. Male tetras have brighter and vivid colorations but female ones are slightly dull with less brilliant colors.
Similarly, female tetras have the curved neon blue line while male ones have a straight one. Now, when you finally recognize the female neon tetra, look for the following signs of pregnancy to know when it is going to lay eggs.
Enlarged Or Swollen Belly
The best indicator for you to know whether your neon tetra is pregnant or not is the swollen belly. As neon tetra tend to carry many eggs, their abdomen will swell with eggs.
Look For The Courting Behavior In Neon Tetras
The male Neon tetra is known for its dance to attract females and grab their attention. The male will swim in the square motion with some jerky actions.
How Long Do Neon Tetra Eggs Take To Hatch?
Once the female neon tetras lay eggs, it will take around 24 hours for the eggs to hatch. However, not all eggs will hatch as most of them are not viable fry.
You have to feed your fry with a few drops of Infusoria and brine shrimps. Moreover, keep those newly born neon tetras in the dark as they are quite light-sensitive.
How Can You Know When The Neon Tetra Eggs Are Fertilized?
It is easy to differentiate the fertilized eggs from the unfertilized ones, all you have to do is look for a black dot inside an egg. The black dot symbolizes the success of the fertilization process and the formation of an embryo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some FAQs you might be wondering about.
Do Tetras Eat Their Eggs And Babies?
Yes, most definitely. That’s why experts suggest you keep parents separate from the eggs and the fry once they hatch.
Tetras are known to eat their eggs as well as fry mistakenly, so it is necessary to remove those adult tetras from the Tetra breeding/Fry tank.
Similarly, these sensitive small babies are prone to diseases as well as physical injuries. Adult tetras can harm these fish and even injure them while swimming around.
What Should I Feed Baby Tetras?
You can feed your baby tetras a few drops of Infusoria a few times a day. Baby shrimps can also be a good choice once they get a little older to feed on them.
What Do Unfertilized Neon Tetra Eggs Look Like?
Unfertilized eggs remain white even when all the other eggs will develop black dot inside them. It will be easier for you to distinguish between fertilized and unfertilized eggs when you look closely for the black dot inside the eggs.
The unfertilized egg might be in the same cluster but they will remain yellowish or whitish but don’t separate them.
Don’t let adult tetras feed on unfertilized eggs as well because these adults can go for fertilized eggs too when the unfertilized eggs are finished.
What Is The White Substance Neon Tetra Eggs Have Around It?
The whitish substance around the fish eggs is the fungus infecting those eggs. The fungus is the curse that attaches itself to the eggs and kills the embryo before it even gets the chance to hatch.
You can go for formalin and hydrogen peroxide to treat the fungus or else prevention is better than cure.
Keep your tank water clean and ideal for fish to breed, hatch, and live to avoid further infestation of fungus or bacteria.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it will be hard for you to look for eggs when you are a beginner. But once you get used to the spawning and breeding of neon tetras, it will get easier and simpler. Just look closely at the leaves of plants or the hiding spots of your neon tetras. Once you see tiny, round, whitish, or yellowish jelly-like balls, you will know that your neon tetras have laid eggs. Even your fish will show signs beforehand too. You will be fine if you provide a correct and ideal environment for neon tetras to breed and the newly born fry to live.
