The black neon tetra is a hardy, peaceful shoaling characin marked by a glowing greenish-white upper stripe set above a velvety black band along the body. Despite the name it is not a true neon (Paracheirodon) but a Hyphessobrycon, and it is considerably tougher and more forgiving, making it one of the best beginner schooling fish. A group looks striking against dark substrate and green plants.
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Small, often brightly colored characin fishes popular as peaceful shoaling community aquarium fish. Tetras are kept in groups, appreciate soft, slightly acidic water and planted tanks, and range from tiny nano species to larger schooling fish.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
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Minimum
Small shoal nano
15 gal / 57 L planted
Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi is a peaceful schooler that should be kept in groups of 6+. A 15-gallon planted tank is the practical minimum for a small school with soft slightly acidic water (pH 6.0–7.0).
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Recommended
Planted community
20 gal / 76 L planted community
20-gallon long planted community with a shoal of 8–10, driftwood, and soft acidic blackwater-style water. Peaceful tankmates only — rummynose, corys, otocinclus all work.
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Ideal
Aquascaped biotope
29 gal+ / 110 L+ aquascape
Aquascaped or biotope tank with leaf litter, dense planting, and a large shoal of 12+. Larger shoals show stronger schooling colour and more confident behaviour.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
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Egg
Fish eggs are small, translucent spheres, often laid in clutches on plants, substrate, or in a nest — or carried/brooded by a parent in livebearing and mouth-brooding species. A dark eye spot and the curled embryo become visible inside as development progresses.
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Fry
Newly hatched fry are tiny and semi-transparent, frequently still carrying a yolk sac that fuels them before they feed freely. They lack full fin structure and adult coloration, staying near cover until they can swim and forage on their own.
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Juvenile
Juveniles look like miniature adults but with developing fins and muted or different markings; many species shift pattern and color as they mature. Growth is rapid at this stage given clean water and steady feeding.
Adult
Adults show the species' full size, finnage, and mature coloration, and are sexually mature. Many fish develop sex-specific differences in size, color, or fin shape, which can intensify during breeding.
Habitat & enclosure
Keep a shoal of at least 6 (more is better) in a tank of 60 litres (15 gal) or larger. It is adaptable but does best in soft to moderately hard, slightly acidic to neutral water: temperature 23-27 °C (73-81 °F), pH 5.5-7.5, GH up to around 15. Provide gentle to moderate flow and a planted layout with open swimming space.
This species tolerates a wider parameter range than true neons and copes well with typical community-tank conditions, but appreciates dim lighting, tannins and cover to show its best colour and behaviour.
Substrate
Dark sand or fine gravel makes the black band and white stripe pop. Driftwood, leaf litter and dense planting create the shaded, slightly tannic environment it favours.
Equipment & setup
A standard gentle filter (sponge, HOB or canister) and a heater are all that is essential. Subdued LED lighting with floating plants suits its preference for shade; CO2 is optional and only needed for demanding planted setups.
Diet
Easy-feeding omnivore. Takes good-quality flake and micro-pellets readily; supplement with frozen and live daphnia, brine shrimp, cyclops and similar small foods for condition and colour.
Behavior & temperament
Peaceful, active mid-water shoaler and an ideal community fish. Combines well with other small tetras, rasboras, danios, Corydoras, dwarf cichlids and peaceful livebearers. Kept in too small a group it can become nippy or shy, so always maintain a proper shoal.
Health
Generally hardy and resistant compared with true neons, but still susceptible to ich and bacterial/fungal infections under poor water quality or stress. Quarantine new arrivals and keep nitrates low with routine water changes.
Tips, DIY & hacks
An excellent choice for newer aquarists and for cycling-experienced community tanks because of its tolerance. Adding catappa leaves or tannin-rich water deepens colour, and a larger shoal produces much more natural schooling. Relatively easy to breed in soft, dim, acidic water with fine-leaved spawning plants.
