Freshwater Fish
Neon Tetra.
The aquarium classic — an electric-blue stripe over a red flash, dazzling in a school. Peaceful, beginner-friendly, and inexpensive to group up; they show best against dark substrate and plants in a 10-gallon-plus tank.
We keep this species at our Erie store. Come and see it in the tanks, or call (814) 456-9445 and ask what we have in right now.
Sea Cave keeps this species. You will find these in the tanks at 660 East 14th Street in Erie. We never ship live animals.
- Condition
- new
- Fulfillment
- Local pickup — Erie, PA
We never ship fish, coral, or invertebrates — every animal here is one you meet in person. Each one is acclimated and health-checked in-house before it goes out into the display tanks. This is a species we keep, and what is swimming on any given day changes with the deliveries, so please call (814) 456-9445 before you drive in.
Care at a glance
What to know before you take one home.
- Care level
- Beginner
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Community
- Community safe
- Adult size
- 1.5"
- Min tank size
- 10 gallons
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Scientific name
- Paracheirodon innesi
Good tank mates
Peaceful and community-safe, so neon tetras are a classic fit for a calm community tank. Pair them with other small peaceful fish: rasboras (harlequin, chili), corydoras catfish, small peaceful tetras, and dwarf or honey gouramis. Avoid fin-nippers and larger or aggressive fish like big cichlids and angelfish, plus anything with a mouth big enough to eat a neon. Keep a school of six or more so they school tightly and feel safe.
Good to know
Neon tetras come from the soft, blackwater streams of the Amazon basin, and their blue stripe is structural color that can dim at night or when the fish is stressed.
What is in the tanks and each animal's temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for pairing advice.
Good tankmates
Plays well with.
Species we’d keep in the same tank, with why each pairing works. What is in the tanks and each animal’s temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for advice on pairing.
New to stocking a tank? Read our guide on which fish live together.
Bronze Cory
Peaceful bottom-dwellers that occupy a different water column level than neon tetras, share the same soft, slightly acidic freshwater requirements, and pose zero aggression or size threat.
Harlequin Rasbora
Similar size and peaceful temperament; both species share a preference for soft, slightly acidic water. Neon tetras are explicitly listed as good companions in the Harlequin Rasbora care guide on Aquarium Source.
- O
Otocinclus Catfish
Tiny, docile algae-eaters that hug the glass and plants near the bottom; fully peaceful and far too small to threaten neon tetras. Water parameters align with neon tetra requirements.
- D
Dwarf Gourami
Water parameters overlap well (pH 6.0–7.5, soft to moderately hard 4–10 dGH), matching neon tetra needs. A generally non-aggressive centerpiece fish that stays near the upper water column; widely listed as a compatible tankmate by authoritative aquarium sources.
Visit the store
660 East 14th Street,
Erie, PA.
Mon–Fri 12–6 · Sat 11–4 · Sun closed. Call ahead on livestock — what's on the floor rotates.