which are hardier

[Kaga's Kritters]

neons or cardinals?

[squirt_12]

honestly i don't know....i would think that the cardinals would be because they are bigger. But i would say that they would be pretty close.

don't forget that cardinals get bigger than neons and have the bigger stripe.

[Kaga's Kritters]

just did a little research and the cardinals are very sensitive to stress and water conditions.

[squirt_12]

ok...well i really don't know much about them but i would have guess that they would be hardier because the neons are so small.
sorry for the faulty info.

[MeganL3985]

All my neons survived, through my lack of knowledge and crazy levels of ammonia in the beginning, so i'd definitely say that they're hardy. I don't know anything about cardinals though......actually I thought they were the same thing except for a different stripe. ::Shrugs::

[Kaga's Kritters]

I have had neons before, never had a full school though....they always died on me....maybe it was something i was doing...

[MeganL3985]

I had 5 to start, then got one more, he was little guy that was all by himself in a snail tank at petsmart. He is the only one that died on me. I've had all the others since the end of may, no problems.

[Kaga's Kritters]

cool, maybe i'll get some and give them a try again.

[Spyder]

I have had both and I only have Cardinals now. I think Cardinals are much more beautiful, especially in a planted tank, also I have found the once acclimated and extablished, Cardinals are hardier and long lived, Neons have been heavily overbread and they really don't live that long.

[Kaga's Kritters]

neons are supposed to live like 10 yrs.....do they not make it that long cause of overbreeding?

[Spyder]

I think yes. One trick I have been taught and I find works real well is to feed the Baby Brine Shrimp, live or frozen, when quarenteening them. It worked so well for me that I still feed the BBS daily, frozen. My Neons lasted up to 7 years, My Cardinals, 48 of them in my 300 have lasted for 4 years and I have lost only 3 during that time.

[Lady Hobbs]

Got a feeling you are probably right on this Spyder.......(no surprise, there). I see many of the online sites ship cardinals but not neon's because they stress and die too much to ship.

[Fishguy2727]

I have always found neons to be hardier. However I do believe what has been posted, the only issue is getting the cardinals settled in.

[Kaga's Kritters]

anyone know any other colorful tetra or barb type fish i could get that might be better than neons or cardinals?

[MeganL3985]

Colorful.....hmm...Serpae's are kinda pretty looking :)

[Kaga's Kritters]

already have serpaes, lol. i have gold barbs too, they are a very pretty orange. guess i'll just go with some cardinals, if i can find them.

[Algenco]

I have neons and cardinals, definitely prefer the cardinals!
Both seem to do fine, but like spyder mine get live bbs and daphnia daily


Check out this new tetra species

[MeganL3985]

What are those called? They're pretty :)

[Algenco]

Phenacogrammus_sp._Cherry

Just got an email from cory's r us, there are less than 500 available $26 ea

[Spyder]

A beautiful schooling Tetra would be the Rummynose, definately one of my favorites. Easy to find but you need very clean water (low nitrates) to keep them.

[MeganL3985]

Oh....good suggestion, I forgot all about those. I saw some at petsmart a few weeks ago and thought they looked cool.

I also think rosy barbs are pretty.

[Fishguy2727]

Cherry barbs, albino cherry barbs, serpaes, lemon tetras, platies, checkerboard barbs, gold barbs, bleeding heart, black phantom, red phantom, pearl danios, lots more.

[Spyder]

Cherry Barbs look amazing under bright light and lot's of plants.

[Kaga's Kritters]

i forgot about cherry barbs, i do like those. maybe i will add some of them. thanks for all the suggestions everyone. the rummynose are nice too.