Cardinal tetras for new tank

[BirdOfPray]

I've been getting mixed answers from the research I've tried to do, so I thought I'd ask here. Are cardinals as sensitive as neons? I'm cycling my tank and trying to decide how I need to go about stocking it when the time comes. I'm thinking the corys will probably be added first, followed in 2-4 weeks by the cardinals. Would that work or are they likely to have problems with a new tank even if there have been fish in it for a couple of weeks?

Just don't want to have any deaths I could have prevented. Thanks for any suggestions!

[jman]

i am trying to remember but i think you would add the cardinals last in this case if you're adding neons

[BirdOfPray]

Sorry, I think I was unclear -- not planning any neons, but just concerned since I've heard they're very sensitive and cardinals seem so similar. Other fish planned are corys, hatchets and a German Blue Ram.

[DrNic]

From what I've been told cardinals are more hearty than neons. Cardinals seem to be able to tolerate water conditions a bit better than neons for the most part.

[tetra girl]

I thought it was the other way around. Cardinals are more sensitive to water conditions, neons have gotten used to other water conditions. cardinals prefer soft acidic water like that of the amazon. 4.0 - 6.0 ph preferably

[Lady Hobbs]

Cardinals are said to be more hardy but neither one should be in a tank unless it's well established. Neither neon or cardinal should be in an uncycled tank.

Neon tetra disease (that can affect more than just neons) do not affect cardinals. For some reason, they don't get the disease.

[Deleted User]

I do beleive they are hardier than neons. We had one cardinal (got in with the neons by mistake, I guess) and he outlasted the neons by a long shot. We've tried neons a couple of times and I pretty much give up. Our water is good, our other fish do well, but I have had no luck with neons or the three fancy guppies I had illusions of keeping... (I may try the guppie thing again, maybe was a bad set of fish?).

Good luck!!!

[lahlumdi]

I have heard the same as what Lady Hobbs said. They are hardier than neons, and they don't get Neon Tetra Disease, so that's a plus. But they are not one of the hardier fish.

[Lab_Rat]

From my experience, cardinals are much more difficult to acclimate to a new tank than neons are. After the first two weeks in a new tank though, the ones who didn't die initially did very well. Had them for a couple of years without deaths, only reason I don't have them now is because I moved and rehomed all the fish I had previously.

[sheamurai]

My own experience has been far better with Cardinals. I have not lost ANY Cardinals of the small school of 7 I bought - and I only have 5 neons left of the school of 10 that I bought.
In the future I will ONLY be buying Cardinals - aside from having better luck with them, I think they are prettier, too...