My Neon tetras just sit around in one place, they dont do much, (but hide), is there anything they like (lots of plants, airstone, certain colors etc.). The other day i gave them some tubifex worms, that is really the only time i have ever seen them move very much at all, they loved them, but they seem to be really boring fish, i mean they dont chase each other or seem to have a whole lot of personality like my goldies and other tropicals do. I just wondered if anyone knew of anything that would make neons more active or interesting... I wouldn't have gotten them if i had've known they just hide in the bottom and dont do anything.

are they new fish

I have to disagree with you on that one.I don't think Neon Tetra's are boring at all. What size is your tank? How is it set up-meaning decorations/plants,etc? What other fish do you have in there? When I kept them,I found they liked to be in large groups. I had lots of plants,silk and real.Having plants in the tank always give fish a sense of security. If something/someone scares them,then they have a place to go and "Chill" until they can feel comfortable again.Most fish don't like huge open spaces. Also,what are your water Params? Is it an established tank-how long has it been running?

i think theyre getting used to the water conditions if they just sit around. =\

They're rather new fish, I had them in the 10 gallon tank, but I think I had too many fish in there so I moved them to a 2.5 gallon tank. It's unreasonably small and I am seriously considering moving them back in with the other tropicals in the ten gallon tank. I think I have too many fish in there though. Do you think they would be ok in the ten gallon tank, I have four neons, three zebras and two silver hatchet fish. Do you think that would be to many fish if i put the neons back in there. I dont really see how they could be overcrowded, the neons stay around the bottom and the hatchet fish stay close to the top. They did seem much happier there and i dont see how any fish can live in that blasted 2.5 gallon tank; it is so tiny and has no filtration system, just an airstone.

Well, Im not sure how big hatchet fish get, or anything, but I would think the neons would be happier in the 10 gallon then in a 2.5 gallon. It seems alittle too small to me. But Im not really an expert or anything on tropicals. The only ones I know about are lamp eyed tetras, killifish, blue ram cichlids and drawf puffers...... With my experience with tetras, the more you have, the happier they are. They dont like to be in small groups. They like at least groups of six, and then they seem happy. And lots of plants and different decoration things for them to play in. My tetras right now LOVE to chase each other around the plants and what not. Good Luck and I hope you find your answers

I would move them back into the 10 gallon tank. The 10 gallon is slightly overstocked with the number of fish that you have, but as long as you are diligent with water changes and filter maintenance, it will work and your neons will definitely be healthier and happier in the 10 gallon.

The 2.5 is just too small for the neons, and without filtration, the water quality is probably poor.

the 2.5 gal. seems sooooo little.

I felt really sorry for my neons being in that tiny tank, so I put them back in the ten gallon tank with the other fish. (I think they'll be allright, the hatchet fish dont get any bigger than 2 inches) The neons are extremely happy, they love all the room and rocks and plants etc. that are in the 10 gal. tank. I am so glad I moved them back, all the fish seem happier. I know the neons must be happier to cause that 2.5 gal. tank was tiny. I dont even know why they make tanks that small, and what was supposed to be an "undergravel filter" was a tray you put the rocks on and a plastic tube you put an airstone in (where was the dirt and stuff supposed to go), all it did was move the water. Anyway, thanks everyone for your input. I cant wait till i get paid, I'm gonna buy another tank for some of my tropicals.

well said what size tank are you hopeing to buy

the smaller tanks are just for maybe QT tank or even fry tank since its so small. but i agree, people shouldnt make tanks nowadays that are smaller than 10gallons. waste of glass. :]

A 2 1/2 gallon would make a nice home for a single betta I have one in a 2 gallon hex tank, and he has done very well in there for 18 months.

I agree, though, that for other tropicals, they really are not a good idea

I was thinking about getting another ten gallon, but i think in the long run i would come out better to save up and get a 30 gallon or so. I eventually want to get a really big tank for my goldfish and move the tropicals into the 40 gallon hexagon tank that my goldies are in now. For now I'll probably just get a 30 gallon for my tropicals though.

I think you just answered your own question, why they seem
boring, you have them in a small tank your probably over stocked.
And their stressed out, im sure you'd also be stressed if you lived in a small
bathroom with like 4 to 5 other people in it right? So id say move them back into the 10 gallon until you can get a bigger tank.

Good luck,

Alex

yes go for the 30 gal you will not be sorry

Well, sadly enough, my fish arent as crowded anymore, one of my hatchet fish jumped out of the tank, (i found him in the floor the other morning), then my other hatchet fish started freaking out (i guess he was looking for the other hatchet) and he died yesterday morning. My mom's boyfriend sprayed our house for bugs the other day and I think the spray may have gotten in the tank and stressed the fish out, so I completely cleaned and changed the tank yesterday and my fish are all acting much more normally. Maybe they'll all be okay, cause i was really worried they were poisoned there for a while.

Yes, you have to be very careful about any kind of sprays around a fish tank. Even to the point of turning off air pumps because that can suck the spray into the tank. Let's hope your other family members now know to tell you when they are going to spray anything like bug killer in the house again

I hope your other fish are still doing well, and I am sorry about your hatchets

Yeah, my son was pretty torn up about his "flat fish" being gone, he's only three; suprisingly enough he immeadiately noticed they werent there. Needless to say we had to make a trip to the petstore the other day to get new fish. He got two potbelly mollies and four tiger barbs, now I just have to get a bigger tank.