How Many Neon Tetras In A 10-Gallon Tank? (Complete Information)

Written by John Sawyer in Fish Species,Neon Tetras

Neon tetras are peaceful fishes that aquarists want to add to their tank. 

But, before adding neon tetras to your tank, you must be aware of the space required by the fish to ensure their well-being.

So, How many neon tetras should you keep in a 10-gallon tank? Let us find out.

You can place a school of six neon tetras in a 10-gallon tank. Consider providing one gallon of water per inch of your fish to meet the space requirement of your neon tetras. Avoid overcrowding your tetra’s tank, as it can lead to severe health problems like stress in your fish.

The below article discusses the number of neon tetras you can place in a 10-gallon tank. In addition, we will also discuss the cons of overcrowding your neon tetra tank.

How many neon tetras can I keep in my 10-Gallon tank?

Types of Neon TetrasMinimum SizeMaximum SizeIn a 10-Gallon Tank In A 20-Gallon TankIn A 30-Gallon Tank
Neon Tetra1 inches1-5 inches6 Neon Tetras 13 Neon Tetras 20 Neon Tetras
Green Neon Tetras 1 inches1.4 inches6 Green Neon Tetras13 Neon Tetras20 Green Neon Tetras
Black Neon Tetra1 inches1.5 inches 6 Black Neon Tetras13 Black Neon Tetras 20 Black Neon Tetras
Gold Head Neon Tetras1 inches1.5 inches6 Gold Head Neon Tetras13 Gold Head Neon Tetras20 Gold Head Neon Tetras
Diamond Neon Tetras2 inches2.4 inchesNot recommended8 Diamond Neon Tetras12 Diamond Neon Tetras
The above table demonstrates the number of neon tetras you can place in a 10, 20 and 30 gallon tank.

How many neon tetras should you keep together?

Neon tetras are schooling fishes that need to get paired in at least a group of six for adequate development and a longer lifespan.

Not keeping your neon tetras in schools can lead to extreme stress in your fish, eventually weakening them and making them vulnerable to several diseases and parasites.

Extreme stress further can also lead to the passing away of your fish.

You can place six neon tetras in a 10-gallon tank. However, your tank will have no room for the other fish.

So, if you are planning a community tank, we advise placing your fish in a bigger tank.

How much space do neon tetras require in their tank?

You can evaluate the space requirement of your neon tetras with the help of the one-inch-one-gallon rule.

The one-inch-one-gallon rule refers to one gallon of water per inch of your fish.

The average size of your neon tetras is between 1-1.5 inches.

So, according to the one-inch-one-gallon rule, you can place a school of six neon tetras in a 10-gallon tank.

What happens when you overcrowd your neon tetras tank?

Below are some cons of overcrowding your neon tetras tank

  1. Overcrowding your neon tetras can make your fish suffer from extreme stress.
  2. Overcrowding your tetra tank can also lead to a drop in the aquarium water quality, eventually making your fish gasp at the water’s surface.
  3. Overcrowding your neon tetra tank can also lead to aggression in your fish.
  4. An overcrowded tank will offer no room for your neon tetras to swim, eventually affecting their development.
  5. An overcrowded tank can also spike the ammonia and nitrite level, making your neon tetras suffer significant health issues.

The above are some disadvantages of placing your neon tetras in an overcrowded tank.

Best tankmates for neon tetras in a 10-Gallon tank

Here are some best tankmates for your neon tetras

  1. Zebra Danios
  2. Guppies 
  3. Dwarf Gourami 
  4. Cory Catfish

Neon Tetras are peaceful fish species that should get paired with fish having the same temperament for their well-being.

However, we advise you not to add any other fish with neon tetras in a 10-gallon tank as it can overcrowd the tank, eventually leading to several issues in your fish.

If you want to make a community tank, place your fish in a bigger tank, as placing them in a big tank will provide enough room for them to swim, which is required for their adequate growth.

Therefore, you should only place six neon tetras in a 10-gallon tank to prevent overcrowding and ensure their well-being and longer lifespan.

Best tank size for your neon tetras

We advise placing your neon tetras in at least a 10-gallon tank for their proper growth and development.

Consider providing one gallon of water per inch of your tetra to ensure enough ample space in the tank.

Your neon tetras can reach up to a maximum size of 1.5 inches.

So, as per the one-inch-one-gallon rule, you can place six neon tetras in a 10-gallon tank.

Avoid overcrowding your tetra’s tank, as it can make your fish suffer from significant health issues.

Therefore, you should always place your neon tetras in the proper school and provide them with the required tank size for their growth and development.

Conclusion:

  1. You can place a school of six neon tetras in a 10-gallon tank.
  2. Not placing your neon tetras in proper schools can cause stress in your fish, eventually weakening them and making them vulnerable to several diseases.
  3. You can evaluate the space requirement of your neon tetras with the help of the one-inch-one-gallon rule. 
  4. It would be best not to add any other fish with neon tetras in a 10-gallon tank as it can overcrowd the tank, making your neon tetras suffer from several health issues.
  5. Consider placing your neon tetras in the proper school and provide them with the required aquarium size for their proper growth and development.

Reference: NCBI

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