Why Is My Neon Tetra Spitting Out Food? (All You Need To Know)

Neon tetras are ravenous eaters that love to eat whatever you feed them. However, sometimes you might discover some strange behavior of your fish, like spitting out their food. So, why is my neon tetra spitting out food? Let us find out.

Poor water conditions and low-grade food are why neon tetras spit out their food. Other factors, like boredom, illness, and blockage, can make your tetras spit out. Consider providing a varied diet and adequate water parameters to avoid such issues and to ensure your neon tetra’s well-being.

In the below article we will discuss why your neon tetra spits out their food. In addition, we will also learn the ways to prevent such issues.

My neon tetras is spitting out food

Poor water quality, low-grade food, and stress can be a reason behind your neon tetras spitting out their food.

Other factors like inadequate water parameters, overcrowded tanks, and disease can make your neon tetras spit out their food.

Your tetras spitting out their food once or twice is not alarming as it can be due to boredom.

However, if you discover them doing it more often, it is a matter of concern, as neon tetras are ravenous eaters who love to eat.

We advise you to take immediate action in such a situation to ensure your fish’s well-being and longer lifespan.

What are the reasons behind neon tetras spitting out its food?

Here are the reasons behind your neon tetras spitting out their food
‘1. Poor water quality

2. Low-grade food
3. Stress
4. Boredom
5. Blocked Windpipe
6. Illness
7. Picky eaters
8. Large-size food

Poor water quality

Poor water conditions in the tank can make your neon tetras make them spit out their food.

Inadequate water conditions in the tank can make your neon tetras lose their appetite and lead to excessive stress in your fish, eventually making them spit out their food.

In addition, poor water conditions in the tank can lead to a spike in the tank’s ammonia and nitrite level, eventually burning the skin of your tetras and making them suffer from severe health issues like ammonia poisoning.

Low-grade food

Feeding low-grade food to neon tetras can make them spit out their food.

Neon tetras are freshwater fish species that require high-quality nutritional food to grow and develop properly.

Low-grade food can lead to severe health issues like constipation, loss of appetite, and stress in your neon tetras, eventually making them spit out their food.

Stress

Stress can also make your neon tetras spit out their food.

In addition, stress can lead to several issues, like being lethargic and losing appetite in your neon tetras, eventually making them spit out their food.

Several reasons, like poor water conditions, inadequate water parameters, and pairing your fish with aggressive tankmates, can stress your neon tetras.

Therefore, excessive stress further can also lead to the passing away of your fish.

Boredom

Boredom can also make your neon tetras spit out their food.

Feeding your tetras the same type of food regularly can bore them, eventually making them spit out their food.

Blocked windpipe

A blocked windpipe can also make your neon tetras spit out their food.

If your neon tetras have a blocked windpipe, they will not be able to consume their food, eventually making them spit out.

Consuming gravel from the tank’s bottom is one of the leading cause of blocked windpipe in your fish.

We advise you to consult a marine vet in such a situation to provide adequate treatment to your fish.

Illness

Illness can also make your neon tetras spit out their food.

Several parasitic infections can cause harm to your tetra’s gills, eventually making them pale and inflamed.

In such a case, your neon tetras will have issues flapping it’s gills while eating, eventually making them spit out their food.

Other diseases like dropsy can make your tetras bloat, eventually making them spit out their food.

Picky eaters

Neon tetras are ravenous eaters that like to eat everything you serve them.

However, some neon tetras are picky eaters who do not like to consume the particular food brand you feed them.

In such a case, replace the food with some other brand and try feeding your fish.

Large-size food

Providing large-size food can also make your neon tetras spit out their food.

Your neon tetras will not be able to chew large-size food, eventually making them spit out.

So, it will be advisable to break down the food into smaller pieces and provide it to your neon tetras to prevent such issues.

How can you prevent such issues in your neon tetras?

Below are some ways to prevent such issues in your neon tetras

1. Provide good water conditions
2. Maintain ideal water parameters. 
3. Provide high-quality food
4. Provide various types of food to your neon tetras.
5. Do not provide food that is hard to chew
6. Maintain a stress-free environment in your neon tetras tank.

Provide good water conditions.

You should provide good water conditions in your neon tetras tank to prevent such issues and to ensure your fish’s well-being.

Poor water conditions in the tank can lead to several health issues like loss of appetite and stress in your fish, eventually making them spit out their food.

In addition, contaminated water can also lead to a spike in the tank’s ammonia and nitrite levels, eventually making them suffer from severe health issues like ammonia poisoning.

A spike in the tank’s ammonia level can make the aquarium water highly acidic, eventually damaging the gills of your neon tetras.

The damage in the gills causes breathing issues in your tetras, making it problematic for your fish to eat.

So, it will be advisable to perform a 30% weekly water change and add a sound filtration system to the tank to maintain the tank’s water quality.

A water filter helps to maintain the water quality by eliminating harmful chemicals, making it safe for your tetras.

Also, read: Do Neon Tetras Need a Filter?

Maintain ideal water parameters

You should maintain ideal water parameters in your neon tetras tank to prevent such issues and ensure your fish’s well-being.

Below are the ideal water parameters for your neon tetras.

Particulars	Neon Tetras
Water Temperature	72-76°F
Ph Level	6.0-7.0
Ammonia Level	0ppm
Nitrite Level	0ppm
Nitrate Level	Below 20ppm

Provide high-quality food

You should provide high-quality food to your neon tetras to prevent such issues and to ensure their well-being.

Providing low-quality food can lead to severe digestive issues in your tetras, eventually making them spit out their food.

Consider feeding high-quality pellets and flake foods to your neon tetras to ensure your neon tetras adequate growth and development.

Provide various types of food to your neon tetras.

You should provide various types of food to your neon tetras to prevent such issues and ensure your fish’s adequate development.

Providing one type of food can lead to boredom in your neon tetras, eventually making them spit out their food.

Here are some ideal food options for your neon tetras

Neon Tetras Dietary Needs	Serving Amount	No.of times	Link to purchase
Brine Shrimp	One pinch	1-2 times a week	HIKARI BRINE SHRIMP CUBES
Tubifex Worms	One pinch	1 time a week	HIKARI FREEZE DRIED TUBIFEX WORMS
Mosquito Larvae	12-15 pieces	2-3 times a week	Feed Live
Bloodworms	One pinch	1-2 times a week	HIKARI FREEZE DRIED BLOODWORMS
Veggie Pellets	One pinch	2 times a day	HIKARI SINKING FISH FOOD
Blanched Veggies ( Cucumber, Zucchini)	One slice	2-3 times a week	Feed Fresh

Also, read: How Often To Feed Neon Tetras?

Do not provide food that is hard to chew

You should avoid providing food that is hard for your neon tetras to chew to prevent such issues and ensure your fish’s well-being.

Your neon tetra will not be able to break down the hard food, eventually making them spit out.

Consider blanching it before feeding it to your neon tetras.

Blanching is a process that helps soften the food making it easy for your neon tetras to consume.

It will be best if you also break down the food into smaller pieces making it easier for your neon tetras to consume.

Maintain a stress-free environment in your neon tetras tank

You should maintain a stress-free environment in your neon tetras tank to prevent such issues and to ensure your fish’s well-being.

Excessive stress in your fish can make them suffer from health issues like loss of appetite, eventually making them spit out their food.

Here is how you can provide a stress-free environment to your neon tetras.

1. Maintain good water conditions in the tank
2. Provide ideal water parameters in your fish tank.
3. Feed high-grade food in a moderate amount to your neon tetras
4. Pair your tetras with compatible tank mates.
5. Provide ample hiding spots in your neon tetras tank.
6. Do not overcrowd your fish tank.

The above are some ways to provide a stress-free environment in your neon tetras tank.

Also, read: 10 Signs Of Stress In Neon Tetras

Conclusion:

1. Poor water quality, low-grade food, and stress can be a reason behind your neon tetras spitting out their food.
2. Other factors like inadequate water parameters, overcrowded tanks, and disease can make your neon tetras spit out their food.
3. Excessive stress can also lead to the passing away of your fish.
4. You can prevent such issues by providing good water conditions, high-grade food, and a stress-free environment for your neon tetras.
5. Always provide adequate housing conditions to your tetras to ensure your fish’s adequate growth and development.

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Reference: NCBI