Transporting a Neon tetra: bagging, acclimatisation, moving
Neon tetra : Transport the school split across several opaque bags to limit stress. Drip acclimation of at least 45 minutes is advised, especially into harder water.
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In short: 3 to 4 cm as an adult, 60 to 80 L minimum for a school of 10, soft water between 21 and 25 °C. Gregarious and timid, it only settles in a tight school of ten or more, otherwise it pales and hides. A small tetra sensitive to osmotic shock: keep it only in a mature tank, in soft, slightly acidic water with subdued lighting.
Bringing home or moving a Neon tetra
A 4 cm Neon tetra travels in a double bag — one-third water, two-thirds air — inside a cool box or opaque bag: darkness soothes, insulation protects from swings away from its 21 to 25°C comfort zone. Split the group of 10+ across several bags: less ammonia per bag, fewer losses if one fails.
Acclimatisation: the critical step
Start with 20 minutes of floating, bringing the bag water to tank temperature, then add tank water in small doses over 30 to 45 minutes, and release with a net without pouring bag water into the tank. In this species, a botched transfer is paid for in bouts of neon tetra disease (Pleistophora), incurable. Keep the light unit off until the next day: a freshly arrived Neon tetra settles better in half-light.
Moving an entire aquarium
A successful move rests on three precautions: fish in covered buckets, the filter never dried out (damp cool box — it houses your bacteria), and a same-day restart using original water saved in jerrycans. The tank itself travels EMPTY: glass stressed by a few leftover litres cracks at the first corner.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a Neon tetra handle transport?
A few hours easily in a proper bag, up to 24 hours in an oxygenated professional bag. Past two hours, protect the temperature above all.
How do you acclimatise a Neon tetra safely?
Float the bag 20 minutes, add tank water gradually over 30 to 60 minutes, release with a net, lights off the first day — and never pour bag water into the tank.
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