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redfish colourful in the aquarium clowns spawning clownfish coldwater tropical issue 1 july 2011 projects goldfish through the ages guppies explained plants for the pond

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max max g216 g220 g224 watts watts watts 35 w 35 w 20 w max 1400l/hr 1400l/hr 1850l/hr max l max l 400l max l 800l 1000l wxdxh 21x13x40cm wxdxh 21x13x50cm wxdxh 21x13x60cm hp 1/6hp 1/3hp 3/5hp 800-2200l/h 1200-3600l/h 1800-4800l/h 1/6hp 1/3hp 3/5hp max l 300l 650l 1000l model wxdxh volume 300l 400l 275l dimensions 102 l x 52 d x 73/88 cm h 132 l x 52 d x 73/88 cm h 70 l x 70 d x 77/79 cm h aquareef 300 aquareef 400 aquareef 275 39x32x46cm 46x39x52cm 48x52x52cm

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redfish contents redfishmagzine.com.au 4 5 8 10 11 14 16 17 18 20 24 28 29 32 34 37 about letters and news off the shelf corydoras sterbai guppies bright lights neon and cardinal tetras redfish is jessica drake nicole sawyer julian corlet david midgley email enquiries@redfishmagazine.com.au web redfishmagazine.com.au facebook facebook.com/redfishmagazine twitter @redfishmagazine redfish publishing pty ltd po box 109 berowra heights nsw australia 2082 acn 151 463 759 this month s eye candy contents page photos courtesy nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus competitions health koi herpes virus zoanthids flowers of the reef spawning the clownfish community listings goldfish through the ages plants for the pond travel fish of kakadu top row left to right `sharknose goby on brain coral by laszlo ilyes `the smartest of the goldfish by garrett rooney `purple and orange starfish on the beach by mark walz `goldy by edna silverbush `close encounter of the elegant kind by andrea spettacolopuro bottom row left to right `fisheye by andrea spettacolopuro `hm red m sarawut by daniella vereeken `heres lookin at you fish by beckie `xbeckieboox `pleco by jackie finn-irwin `water lilies by louise docker

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the fine print redfish magazine general advice warning the advice contained in this publication is general in nature and has been prepared without understanding your personal situation experience setup livestock and/or environmental conditions this general advice is not a subsititue for or equivalent of advice from a professional aquarist aquarium retailer or veterinarian distribution we encourage you to share our website address online or with friends issues of redfish magazine however may only be distributed via download at our website redfishmagazine.com.au opinions views opinions and views contained herein are those of the authors of individual ar ticles and are not necessarily those of redfish publishing ownership and copyright redfish magazine is © 2011 redfish publishing pty ltd po box 109 berowra heights nsw australia 2082 acn 151 463 759 about redfish redfish is a free-to-read magazine for fishkeeping enthusiasts at redfish we believe in the free exchange of information to facilitate success by aquarium and pond hobbyists each month redfish magazine will bring you dedicated sections on tropical coldwater marine and ponds redfish was founded in early 2011 by jessica drake nicole sawyer julian corlet and david midgley we hope you enjoy this the first issue of redfish photo courtesy matt about « redfish magazine 2011:1 » 4

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wwf warns of an urgent need to stop amazon deforestation letters news brasilia brazil ­ a satellite survey just released by brazil s national space sciences institute inpe reveals that more than 23,000 square kilometres of amazon forest about half the area of switzerland disappeared between august 2002 and 2003 due primarily to a large expansion in cattle ranching and industrial-scale farming according to data from wwf-brazil the greatest rate of deforestation is occurring in those areas identified by government and scientists as key to the conservation of species in the amazon one area has disappeared while five others have lost half of their forest cover it is extremely alarming that the rate of deforestation shows no sign of slowing for the second year running said denise hamu chief executive officer of wwf brazil the government of brazil needs to urgently respond to this crisis by fulfilling its commitment to triple the area of rainforest under legal protection in 1998 in partnership with the world bank the global environment facility and wwf the brazilian government pledged to triple the amount of rainforest then under protection by setting aside at least 12 per cent of the amazon for conservation by 2013 in 2002 under the amazon regional protected areas programme arpa the tumucumaque national park covering more than 38,000 square kilometres was declared a protected area but although a number of biologically critical areas have since been identified for inclusion in the arpa network no new protected area has been declared over the past year furthermore wwf is concerned that some states have reduced the size of their national parks and that others have reportedly failed to address the needs of entire communities who have been forcefully evicted from their traditional lands by illegal settlers the government deforestation data is alarming and underscores the need to move rapidly with plans to zone the most biologically important parts of the amazon into both strictly protected areas and those where resource use is regulated and sustainable said chris elliott director of wwf international s forest programme research shows that protected areas buffered by other zones of sustainable land use are the most effective means of controlling deforestation wwf welcomes a government action plan announced two weeks ago which highlighted the importance of creating a network of protected areas as envisioned under arpa the plan also called for a crackdown on illegal logging and mining a series of zoning restrictions and stiffer penalties for offenders the editors of redfish note that many tropical fish species central to the fishkeeping hobby are from the amazon their home is threatened and we too hope the latest conservation measures can ameliorate the destruction photos top to bottom inside the amazon forest by jorge andrade acarichthys heckeli ancistrus species by chrisdian ude mikrogeophagus altispinosa by úlfhams íkingur serpae tetra by luke underwood oscar by daniella vereeken news « redfish magazine 2011:1 » 5

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letters news anthony from reef river reptile takes us on a photo tour of aquarama 2011 the 12th aquarama took place from may 26-29 at suntec singapore and this year boasted over 120 exhibitors from more than 20 countries featuring a range of seminars for the public and retailers the show has grown into the premier event on the aquarium industry calender during the course of the three day programme over 8500 visitors filed through aquarama s doors amazed at the range and spectacle of aquatic artistry and high-tech wizardry on show along with the exhibitor stalls aquarama 1 2 features aquascaping and fish breeding competitions anthony ramsey takes us on a photographic tour of the show 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 news « redfish magazine 2011:1 » 6

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15 photo gallery 1 this vibrantly coloured reef tank won first place in the marine reef competition 2 this planted tank with its vertical poles took out third place in the planted tank competition 3 the international fish competition featured a range of species including arowana goldfish and discus 4 a spectacular planted tank full of lush green bolbitus anubias and vall amazing driftwood completes the scene 5 a high quality pigeon-blood discus 6 hundreds of bettas on show for the international betta competition the colour and finnage on display was amazing 7 testament to the standard of reefkeeping on show this beautiful tank was awarded second prize 8 a bright red arowana 9 another gorgeous reef display tank all of these tanks were set up in a single day 10 the grand champion turquoise snakeskin discus 11 a typical fish farm in se asia this one produced platys for the export market 12 a dutch style planted tank on one of the distributors stands 13 a new variety of archer fish toxetes chatareaus features more patterning than the forms we re used to seeing 14 eheim and some other distributors had impressive stands 15 a beautiful golden arowana 16 another stunning arowana 17 chilli red arowana this fish won the arowana competition and illustrates the strides made in line breeding of these fish 18 hand picked fish ready to be taken to the airport and distributed internationally 19 eheim s new nano these are very refined tanks and offer led lighting 16 17 18 19 news « redfish magazine 2011:1 » 7

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off the shelf aqua one proskim protein skimmers the proskim is the latest series of protein skimmers developed by aqua one for the easy and effective removal of organic waste from aquarium water the proskim has variable mounting options that allow for use in either in-sump or hang-on style placement and features simple to use controls to adjust output quickly and easily with minimal effort the needle wheel impeller reduces the bubble size creating a greater surface area for the collection of organic waste the result is cleaner clearer water and healthier aquarium inhabitants specifications proskim g216 flow rate 1400l/hr max aquarium volume 400l 20w proskim g220 flow rate 1400l/hr max aquarium volume 800l,35w proskim g224 flow rate 1850/hr max aquarium volume 1000l 35w aqua one products are widely available at most quality pet retailers to find your nearest retailer visit www.aquaone.com.au thermosafe aquarium heaters maintaining water temperature is an essential requirement for keeping fish happy and healthy especially in tropical aquariums aqua one thermosafe heaters are made from high quality quartz which makes them durable and shatter resistant the thermal cut out protection safeguards the heater from damage if accidently exposed to water shortage simple to use with an easy to read temperature guide aqua one thermosafe heaters are the optimum choice for your fish aqua one products are widely available at most quality pet retailers to find your nearest retailer visit www.aquaone.com.au gadgets this stylish little app available for some smartphones calculates aquarium volume from a range of different sizes particularly handy if you have multiple tanks or are unused to dosing your aquarium for water ager medications food and supplements itank calculator with climate change continuing to effect power prices more aquarists are interested in running their aquarium sustainably and at the same time reducing its running costs reefelec an app for smart phones allows you to add up all your aquarium appliances and calculate the cost handy reefelec off the shelf « redfish magazine 2011:1 » 8

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join our community please tell a friend about redfish

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corydoras sterbai is a popular and somewhat more expensive corydoras catfish typically sought after by cory enthusiasts or planted aquarium folk hailing from northern south america the species is widespread having been found in the rio guaporé on the bolivian/brazilian border and the rio araguaia in central brazil in its natural habitat the species is found in soft acidic water in small tributaries creeks pools or areas of flooded forest in these habitats the species is found foraging among plants submerged rocks and wood sometimes in huge schools of over 100 individuals the species is named for dr günther sterba a german author of books for the fishkeeping hobby c sterbai is a reasonably large corydoras species reaching 5-7cm in length it is beautifully patterned and adults develop orange pectoral fins some specimens also display yellow to orange underbellies as for most corys females are typically larger and when viewed from above are notably wider in the body like all corys c sterbai should never be kept alone the minimum number of c sterbai that should be maintained is 4-6 though other upper rio guaporé photo by pedro spoladore similar corydoras species can serve as suitable shoal-mates if aquarium size permits it larger schools of 10-20 behave in a more natural fashion plants and shelter are much appreciated by this species and the aquarium should ideally be densely planted while you might think you ll see less of this cory in a planted tank the opposite is true and the species is braver when it feels comfortable ideal tankmates include small tetras or rasboras though to be bred the species should be kept in a species aquarium particularly boisterous species such as dwarf cichlids should be avoided as they will result in c sterbai spending much of its time hiding breeding is as per other corydoras species groups should be conditioned notably high quality diets and regular small water changes are important to induce spawning the latter simulate rain in the natural environment pairs can be kept for spawning though small harems with 1:2-3 m:f are also acceptable the aquarist must watch carefully to ensure they do not miss spawning as the pair will consume the eggs if left with them after spawning fish should be returned to their school the dedicated breeding aquaria can be small <40l 10 gallon ideally with a minimum of decoration aside from a sponge filter and some java moss eggs hatch within a week and fry once their yolk sacs are absorbed will accept newly hatched brine shrimp which can be swiftly followed with microworms before moving to powdered flake foods amongst the most beautiful of the corys c sterbai isn t notably harder to keep than its less expensive cousins and is well worth a try if you re new to catfish corydoras sterbai tropical freshwater « redfish magazine 2011:1 » 10

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guppies 70 60 eport great abaco the bahamas new providence eleuthera cat island san salvador great exuma rum cay long island ragged island range nassau andros island no rth atlantic oc ean tropic of cancer as ay spanish town aica ridge barbados lechmere who had a passion for science and natural history wrote a numberkingstown on shells fossils of works bridgetown and the geology of his home inaruba trinidad and its nearby islands despitesaint extensive writing and obvihis vincent and neth the curacao ous passion for these disciplines he s best remembered as the man who grenadineshis name to arguably has lent grenada bonaire oranjestad neth neth saint the most well known tropical fish in the willemstad george s tobago punto isla de aquarium industry the guppy.de fijo golfo isla margarita port-ofav saint lucia santa marta barranquilla venezuela la tortuga spain cartagena y la alma e the name of the fishmaracaibo originally came fromvalencia caracas valledupar barquisimeto maracay a contraction of an early scientific name lago de girardinus guppii a name maracaibohappens as it that was pre-dated by an earlier descripmontería mérida barinas tion of the same fish by dutch naturalist orinoco cúcuta s río wilhelm c h peters lechmere s daughter san fernando san cristóbal enid fraser,bucaramanga explains río m agd ale na la guaira cumaná barcelona maturín gulf of paria trinidad and tobago trinidad 10 ciudad bolívar ciudad guayana venezuela puerto ayacucho embalse de guri georgetown linden my father was the first to discover the small livebearer here [in trinidad and was rather intrigued by its appearance he sent manizales colombia pereira specimens to london for cataloguing and armenia scientific bogotá description by the then keeper ibagué villaviencio buenaventura curator of zoology of the british mucali 70 seum the late dr albert carl ludwig gotri en trenc d medellín guyana guianahighlandsa guppies are endemic to the northeast corner of south america and the islands adjacent to this coastline brazil tropical freshwater « redfish magazine 2011:1 » 11 60 boa vista 803480ai g00800 10-10 guppy photo william warby http www.flickr.com/people/wwarby n co rd il le ra o ta l es a a ba y magüey las tunas holguín bayamo anzanillo santiago de cuba m samana cay mayaguana the bahamas nk cay lobos crooked island acklins island turks and caicos islands u.k kingston my father was never particularly interested in fish primarily he was a geologist and a conchologist and he wrote some 30 papers on the shells and fossils of trinidad and the west indies great inagua grand turk guantánamo u.s naval base guantanamo bay navassa island u.s 20 windward cap haïtien passage gonaïves santiago milwaukee deep puer to haiti port-au-prince les cayes dominican republic deepest point of the atlantic ocean -8605 m r i co british virgin is u.k anegada passage tren ch mr plantagenet jim guppy 1934 santo domingo mona passage san juan isla mona charlotte road town the valley anguilla u.k amalie marigot virgin is saint-martin philipsburg sint maartenneth gustavia saint barthelemyfrance u.s france saba and st croix sint eustatiusneth puerto rico u.s antigua and barbuda saint kitts and nevis montserrat u.k basseterre saint john s plymouth guadeloupe france caribbean sea robert john lechmere guppy lechmere as he was called was aisla de aves basse-terre civil engineer with no british-trinidadian marie-galante venezuela formal science training a d russel in 1922 described lechmere as a man of remarkable individuality tall dominica roseau gaunt white-haired grey-bearded rugged in speech combative in his opinions a whiff martinique air seemed of cold france fort-de france to go with him wherever he went watching him stride over this savannah one imagined a yorkshire moor castries

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thilf guenther the latter named the fish girardinus guppii in honor of my father and this scientific label was employed long enough for its specific designation to be returned by popular terminology to its original form guppy later on after research by many scientists had been collated the title lebistes reticulatus was decide upon as being the best scientific term for the fish but despite all this technical change dr guenther s original specific designation based upon my father s name has continued in good standing throughout the world as the common name for the fish biology and distribution brackish water close to the coast all guppy species are micropredators whose primary prey items are insect larvae or occassionally other waterliving arthropods as a small-growing species guppies are frequently prey items for larger fish as such guppies are only common where predators are relatively rare frequently avoiding open water they instead occur in densely vegetated flooded swamps or shallow streams guppies are livebearers this means they don t lay eggs and instead give birth to relatively small clutches of free-swimming young there are three species of guppy which are variously classified and re-classified by taxonomists the first is the commonly seen guppy in the aquarium trade poecilia reticulata the second poecilia wingei is traded and known commonly as endler s guppy endler s guppies are commonly available in the aquarium trade and shouldn t be kept with common guppies as the two species readily hybridise the third species of guppy the swamp guppy micropoecilia picta is less commonly available in the aquarium trade all species of guppies hail from the north-east corner of south america the common guppy occurs naturally on the islands of barbados antigua the netherlands antilles united states virgin islands trinidad and tobago along with venezuela french guiana guyana and brazil on the south american continent endler s guppy by contrast has a more limited distribution occurring only in the campoma and buena vista lagoons in venezuela the swamp guppy is also more restricted in its distribution occurring in brazil guyana french guiana trinidad and tobago typically in swamps and lagoons with guppies are among the most aquacultured of any fish species on earth estimates in the late 1990s indicate that over 50 million guppies were exported from tropical fish farms in south-east asia in a single year the same data suggest that on a combined basis guppies provide more money than discus to these businesses aquaculture in the aquarium guppy care in the aquarium is relatively straightforward the species prefers moderately alkaline tropical freshwater « redfish magazine 2011:1 » 12

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the gestation period for female guppies is ~28 days for those interested in guppy breeding specifically rather than casually multiple small aquariums and a means to separate female from male guppies are essential to ensure matings can be controlled if you re interested in breeding specific colour variants of guppies it is probably worth seeking out other guppy enthusiasts in your area as mated females which are likely to be all guppies you buy from an aquarium store sperm from earlier matings and can produce 6 or more clutches of fry using stored sperm virgin females which are generally only available from guppy breeders have been separated from males from birth and are a good choice for line breeding work female guppies are typically deeper bodied larger and less colourful photo by roberto verzo hard water with a ph around 7.5 the addition of sea salt is unnecessary but not harmful the species is tolerant of temperatures as low as 20ºc 68ºf however they are intolerant of very warm water over 30ºc 86ºf guppies are peaceful fish that mix well with other non-aggressive fishes in community aquaria fish conclusions guppy keeping casually or as a breeder of fancy guppies is a rewarding and interesting pastime the species is well suited to beginners and makes an ideal addition to the tropical community aquarium guppy habitat near manzanilla trinidad photo by denni schnapp that nip at the fins of other species aren t suited as tankmates with guppies due to their fancy tails males constantly and seemingly irritatingly for the females at least court females as such the aquarist should ensure that if females are included in the aquarium at all then a few individuals are better than a solitary female breeding typically breeding guppies is easier than not breeding guppies in your aquarium assuming you have males females water and cover for the young you re likely to be successful breeding guppies in the home aquarium pools and streams around argyle f alls tobago are also home to numerous varieties of guppy photo by denni schnapp tropical freshwater « redfish magazine 2011:1 » 13

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neon tetra in the aquarium photo by michelle khuu a cardinal tetra in the aquarium photo by axel rouvin amazon blackwater swamp photo courtesy ivan mlinaric bright lights neon and cardinal tetras south america 80 honduras tegucigalpa caribbean sea natural habitat neon tetras are native to the northern region of south america in western brazil eastern peru and southeast columbia the species is heavily collected in the rio solimões the brazilian name for the stretch of river that runs from the peruvian border in the west of brazil to the rivers confluence with the rio negro near manaus in contrast cardinal tetras occur in the drainages of the upper rio orinoco and rio negro in venezuela colombia and brazil both species occur in slow-moving creeks ponds and minor tributaries typically avoiding large open water stretches when their is sufficient water when in larger water bodies the fish typically school in much larger groups as protection from predators which include numerous cichlids including cichla leaf fishes knifefish needlefish and wolf fish in these environments the water is often managua dark due to port-of-spain caracas barranquilla maracaibo trinidad and cartagena valencia tobago both its colour josé barquisimeto san panama orinoco and the shade cúcuta ciudad río costa rica guayana san cristóbal georgetown panama of the dense venezuela d paramaribo medellín guyana g u cayenne i a n forest the a bogotá h i isla suriname french g h water is shal de malpelo colombia guiana l a boa vista n d france colombia s cali low and clear with a submacapá rio quito strate of sand tor equa ne zon gro amazon 0 ama ecuador and very little a z on manaus guayaquil santarém am silt the water iquitos ira has a low ph de ma piura 5.5-6.5 and is basin warm 28 33º rio pôrto trujillo huánuco branco c 82 91º f velho mag al e na nicaragua isla de san andrés colombia martinique france st lucia netherlands st vincent and antilles aruba the grenadines neth neth grenada 60 barbados a río ndes ri o rio xin gu peru lima rio par agu ai biology southan both neon and cardinal tetras are d ríoyali a uc wolfish are common predators of small tetras photo courtesy of cláudio d timm b r both neon and cardinal mato grosso tetras are plateau trinidad aquarium fish extremely popular cuiabá brasília la paz p a c genus members of the ific parache arequipa s the usa over 15 million neons in goiânia bolivia irodon a small group of characins are imported each year wildcaught h i cochabamba santa cruz ocean sucre arica endemic to this region of south stock is available in most countries potosí ube america all species are egg-laying iquique however many neon and cardinal campo grande schooling browsing omnivores that tetras are now bred from southeast 20 paraguay feed on small invertebrates that are asia particularly in thailand and são pau antofagasta salta apricorn asunción opic of c root tangles attached to the trdense singapore neon tetras can be eas curitiba san miguel and plants in their natural habitat ily distinguishedtucumán the cardinal de from isla san ambrosio flo resistencia females are typically deeper and tetra by the length of the red line chile isla san félix chile wider bodied than males particularly that body chile runs along the base of thepôrto alegre cerro when sexually mature in the wild aconcagua the cardinal tetra this red stripe in santa fe córdoba salto both species are generally shortcovers the entire body whilst in the mendoza rosario valparaíso uruguay archipiÉlago lived and don t live much beyond neon it begins in the mid-body and santiago juan fernÁndez buenos aires chile one year runs to the tail both are plata montevideo la peaceful in concepción the aquarium and require similar argentina tankmates.bahía blanca species mar del plata neither should río cusco lago e titicaca re mamo highest point in south america 6962 m río be ni in the aquarium brazil tropical freshwatercarlos de « redfish magazine 2011:1 » 14 san puerto montt bariloche iapampasrío para ná río pa ran á rio rí o ón rañ ma o an ipl alt a m a desert atac andes

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angelfish can sometimes eat neon or cardinal tetras and are not recommended tankmates photo by denizka off the rio solimões near iquitos photo courtesy jmage@flickr be kept alone and are best maintained in a school of 6-10 individuals more where space permits despite being captive bred neon tetras and to a lesser extent cardinal tetras can be of moderate difficulty to maintain they are certainly not as difficult as some dwarf cichlids from the same region eg apistogramma species though there are hardier choices for the beginner aquarium that being so with a little knowledge their care is relatively straightforward both neon and cardinal tetras do best in planted aquaria preferably with dense plantings so the aquarist can observe relatively natural behaviours in our experience dark silica-based substrates make the fish feel at ease and enhance the colour of both species similarly black backings for the rear of the aquarium can have similar benefits and are to be recommended ideal tankmates include other small tetras and corydoras catfish many of which share the natural habitat of neons and cardinals the aquarium water should be maintained at a slightly acidic ph measures around 6.5 are sufficient being a small fish aquarium size is less important but be sure to have enough room to house 6-10 of these beautiful fish feeding neons and cardinals in the aquarium is straightforward and they will accept most prepared foods high quality fresh and prepared foods are best foods are best bought in small quantities as some foods cannot be stored indefinitely without losing nutritional quality occasional frozen daphnia are relished health wise both neons and cardinals have few issues although neon tetras are susceptible to neon tetra disease in our experience neons kept in stressful conditions poor water quality malnutrition and the like are considerably more prone to this disease well-conditioned pairs should be placed into the breeding aquarium good frozen foods and regular small and cool water changes 25º c 77º f normally induce spawning lighting the breeding aquarium is unnecessary and may hinder spawning clutch size from a mature female can number several hundred though smaller spawns of 100 or so eggs are not uncommon one to two days post spawning the eggs hatch and become freeswimming within a week rotifers or greenwater make ideal first foods both newly hatched brine shrimp and microworms are typically too large for the first month or so after about a month both newly hatched brine shrimp and microworms should be offered regularly to assure rapid growth breeding neon and cardinal tetras are eggscatterers and do not engage in brood care they are best bred in ponds where warm weather or indoor heating permits though aquarium breeding is possible dedicated breeding aquaria with a base grid to prevent parents eating the eggs are ideal this breeding aquarium should be sparsely decorated with only java moss and a sponge filter and should not include any other tankmates conclusions neon and cardinal tetras are excellent fish for fishkeepers with a little experience in the tropical freshwater hobby they are perhaps the most beautiful species available to the planted aquarists and there s little to rival a large school of either species swimming in a beautifully aquascaped aquarium tropical freshwater « redfish magazine 2011:1 » 15

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