Is neon tetra a good tank mate for discus?

[krich]

Heard many said so when I did some research on finding the tankmate to my discus tank. Anyway, there's some contradicting opinion that they might end up being food for in discus or the subject of attack in some cases. Bear in mind that this wonderful guy is a specie of cichilid so their aggressive and terrotorial behavior do still exist more or less, even in a much milder degree comparing with the africans.

Now I got small school of blue-red and black neon in my discus tank and saw one casualty couple nights ago. Don't think he's in some kid of illness since everyone else is still doing fine now and my water paras is well-maintained.


Anyone can share some experience?

[DR.V]

I put my discus with neon and cory. No problem at all.

[Ben]

I would recommend cardinals over neon’s if keeping with discus.

Neon’s comes from waters closer to the banks in the Amazon, whilst cardinals live and thrive in water more open, which is slightly warmer than neon habitat.

Plus if kept in good condition and fed well, cardinals will live much longer than neon’s.

I dont have to mention they look much nicer than thier little cousins!

Ben

[DR.V]

Cardinal also grow bigger twice the size of neon

[Nathan]

ive got neon tetras with mine, no sort of fighting or competing with food, however the neons arent doing GREAT there doing fine but not grea in my water.

my water ph is 6.2-6.4 which is to acidic for them, ive actaully found some of them there tails have been burned off (doesnt seem to bother them) not to great looking.

id spend that bit extra and go cardinals aswel

[FishLover]

I had about 12 of neons in my Discus tank few months back. All of them are gone. They just went away one by one and I neveer found the body. I guess some of the discus had some nice snak.

cardinals are nice but they cost about twice as much as the neons. If you want 30 of them, they will go about $100 where I live. Just bit too much for me. I'd use that money to add two really nice discus instead.

[nicholas76]

I wouldnt get neons or cardinals!


Rummy nose tetras all the way !!!

The glowing red nose gives you an indication of water quality plus the tails are marked with black and white which flicker giving thm a reallly nice contrast to have in your tank.

I have a school of 30 and they are simply awsum.

[shawn barker]

All the reading I have done suggest neons don't make good tank mates for discus, but I could be wrong!

The rummy nose tetras do look good, I have only 6 so in light of nicholas' comments might forget restocking my cardinals (that seem to make an occasional 'scooby-snack' for the discus) in favour of increasing the size of the rummy nose schoal as my discus ignore these.

Is 30ish sustainable in my size tank?

[samir]

try not feeding your discus on the weekend and then do a head count on the neons :D . i followed nick's advice and persisted with the rummy nose and they are absolutely awesome fish.

[Robdog]

Yeah I'm a fan of the big rummynose schools. Very hypnotic