The Green Neon Tetra occupies a unique niche as the smallest and most demanding of the three neon tetra species in the genus Paracheirodon. Sharing its scientific name with the False Neon Tetra (a nomenclatural point of ongoing discussion among taxonomists), it is distinguished from the classic neon tetra by its longer, more vivid blue-green lateral stripe that runs nearly the full length of the body, and a much reduced or nearly absent red patch on the lower posterior. At approximately 2.5 cm, it is truly a nano species best suited to dedicated small-species or biotope aquariums. Wild populations inhabit the blackwater tributaries of the upper Rio Negro and Orinoco systems in Venezuela, Colombia, and the Brazilian Amazon, where the water is extremely soft, highly acidic, and virtually mineral-free. Replicating these conditions in the aquarium is the key challenge and what places this fish in the intermediate category. When water chemistry is correct — soft, acidic, tannin-stained — the green-blue stripe of a school of Green Neon Tetras is among the most breathtaking sights in freshwater fishkeeping. Hardy and adaptable within its acceptable parameter range, but intolerant of hard or alkaline conditions.
