Paracheirodon axelrodi, commonly known as the cardinal tetra, is a small, colorful fish native to the rivers of the Amazon basin in South America. It is distinguished by its bright blue and red stripe running along its body, making it a popular and attractive addition to community aquariums.
The cardinal tetra is a peaceful and sociable fish that gets along well with other small fish in the aquarium. They prefer to swim in schools and feel more secure and active when in larger groups.
Sexual dimorphism in cardinal tetras is subtle. Females tend to be slightly larger and rounder in the abdomen compared to males.
Breeding the cardinal tetra in the aquarium can be challenging due to their specific water requirements and tendency to eat their own eggs. They need a low-light environment with soft, acidic water to successfully breed. Eggs should be protected from the adults to ensure hatching.
To keep cardinal tetras, a well-planted aquarium with shaded areas and soft, acidic water is recommended. They prefer temperatures between 23°C and 27°C and benefit from gentle filtration to mimic their natural habitat.
The cardinal tetra is omnivorous, feeding on small invertebrates, algae, and plant material. In the aquarium, they accept flake foods, pellets, and frozen or live foods such as daphnia and brine shrimp.
The cardinal tetra is relatively easy to care for, making it suitable for aquarists of all levels. They are hardy and adapt well to community aquariums when kept in schools of at least six individuals.
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To do an analysis more detailed about coexistence and behavior of Paracheirodon axelrodi (Cardinal Tetra) use the Aquarium simulation tool, if you do this you can test different ways to combine the Cardinal Tetra with other fishes giving the dimensions and space on you aquarium, on this way you can known the optimal configuration for keep the fishes that you want.
You can also find out the 99 species compatible with the Paracheirodon axelrodi (Cardinal Tetra) can live together.
Note: The parameters of the water such as PH and temperature are also used to calculate the compatibility of the species.
Compatible without any restriction
The cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) and the neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) are popular aquarium fish due to their bright colors and peaceful nature. The main difference lies in their coloration: the cardinal tetra has a red stripe that runs the length of its body, while the neon tetra's red stripe only extends halfway, with the blue stripe being more prominent in the neon tetra. In terms of behavior, both are peaceful and sociable, preferring to swim in large schools. However, the cardinal tetra can be more demanding regarding water conditions and is less prolific in captivity compared to the neon tetra, which is easier to breed and maintain.
Compatible in some cases, it depends on the nature and personality of the fish.
They can coexist while they are similar in size or the size difference is not very abysmal, since as the fish grows it increases the chances of eating its partner that did not grow much.
They can live together but you have to be careful since it is likely that the fastest fish will take all the food and leave nothing for their partners who are slow swimmers, so you have to make sure that everyone can eat.
They can coexist together if the aquarium they share is large and spacious enough for both species to feel good, as some fish may attack others to feel that they have little space and try to eliminate the competition.