Cardinal tetras -- how hardy are they?

[April]

I agree on acclimating so they adapt in customers tanks.




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[Morainy]

Thank you, everyone. The idea of keeping them in a high tannin environment has given me some thought. I used to have a high tannin tank but right now, all of my tanks are planted clear water with Equilibrium added. Many fish seem to like the high tanning environment and I forgot that cardinals were among them. Hmm. Will think a bit more about this.

I should also clarify -- When I said that the sick fish I see are usually cardinals, neons or guppies, I didn't mean to imply that all the cardinals, neons and guppies I see are sick! I see many BCA member tanks with beautiful displays of cardinals, for example. I was just wondering whether these fish were more delicate and therefore above my own skill level. I tend to specialize in small, easy fish, lol. An expert in effortless plants & critters.

Thank you!
Maureen

[zhasan]

I don't know much about how hardy they are but I'll share my experience with you.

I purchased 15 of them on boxing day and kept them in Quarantine for 3 weeks. During that time I lost 8 of them only because they managed to pass the divider and became prey of my convicts. I moved the remaining 7 to my discus tank and the next morning I had 5 remaining because 2 of the smallest ones became prey to my discus. After two weeks I had 3 remaining and now I'm down to two. The only left over I've ever found is a 1/2 eaten cardinal in my discus tank two days back.

BUT I still love those guys and I think they are gorgeous. I'm planning on buying some more from Pat at Canadian Aquatics and raising them for a longer time in quarantine so they are a bigger size before they go to my discus tank. I hope my new addition will not become an expensive meal.

[April]

Make sure you give your discus a very filling meal when you add. When you throw something in the tank..they run to it like a meal. So feed first then add while they are pigging out.


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[crazy72]

I tend to specialize in small, easy fish, lol. An expert in effortless plants & critters.

Ha ha well said, Maureen. You and me the same!

[gklaw]

In general I found them quite hardy bust still a sorry "disposable" fish - unlike expensive discus. Cannot loose sleep over lossing one of two of these little fish. Won't count them every night either

Bought 10 little guys from KE before boxing day. Dumped them straight into my 75g. Just did a head count - because of this thread, I think 9 are still accounted for Not that I don't love them. My philosophy is that I really can't be too excited about lossing one or two of these little guys. There are too many factors. Unless I see disease or parasite spreading, I simply have to let nature take its course. Checking to make sure if the fish are healthy and active is the key for me when it comes to buying fish.

[Luke78]

Zhasan,

You are not alone buddy, had a dozen plus get eaten by my wild discus and now only one remains.An expensive meal if you ask me!

Maureen,

If you are planning on having cardinals, what tank mates would you add with these guys? If you are going planted(don't recall sorry) do leave an area open for them to use and be seen.Add a bit of current to their water as well, they like that.Not much to the point where they are getting swooshed around though!

I don't know much about how hardy they are but I'll share my experience with you.

I purchased 15 of them on boxing day and kept them in Quarantine for 3 weeks. During that time I lost 8 of them only because they managed to pass the divider and became prey of my convicts. I moved the remaining 7 to my discus tank and the next morning I had 5 remaining because 2 of the smallest ones became prey to my discus. After two weeks I had 3 remaining and now I'm down to two. The only left over I've ever found is a 1/2 eaten cardinal in my discus tank two days back.

BUT I still love those guys and I think they are gorgeous. I'm planning on buying some more from Pat at Canadian Aquatics and raising them for a longer time in quarantine so they are a bigger size before they go to my discus tank. I hope my new addition will not become an expensive meal.

[hp10BII]

I read a thread one time on simplydiscus where one member bought a box of cardinals - IIRC about 300 of them. He figures that cardinals are half starved by the time they are brought to the store. First they're caught, then held in holding pens for up to 3 weeks and then boxed and shipped to their final destination. So think about 4 weeks+ without food all that time.

So out of the 300 cardinals, he lost only a couple but he started a highly nutrient feeding program right away with feedings of newly hatched baby brine shrimp for several weeks.

I've had good luck with cardinals - my favourite place to buy them was from James @ Rain Forest Pet Spectrum in their 8' long tank full of cardinals.

[Morainy]

Hi Luke78,

The cardinals would be in a 36 inch long tank with only shrimp and sterbai corydoras, no other fish. It's a planted tank (thanks for the tip about open space). Currently, I have several furcatus rainbows in there but I'm thinking of moving them because they are almost the same colour as the plants. I have another tank that will suit the furcatus very well, with more contrast.

It does seem a little silly to move fish to another tank just because of their colour, but my kids pointed out that they can't tell that there are any fish in the tank. The sterbais are dark on the black sand substrate, cleverly hiding whenever we walk by, and the furcatas (very pretty) seem to reflect the springtime green of the plants. It looks like a shrimp tank because the cherry shrimp are everywhere! I think that cardinals would be very pretty with the shrimp, dark substrate and plants.

I have a tank with lovely red granite and natural sand, also planted, that will highlight the furcatus rainbows' colour better.

I could just add cardinals in with the furcatus but I prefer understocked tanks.

Zhasan,

You are not alone buddy, had a dozen plus get eaten by my wild discus and now only one remains.An expensive meal if you ask me!

Maureen,

If you are planning on having cardinals, what tank mates would you add with these guys? If you are going planted(don't recall sorry) do leave an area open for them to use and be seen.Add a bit of current to their water as well, they like that.Not much to the point where they are getting swooshed around though!

[crazy72]

Go for it, Maureen. I agree, cardinals against dark substrate and lots of plants will look great. I just LOVE cardinals.