The Best Foods for Neon Tetras for 2023

Neon tetras are unquestionably very adorable fish to keep. These types of fish are fun to take care of precisely because they look beautiful and attractive to behold after a long and exhausting day. But, just like any other fish species, their nutritional requirements must be fully met so they stay in the best possible condition.

For this reason, it is essential to be discreet when it comes to buying the best food for neon tetras. The ingredients of the product must be carefully examined to ensure that these are capable of satisfying the nutrition needs of your fish and at the same time you need to look into if they are safe to be fed daily.

Now, if you are wondering about the most excellent fish foods for neon tetras, then this article would be of great help to you. Read the product list thoroughly and check out the ingredients of each food reviewed so that you can pick the one that you think can be the best option for the nutritional requirements of your finned buddy.

Basically, the price tag of the product is not the only thing that you must focus on; the most vital factor for you to deeply inspect is the ingredients that make up the neon tetra food. To learn more about neon-tetra keeping and feeding, continue reading the rest of this post.

Best Food for Neon Tetras Reviews of 2023

1. Tetra Tropical XL Color Granules

Are you still guessing what to feed neon tetras? Then, you can try for yourself how amazing this product is in helping your pet fish achieve overall wellness.

These tropical granules sink in a gradual approach and are made particularly for large-sized fish. They contain color-enhancing contents that can be fed in the bottom and in the middle of the water. Its Omega 3 fatty acid contents also help in providing the energy that fish needs to grow healthily.

This product is a great choice in that it is manufactured with PROCARE formula that comes with the exact amounts of highly selected nutrients as well as vitamins that aid in ensuring more vigorous immune system functions. It also includes biotin that is meant to sustain healthy metabolic functions for fish.

Notwithstanding, these pellets are more prone to sinking quite instantly and it seems that cichlids are not that enthusiastic to consume the floating pellets of any size. These are a few of the potential problems that you may encounter if you buy these pellets.

2. Hikari Tropical Semi-Floating Micro Pellets

If you are going to check out inside each packet of this neon tetra fish food, you will uncover different pellets that are adept at providing a number of benefits. The yellow ones provide the required minerals and vitamins that fish needs while the red ones provide them with proteins and amino acids crucial for survival. In addition to this, the green ones are intended to promote proper digestion and good immunity.

As you can see, they are great foods to feed your fish because they already have the necessary nutrients that your tropical fish require to live a healthier lifestyle.

Be that as it may, two things that are not that satisfying about this product are its small packet size that is insufficient for long-term use and there is no available large packet; additionally, this food may only be suitable for tropical fish.

3. Fluval Bug Bites Granules for Tropical Fish

If you want to ensure a well-balanced neon tetra diet, then you need to pick the right product that contains all-natural and nutritious ingredients and good at supporting the fish’s overall well-being. This option is ideal for fry, bettas and small fish varieties.

In the same way, this food can serve as outstanding supplementary food for a small fish or a frozen food diet. These are soft enough to be consumed by your aquatic friends and you can be worry-free because they only contain healthy and natural contents that aim to help fish grow vigorously.

Not the less, even the large size of these pellets are considered small for some fish to see and eat right away and since they tend to sink faster, your fish may not be able to consume right away and just end up sinking at the bottom of the tank.

4. TetraMin Tropical Granules Nutritionally Balanced

Fortunately, it is not that tricky to handle neon tetras feeding tasks. However, this would only be possible if you made the right food choice for your aquarium inhabitants. If you prefer a natural and complete diet that promotes the best possible health condition for your aquatic pets, then these bite-sized and slow-sinking granules are your safe and exceptional option.

These are friendly even for shy and small fish species. Truth is, they are deemed as the top-rated pick for bettas since they could serve as their basic food. Due to the fact that these granules work like a charm in improving food usage, you won’t have to be troubled about fish waste as this helps reduce food residues and sustain pristine tank water all the time.

A few things that you won’t adore about this product are its tendency to sink fairly fast than expected and the food may consume more time to get soft but when it gets soft, it becomes too soft that makes it dissolve and disintegrate in tank water easily.

5. Sera O-Nip Nature Attaching Tablet Fish Food

Neon tetra breeding does not need to be a painful process if fish owners are capable of choosing and providing the right foods for their pet fish. These foods are cool and make fish feeding a lot easier. All you need to do is to present them against the inside of the aquarium and most of your aquarium dwellers would go crazy about them. It looks like these are going to be more suitable for feeding aggressive eaters.

If you keep an aggressive type of fish, then this could be your best bet. Take note that if your fish take more than ten minutes to consume the tablet, this would merely break off and sink in the tank and could create some mess. Make sure to avoid overfeeding.

A couple of minor gripes that can be experienced when feeding your finned buddies with this fish diet are its potentiality to create a mess when feeding and the size of the tablet is too big.

6. Omega One Super Color Flakes

If you are keeping neon tetra school, it is important for you to feed them with the right type and amount of food. Aside from these, the tank must be big enough for them to thrive and move freely. So, if you haven’t decided yet what food to buy for them, then consider checking out what this brand can offer your pet fish.

This option would also be ideal for neon tetra tank mates as it is rich in flavorful and protein-packed contents that fish would love to consume. For a fact, many fish keepers prefer this brand over the others because it is manufactured with a lot of whole food sources that make it a complete and well-balanced fish diet.

Please take into account that this product may be potentially hazardous particularly to very small fish since it contains some bone fragments of its main ingredients and as compared to its competitors, this comes with a higher price tag.

7. Aqueon Tropical Granules Fish Food

Shopping for the best fish food for tetras at present can sometimes be overwhelming given there are numerous options claiming that they are the leading brands in fish food products. So, if you hope to narrow down your choices, this brand can be of great aid to satisfy your fish’s daily nutrition needs.

Take note that the colors of the foods are associated with the actual contents included in the formula, and these are specifically intended to unleash the natural vibrant colors of the fish. This comes with an amazingly reasonable price for the amount of food the package contains.

Howbeit, a few factors that you need to be cautious of if you purchase this food product for your fish consist of its possibility to cause algae buildup inside the tank and it looks like the food is too large to be fed for guppies and tetras.

8. API Fish Food Flakes

The best food for tetras must contain the necessary nutrients that would allow aquatic pets to thrive and sustain optimal health, fast growth, fish color enhancement, and longevity. Luckily, this product can help you obtain these goals in mind.

Many fish enthusiasts choose this product mainly because it is particularly made to assist aquarium inhabitants to use more nutrients readily. Hence, there would be less fish waste and your fish can delight dwelling in a tank that comes with clean and safe water. This would also mean less frequent tank cleaning work for you.

Withal, this food tends to produce a stinky and strange smell that may last in your fingers or in the tank for some time. And, there are some fish that do not really find these foods flavorful. These are a couple of downsides that can be observed once you feed your fish with these.

9. GloFish Special Flake Food

This food is great for fish as it is made with rich sources of proteins. More than that, it helps keep fish become more energetic and for them to live a healthier lifestyle. This is suitable for river fish and tropical fish particularly if you want them to sustain their beautiful appearance.

You can consider this product as one of the best foods for cardinal tetras because it is touted as one of the top-drawer choices when it comes to bringing out the best in fish colors. This works best to fish’s wilting colors, once fed with this food, their dull color would be naturally restored to its more vibrant and healthier-looking colors.

Still and all, you can notice that these foods have the potentiality to get instantly sucked into the filer and can also be one of the reasons for tank water duskiness. These are a few of the drawbacks that you should be mindful of in case you decide to get this product for your finned friends.

10. New Life Spectrum Thera+A

This type of fish diet appears to be the opposite of neon tetra food that’s too big because they are designed to be way too small. Surprisingly, no matter how small they are, they are loaded with nutrients that could suffice the nutritional needs of your pet fish.

This can be a stellar solution if you have newly obtained fish, if you have stressed fish or if you are breeding fish. Its Omega 3 and extra garlic contents are good for these. Furthermore, it contains squid, seaweed and whole krill that have been proven to be packed with nutrients and the good thing is that these are highly digestible.

For all that, this food tends to float briefly and sink immediately on the bottom of the tank. Additionally, they are quite small that some fish find it hard to see them during feeding sessions. Take these matters into consideration before purchasing one for your aquatic pets.

What to Look for When Buying Neon Tetras Food

When it comes to buying the right foods for neon tetras, there are several factors to ponder on and the most important consideration is if the product of your choice comes with well-balanced nutrition.

But, what does it mean when you say well-balanced nutrition?

When searching around different neon tetra foods, you would observe that some formulas are endorsed as nutritionally balanced. So, what does this imply for this type of fish species?

In neon tetra’s natural habitat, they consume a generous amount of algae, small invertebrates, and insects. Hence, if you manage to simulate this diet when keeping neon tetras, then you could significantly help them to dwell healthily in an artificial environment like an aquarium.

Commercial formulas are regarded as the most convenient selections mainly because chemists, various specialists, and biologists generally formulate these recipes. Manufacturers of commercial foods for fish formulate diets that mimic the kind of diet your fish enjoys when they are in the wild.

So, what should you search for when shopping for the right foods for neon tetras?

• Is the product manufactured with premium sources of protein?

Shrimp and bloodworms are the most preferred protein source of various types of fish. Fish find these foods as palatable. Thus, buying commercial foods that include these ingredients in their formulation would be beneficial. This is one of the reasons why such foods are deemed as the most famous options for fish keepers.

It is safe to feed your pet fish with the same diet; however, it is better to inspect if the formula you choose is a great option for neon tetras. Aside from protein, this fish species also need healthy fats like Omega 3 fatty acids that are vital for the fish’s overall wellness and fast development.

Meanwhile, to support longevity, manufacturers also include minerals and vitamins that help maintain stronger metabolic functions for fish and boost fish immunity. Some also include natural color-enhancing formulations to allow fish to bolster more attractive colors.

• Check if the formula does not produce an excessive amount of waste.

Fundamentally, nothing can be more time-consuming and laborious than cleaning tanks when you deal with fish food types that instantly dissolve in the water before your aquatic pets have the chance to consume them.

Some formulas are not that excellent, and they remain in the water, contaminating it. Additionally, when food is not properly digested, this would also cause ammonia levels to rise in the water, so this becomes harmful for your finned friends. Make sure to select food types for neon tetras that would keep the tank water pristinely clear to allow healthy living conditions.

Other Important Factors to Consider

What is the best food for Tetras?

Interestingly, this type of fish is highly recognized for being easy-going creatures and are not that picky when it comes to feeding. They are omnivorous in nature so they would generally consume almost anything that would fit into their mouths. For a fact, this trait makes them very smooth sailing and straightforward to feed and keep.

In general, fish flakes or micro-pellets would do just fine for this species; however, it is also essential to provide them with other food sources to complete a healthy diet for them. They would thrive more if they are fed with freeze-dried and live foods.

What kind of food does tetra fish eat?

To boot, neon tetras are very popular aquarium fish. While these are not specific about the foods they eat, it is crucial to vary their diet so that you can witness and enjoy their absolute best. There are various food options that are outstanding for this species and it is beneficial to mix them up to provide more nutrition and health benefits for your aquatic pets.

The types of foods that neon tetras consume are as follows:

• Live Foods

These fish species are adapted to consuming live foods because these are what they usually eat in their natural habitat. Many live foods are suitable for them such as fruit flies, brine shrimp, and micro worms. You can grow these live foods at home or you may collect them from nature. Make sure that the live foods you feed your pet fish do not contain any parasite.

• Prepared Foods

These consist of fish flakes, wafers, and pellets. Fish flakes are regarded as the bulk of an aquarium fish’s diet. All the same, there are diverse forms of flakes available nowadays. It is essential to search for fish flakes that contain more meat and also come with some vegetable matter. The reason behind this is because they simulate neon tetras’ diet in their natural environment.

Likewise, these come with fillers such as wheat. Meanwhile, it is beneficial to feed this fish species with veggie flakes such as those that contain spirulina algae, a few times in a week.

• Frozen Foods

You can buy these foods either in local pet or fish stores, or online. This would largely rely on what you prefer to feed your pet fish. Be reminded that in neon tetras’ natural habitat, they consume mostly insects and small crustaceans.

Hence, it is not advised to give them frozen food directly; consider keeping a minimal amount thawed in the fridge. As you might already know, frozen foods contain some vitamins that lost due to free drying at times.

• Freeze-Dried Foods

These foods are usually manufactured from one organism. They could contain some food items such as mosquito larvae or bloodworms. It is advantageous to feed your pet fish in the same manner as flake foods- that is to feed your neon tetras only as much as they can finish in less than 5 minutes.

Also, freeze-dried foods tend to lose their quality; so it is highly suggested to store them in dry and cool storage areas and throw out the old freeze-dried foods.

Why do you need food for neon tetra fish? (Benefits)

While there is no harm in feeding neon tetras with foods that are designed for other types of fish, it is still better to give them foods that are specifically intended for them. This is for them to surely satisfy their nutritional requirements and enable them to live a healthier and longer life.

Feeding your neon tetras with types of foods that are primarily formulated for them can offer several benefits and these include:

• Promoting fast and healthy growth. Feeds that contain high levels of proteins and other vital nutrients greatly assist in allowing fish to grow at their peak and develop fully in a healthier and faster approach.
• Enhance their stunning and flashy colors even more in a natural manner. Admit it or not, watching colorful fish swim, play and roam around the tank surely provides you a nice-to-behold view that’s relaxing and rejuvenating.

Some foods made for neon tetras are meant to help immensely improve the natural and vibrant color of these fish species. So, your fish looks even more attractive and luring inside the aquarium.

• Neon tetra foods contain the required vitamins, minerals and other sorts of nutrients that help your aquatic pets boost their immune system functions, help them combat various ailments and infections, make them become more energetic, livelier and active. Who wouldn’t be stunned seeing happy and healthy fish dwelling inside an artificial environment?
• Foods precisely made for neon tetras also contain some plant-based ingredients so the majority of them are easy to digest and enjoyed by most fish. The nutrients are also absorbed faster leaving no excessive residues and waste inside the tank.
• There are foods made for neon tetras that are practical options because they do not extremely affect the tank water clarity. The feeds are not prone to dissolving and integrating easily before the fish eats them, so they do not sink on the bottom of the tank right away and do not encourage unwanted algae and bacteria growth.

As mentioned in this post, these fish species are quite sensitive to changes in water conditions. So, keeping the tank water clean, safe and healthy should be one of the top priorities as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most trusted neon tetra food brands?

If you are currently in the hunt for the right and nutritionally balanced foods specially designed to meet the dietary requirements of neon tetras, then the first thing you need to do is to research about the most preferred, highly trusted and outstanding fish food manufacturers that have been in the industry for many years.

This is because if you pick the right manufacturer, then you can be at peace knowing that the health and life of your most valued neon tetras are in safe and good hands. The following brands can be your safest and most excellent options since they have been tried and tested to be reliable providers of premium quality fish-related products ever since.

• Hikari
• Fluval
• Tetra
• Aqueon
• New Life Spectrum

The next time you buy foods for your neon tetras, check if the manufacturer is one of the mentioned brands on this list. This way, you are making a wise investment.

Can tetras eat betta food?

Yes. In general, neon tetras can consume foods designed for betta fish. Even so, this must not be done daily as it could have a few downsides too.

Please note that it is best to give your neon tetra with food types that are specifically made for their needs. Nonetheless, if you have a community fish tank; for example, a betta fish, this might not frequently take place.

Many a time, if you feed your betta fish with the food designed for them, neon tetras would consume it. This is utterly not a major problem since both of these fish species have identical forms of diet; they are carnivorous in nature and have identical dietary needs.

How to feed neon tetras?

Take in mind that if you’re introducing neon tetras to a new tank that already has an existing fish community, then it is highly suggested to distribute the food into a couple of portions. First, put the first portion in one corner of the aquarium and the second portion must be placed in the other corner of the tank.

Alternatively, you may place the food for neon tetras in the filter outflow (for instance: fish flakes) so the food gets dispensed across the aquarium and inhibit one specific fish to consume the share of the food.

How many neon tetras in a 20-gallon tank?

Neon tetras are very energetic and stunning fish species that love to swim around with their other finned friends in groups of a minimum of six.

Thus, if you are planning to keep a school of six or more neon tetras, then keep in mind that a twenty-gallon tank is the required tank size for that.

Basically, when you think of stocking options for your aquarium, it is necessary to look through how big this fish species would eventually get. A fully-developed neon tetra is capable of growing one by up to two inches.

How long can neon tetras go without food?

Neon tetras can live for five to six days without being fed. In line with this, some of them are even capable of making it without food for a total of seven by up to eight days; nonetheless, this is close to danger.

It is indispensable to feed neon tetras daily because there is a tendency for them to become sick after four or five days without eating anything. Indeed, once one week is over, neon tetras would be literally starving.

Can you overfeed neon tetras?

In their natural habitat, neon tetras are known for being foragers and certified opportunists; this simply implies that they would eat whenever they are given the opportunity to do so. That said, neon tetra keepers should refrain from overfeeding them.

It is suggested to feed neon tetras only 3 times in a day. Every time you give them food, it is not advised to provide them with anything more than they could finish in less than 3 minutes.

Do neon tetras die easily?

Due to the fact that neon tetras are vigorous, playful and active; you could easily tell if there is a sudden change in their behavior and if something is wrong.

While it is true that neon tetras are known for having long lives – they can live by up to ten years; this fish species tend to perish instantly with even the littlest change in the tank and water conditions. They suddenly start being stressed, depressed and would be more susceptible to contracting infections and ailments when there is any change in the water chemistry.

Put simply, they die due to abrupt changes in temperature and water conditions. Altering water conditions generally leads to neon tetras’ ailments and this may even lead to fish death. It is critical to monitor the parameter of water if you observe changes in their behavior.

How to care, clean and maintain?

When feeding neon tetras, make it a point to always follow the food’s manufacturer’s instructions. Only provide them the recommended amount of food, and from there follow the feeding frequency as directed.

As mentioned earlier, neon tetras are quite sensitive to water conditions changes. This conveys that newly-cycled tanks are not appropriate for this type of fish. In general, the alterations in water chemistry during this period would endanger their lives. So, it is important to understand that they should only be added to a mature and well-established tank.

As for the ideal water conditions for neon tetras, the pH level of water must be under 7 and above 6. The temperature of the tank water must be between 70-degrees to 81-degrees Fahrenheit. Also, it is necessary to sustain soft water (<10 dGH).

Meanwhile, this fish species produce a little bioload so their filtering requirements are only minimal. A standard sponge filter would work well for them. As for the lighting, neon tetras would prefer subdued lighting, so consider utilizing a low-watt fluorescent light for them. Please be guided that it is a must to provide 2 Watts per gallon.

Lastly, when it comes to water changes, fish keepers must aim to execute 25% water change weekly. See to it not to exceed this range because extreme water change could also be fatal for this type of fish.

Where to buy?

If you need to shop for neon tetras food, the best place where you can buy good quality products include leading supermarkets, well-stocked local pet or fish keeping supply stores. These stores can offer you a number of products that are made of different ingredients that come in various sizes and packaging; depending on your needs.

On the other hand, if you find it inconvenient to personally buy these products from local stores and supermarkets, an alternative to do so is to start your search and purchase online. A few of the leading online shopping sites where you can find numerous fish food selections include Amazon, PetCo, PetSmart and so on.

These online shopping sites do not only offer their customers plenty of different fish-related products to choose from but they also frequently offer their most valued customers with special promos, discounts, and freebies that make their shopping experience even more economical and worthwhile.

Conclusion

Sure thing, it may be slightly challenging to find the best food for neon tetras; given there are countless food products readily available. And, since this article aims to help readers make their decision more manageable, as well as offer you the possibility to pick the suitable type of food for your fish tank dwellers, the product listed above would certainly give you enough information of what to look for when buying one for your pet fish.

Once you have carefully decided about the right food for your neon tetras, the next thing to consider is ensuring that you feed them the right amount by strictly following the recommended method by the manufacturer. So long as you do not underfeed or overfeed your fish, and execute regular maintenance; then your finned friends will stay in good shape and you’re all good.

Besides, it is practical to employ the other neon-tetra keeping advice shared in this post especially if you are still a novice in fish keeping. As you know, it could sometimes be tricky to tell if the fish is fed right and obtain the required nutrition. With proper knowledge, deep passion and commitment to fish keeping, your fish won’t be at risk.