 | Freshwater > Fish > Characidae |
 | | | |  | Paracheirodon simulans (Green Neon Tetra, False Neon Tetra) |  |  |
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 | Quick Ref. |  | |  Species: Paracheirodon simulans
| Geo. Location: Brazil, Columbia, Venezuela
| PH: 5.5 - 6.5
| Temperature: 72 - 82F
| Water Hardness: 3 - 5dh
| Size: 2.0"
| Diet: Flakes, Frozen Foods
| Difficulty: 3
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| | | | | | Notes: Paracheirodon simulans is a small Tetra (Characidae) from the Negro Rivers and upper Orinoco basins. More commonly known as Green Neon Tetra or False Neon Tetra, Paracheirodon simulans is very similar to its cousins Paracheirodon Axelrodi and Paracheirodon Innesi. A good way to tell the Green Neon apart from the two other species is to look at the red stripe on the lateral part of its body. The stripe in Paracheirodon simulans is much less pronounced than in the two other species. Its body is also smaller. In aquaria, this Characidae seems to be a little less popular than other Paracheirodon species. This could be due in part to its isolated location in the wild.
Paracheirodon simulans has also been called Cheirodon simulans and Hyphessobrycon simulans. It is Gery, who in 1963 first described it as Paracheirodon simulans, which name has now been adopted among hobbyists.
In the wild, the Green Neon Tetra is found in the black waters of South America. They usually live in schools of 6 or more. Omnivorous, they eat crustaceans, insects and other fish larvae.
In captivity, it is important to try to recreate their natural habitat for this fish to display its best color. The tank should be a minimum of 10 gallons with lots of shaded areas and no direct lighting. Filtration through peat is recommended to imitate the dark waters of its natural habitat and to lower the ph to an acceptable level of approximately 6.0. Frequent water changes are important to lower the nitrate level to a minimum.
Please see Paracheirodon Axelrodi and Innesi to learn more about the Paracheirodon genus. All three of these species have very similar characteristics.
| Breeding: Breeding Paracheirodon simulans is not an easy task. As for their cousins P. Axelrodi and Innesi a few environmental conditions have to be provided (see Paracheirodon axelrodi and Innesi).
Green Neon Tetras spawn in school. Female are usually slightly larger and broader than males. As most Characidae, they are polygynandrous which means that females pair with several males and vice versa. The females are substrate layers. They lay approximately 130 eggs which hatch in approximately 24 hours. The eggs must be kept in a dark area of the tank as they are sensitive to the light.
In the wild, the rainy season is the period of choice for this species to spawn when the water levels are high. This species can however be bred anytime of the year in captivity. If kept in proper conditions, Paracheirodon simulans can breed every few weeks.
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