Neon black - Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi - DNZ

The Black Neon or Black Flag Tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) gets its name from its coloration, which looks very similar to that of the Neon Tetra, except that its longitudinal stripes are not blue and red, but black and bright white. Otherwise, the group fish, which grows only to about 5 cm long, is not closely related to Neons, but also belongs to the tetras. The males have a bluish sheen in the dorsal fin and caudal fin. Females lack this coloration.

The upper half of the iris is bright red in the Black Neon, which gives it an attractive appearance. Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi comes from the area of the Mato Grosso in Brazil, thus from the tropical South America. There it lives in plant-rich, shady flowing waters with humic soft water.

Since Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi is a social aquarium fish that needs the company of conspecifics, it should be kept in groups of at least 10 animals. The company of "other colored neons" is not to be considered as company of conspecifics, because these fish belong to completely different genera and are not perceived as such. If they find suitable conditions, Black Neons can live an amazing 9 years in the aquarium.

The Black Neon prefers the middle and upper water zones and can therefore be well socialized with peaceful dwarf crayfish. Larger shrimps such as Amano shr imps are also a suitable tankmate, and well reproducing species such as Neocaridina davidi, Neocaridina palmata or even Sulawesi inland shrimps will also reproduce in the presence of a swarm of Black Neon if there are sufficient hiding places. Overall, the Black Flag Tetra is a great fish for the classic community aquarium.

Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi likes aquariums with plenty of swimming space and dense perimeter planting. A lot of light is counterproductive, so the aquarium should be somewhat shaded. For this purpose, floating plants or large-leaved aquatic plants such as the water-leaved sea-can Nymphoides hydrophylla are suitable. The water should be soft, rich in humic substances and as unpolluted as possible, the temperature should be around 24-28 °C.

In nature, the black neon, as a surface-oriented fish, eats mainly approach food. Drosophila, live black mosquito larvae and flake food floating on the surface for a long time are therefore ideal for its diet in the aquarium.

Breeding the Black Neon in the aquarium is considered relatively easy if a few things are taken into consideration. The spawning tank should have very clean and soft water with a pH of about 6. As a free spawner, the female lays up to 300 eggs near the water surface after courtship, which then sink to the bottom. A clump of moss serves as a good "catching station". After egg laying, the adult fish should be removed from the rearing aquarium as they would eat juveniles. The fish larvae are raised with Artemianauplia.

Our feed recommendation: This NatureHolic Main Feed is a professional staple feed for all aquarium fish. Main feed we supply in the form of soft granules, which thanks to its grain size of half a millimeter can be easily absorbed by small to medium-sized fish. The soft consistency resembles the texture of insect larvae in nature and protects the fish mouth from micro-injuries.

Our plant recommendation: For planting, use NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.