My favorite species to keep in small- to medium-sized tanks are neon tetras. They add a bright splash of color to your tank and produce very little waste. They are also extremely hardy. If you are just starting out in the hobby, neon tetras are a great choice. This brings me to the question of today: How many neon tetras can you keep in a 10-gallon tank with 10 gal?

This is a subject that I am expressing my opinion. However, I did a search on Reddit and other forums (not exaggerating), and found some interesting answers and conclusions.

This blog will tell you all about it.

Let’s roll!

How many Neon Tetras are in a 10-Gallon Tank?

Neon Tetras are schooling fish. They will only hoop at one place if you have several of them. We recommend that you limit the number of neon tetras to 6 per 10-gallon tank. You can keep 7-8 if you are really good at ‘overstocking’.

We recommend that you stick to 6 for a 10-gallon-sized tank.

But, keep in mind that neons won’t school in tanks that small. They’ll hover in one place instead. Your tank won’t look as exciting or interesting as you would like.

You might consider getting a larger tank if you want to observe their unique schooling habits.

There are many ways to calculate the stocking amount for any tank size.

The “one-inch per gallon” rule is a popular, but controversial, one-inch limit.

There is also a “one inch per two gallon” rule.

The last one is a veteran aquarist’s gift that was used by major players in the hobby. It provides 12 square inches of surface area for every inch of tropical fish.

What formula can we use to determine how many neon Tetras are in a 10-gallon tank of water?

Let’s take a look!

Calculating Neon Tetras Stocking Number For A 10-Gallon Tank

One Inch per Gallon Rule

For all fish, the “one inch per gallon” formula is not appropriate. Imagine a 10-inch oscar fish being added to a 10-gallon tank.

This rule can be used for small fish below 3 inches.

The average length of neon tetras is 1.5 inches. To be safe, let’s say that the average length of a neon tetra is 1.75 inches.

Let’s now divide the gallon capacity of the tetra by its size.

= 10/1.75

= 5.7

In a 10-gallon tank, you can fit 5.7 neon Tetras. You can also add 6.

You can store 6 neon Tetras in a 10-gallon tank if you follow the “one-inch per gallon” rule.

12 Square Inches Of Open Tank Surface For An Inch Of Fish Rule

Dick Mills, a veteran aquarist and author, gave this rule in his book You And Your Aquarium. For tropical fish such as tetras, it is recommended that we allocate at least 12 inches of open aquarium surface per inch of fish’s body.

Let’s get started with the calculations!

A 10-gallon standard tank comes in the following dimensions:

= 16x8x10 inches (LxWxH)

The surface area of a 10-gallon container = L x W

= 16×8 = 128

The total amount of neon tetras that a 10-gallon tank could hold = Surface area/12

= 128/12

= 10.6 inches

Let’s now assume that a neon tetra stands at 1.75 inches in height.

The total number of neon Tetras that a 10 Gallon Tank can hold is 10/ 1.75

= 5.71

Let’s reduce it to 6.

According to this rule, the maximum amount of neon tetras that a 10-gallon tank can hold is 6.

Alright, enough math for today. Let’s now look at the opinions of real hobbyists on this matter.

How Many Neon Tetras In A 10-Gallon Tank? Public Poll

I searched several forums for opinions from hobbyists. I have tried to provide impartial, neutral and inclusive opinions so that you can make informed decisions.

All opinions are solely the responsibility of the authors.

“I would expect to get between 6-8. As long as you maintain the water and keep them hydrated, that would be okay. Most fish will not school in this size tank. It’s more than just large enough strong>

“I would expect to get 6 shrimps and maybe a couple (2-3) ghost shrimps at the bottom. You should be fine as long as you maintain good maintenance. Don’t forget about cycling. Dropping 6 fish on day 1 will result in 6 dead fish by day 3 strong>

“I would say 6-8 should be sufficient. If things are stable .”, then maybe you can bump it up to 10.

Bioload-wise, they would be fine in a 10-gallon tank. They are boring to look at in small tanks, according to my observations. They will just hover at one spot strong>

“No, no, no. There are no neons that you can stock in a gallon. One neon can be kept per gallon .”

How Many Neon Tetras And Guppies In A 10-Gallon Tank?

You can easily add three neon tetras to your tank if you have 2 guppies. You can also add 2-3 neon tetras to a tank with 3 guppies.

Let me tell you how I did the calculations.

Guppies are great tankmates for neon Tetras. Guppies are friendly, easy to take care of, and very pretty. They grow to be a lot bigger than neon Tetras.

Males can reach 1.5 inches (on average) while females can reach 2.4 inches (2 inches).

For this calculation, let’s assume that the average length of the guppies is 2 inches.

We can also add (1/2 = 5) 5 guppies to a 10-gallon tank by following the “one-gallon per inch” rule.

We’re here to determine how many neon tetras and guppies can be combined into a 10-gallon tank.

Let’s say we have allotted 4 gallons to the guppies. You can also add 2 guppies (4/2 =2 strong>

We still have 6 gallons of tetras. We can also add (6/1.75 = 3.4) around 3.4 Tetras to a 10-gallon tank.

Let’s make it 3.

How Many Neon Tetras And Bettas In A 10-Gallon Tank?

You can keep exactly 1 betta and 2 neon tetras using the same calculation as above.

Let’s take a look at the results.

Bettas can grow up to 2.5 inches in length on average. We recommend at least 5 gallons, even though the general rule is 3 gallons per betta.

Assuming that your betta fish requires 5 gallons, there are 5 gallons for tetras.

You’re familiar with the procedure. Let’s now divide 5 by 1.75. This gives us 2.8.

You can now round off 2.8 to 3.

You can fit one betta with approximately 3 neon tetras.

However, I would not recommend that you keep bettas or tetras in the same tank.

Bettas are territorial by nature. Bettas need plenty of space to feel happy and comfortable. They would be more stressed and aggressive if they were kept in a 10-gallon aquarium with other species.

Neon tetras can also be fin-nippers. They will eat your betta’s long, flowing fins.

The Downsides Of Keeping Neon Tetras In A Small Tank

It’s not always possible to dedicate a large tank to our pets. It’s not easy to manage a small tank. A small tank can lead to poor schooling behavior, stress in fish, volatile water parameters and stunted growth.

You Cannot Observe Schooling Behavior

To send them to school, you need at least 10 neon tetras. They will hover in a tiny 10-gallon tank and only focus on one spot.

This is going to be boring, honestly.

This will make it difficult to observe this amazing schooling behavior. A 20-gallon tank is a better choice.

It’s Impossible To Raise A Community

As you know, there are very few fish and other creatures that can be added to a 10 gallon tank. You can only keep one betta and 2-3 neon tetras, as you can see from the above calculation.

If you are looking to create a unique community or ecosystem within your tank, it is not possible with a 10-gallon tank, unless you prefer to overstock.

Small Tank Can Stunt Fish’s Growth

Numerous studies have shown that certain chemicals/pheromones are released by fish into water. This can inhibit the growth of others fish from the same species.

In large bodies of water like a lake or sea, this is not an issue. These pheromones can be washed away or swept away quickly.

These chemicals cannot be kept in closed systems like an aquarium. They will naturally get absorbed into fish’s bodies, which could potentially slow down their growth.

Your Neon Tetras Will Stress

Neon tetras are just like all fish. They get stressed easily and become scared of the slightest thing. We can’t blame them. They are wired to feel this way.

Fish will be stressed by factors like a crowded tank, poor water quality, bullies, or a lack of resources. The brain will release hormones in response to stress.

They can quickly get rid of stress in the wild. The hormones will naturally return to normal.

The fish will stress in the tank until you notice it and take action.

The fish will then experience a multitude of symptoms, including a lack of appetite, decreased metabolism, suppressed immunity and stunted growth.

Tank Maintenance Will Keep You On Your Toes

We often think that small fish tanks are easier to maintain. Although I would not say that it is, maintaining a small fish tank is difficult.

This is because water parameters in small enclosures are volatile and can change quickly. This will make it necessary to constantly monitor the environment of your fish and perform water changes frequently.

Simply put, a smaller tank allows for fewer mistakes.

Frequently Asked Question

How Many Neon Tetras In A 3-Gallon Tank?

A 3-gallon tank could hold 3 neon Tetras. I would not recommend adding more than this, as the fish will live a poor life.

How Many Neon Tetras In A 5-Gallon Tank?

A 5-gallon tank can hold 3-4 tetras. You won’t be able observe their schooling behavior.

How Many Neon Tetras In A 7-Gallon Tank?

A 7-gallon tank is capable of holding 4-5 neon Tetras. You won’t be able to school with such small numbers.

How Many Neon Tetras In A 15- Gallon Tank?

A 15-gallon tank can hold 10 neon Tetras. They’ll even be able to school in your tank.

How Many Neon Tetras In A 20-Gallon Tank?

A 20-gallon tank can hold 12-13neon Tetras.

Final Words: How Many Neon Tetras In A 10-Gallon Tank?

In a 10-gallon tank, you can add approximately 6 neon tetras. For small fish such as tetras, you can use the “one-inch per gallon rule”. They won’t grow more than 3 inches. This technique is not recommended for large fish.

Tetras will not most likely school in 10-gallon tanks. If you want your tetras to be able to school in a larger tank, and you have more tetras, then you may consider upgrading to one with a larger capacity.