Neon Tetraネオンテトラ

Paracheirodon innesiNE— Not Evaluated

The neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) is a small, brightly colored characin native to acidic blackwater streams of the western Amazon basin in Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. Its iridescent blue-and-red stripe is not bioluminescence but comes from a reflective pigment layer in its skin, and the colors fade to gray at night while the fish rests. One of the most popular aquarium fish in the world, it typically lives 2-3 years in captivity, though wild individuals can live up to a decade, and it is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Neon Tetra (reference photo)
Photo: Corpse89 / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification
Characiformes / Acestrorhamphidae (formerly placed in Characidae; reclassified in a 2024 phylogenomic revision) Source
Distribution
Native to the western and northern Amazon basin in southeastern Colombia, eastern Peru, and western Brazil, preferring acidic blackwater streams. Source

Did You Know?

  • Its neon-like glow is not bioluminescence; it comes from a reflective, pigment-containing layer in the skin. Source
  • At night, while the fish rests, its bright blue and red coloring fades to gray or black. Source
  • About 2 million are sold monthly in the United States alone, making it one of the most widely kept tropical fish in the world. Source

Where to See This Species

1 facilities · 0 individuals

高知県立のいち動物公園 (Kouchi Kenritsu Noichi Doubutsu Kouen)Kochi土佐くろしお鉄道ごめん・なはり線「のいち駅」から徒歩20分またはレンタサイクル13分。

高知県立のいち動物公園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

Wikipedia記事にIUCNカテゴリの記載が確認できないため、評価はnullとしています。

Habitat

南米アマゾン川流域の淡水域。

Threats

  • 生息地の水質変化
  • 観賞魚採集による局地的な影響

Conservation & Breeding Efforts

  • 飼育下での商業的養殖
  • 野生個体群と生息環境の継続的な把握

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org

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FAQ

Does the neon tetra actually glow?
No; its neon-like sheen comes from a reflective, pigment-containing layer in the skin rather than any light-producing organ. Source
Where do neon tetras come from in the wild?
They are native to acidic blackwater streams in the western and northern Amazon basin, in parts of Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. Source
How long do neon tetras live?
Wild individuals can live up to about ten years, but aquarium fish typically live only two to three years. Source

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org