Terms and Conditions
Please read the following before you place an order.
Cardinal tetra
£1.99
Paracheirodon axelrodi
| Aquarium Level | Middle - Top |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| Scientific Name | Cheirodon axelrodi, Hyphessobrycon cardinalis |
| Max Size | 3.5cm (1.4") |
| pH | 5.0-7.0 |
| Temperature | 23-27°C |
Cardinal tetras resemble their cousin the Neon tetra (P. innesi) but their German common name of Red Neon describes the main difference rather well - this fish displays a red belly lacking in its more mainstream relative. In the wild, these fishes inhabit clear water streams and creeks protected from extremes of temperature by the forest shade. Seasonal rains make for distinct changes in the habitat and the wet season allows adult fish to spawn amongst the marginal vegetation after sheltering among the leaf litter above the stream bed.
Cardinals are at their best in soft water, where they'll live longer, grow larger and show better colour. As with many small tetras, an almost annual life cycle is replaced with a longevity that can be measured in years in captivity. They're sociable fish but observations in the wild reveal that they often forage in modest numbers (5-15 individuals) before coming together to form larger shoals. There's no denying that fifty or more fish makes for a very impressive spectacle in the aquarium but groups of six or twelve will be content in most suitable aquaria. Natural habitats seem to feature leaf litter or aquatic plant cover and these are welcome components of a suitable home set up. These conditions are often found in planted aquaria filled with RO water and running CO2 supplementation.
Most cardinals seen in shops are captive bred but an important sustainable export trade revolves around this species in its rainforest home. As the continued existence of these tetras is dependent on preservation of their habitat, the value of exports protects the fishery from destructive exploitation. For this reason, buying wild-collected fish should be considered as a positive conservation option - just remember that these Amazonian natives will be used to excellent water quality and low nitrates.
In addition to the unbeatable wild type, an albino form is seen which may be labelled as Gold. Lighting will accentuate different colours in these fish, red is more striking in brightly lit conditions
Paracheirodon axelrodi
| Aquarium Level | Middle - Top |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| Scientific Name | Cheirodon axelrodi, Hyphessobrycon cardinalis |
| Max Size | 3.5cm (1.4") |
| pH | 5.0-7.0 |
| Temperature | 23-27°C |
Cardinal tetras resemble their cousin the Neon tetra (P. innesi) but their German common name of Red Neon describes the main difference rather well - this fish displays a red belly lacking in its more mainstream relative. In the wild, these fishes inhabit clear water streams and creeks protected from extremes of temperature by the forest shade. Seasonal rains make for distinct changes in the habitat and the wet season allows adult fish to spawn amongst the marginal vegetation after sheltering among the leaf litter above the stream bed.
Cardinals are at their best in soft water, where they'll live longer, grow larger and show better colour. As with many small tetras, an almost annual life cycle is replaced with a longevity that can be measured in years in captivity. They're sociable fish but observations in the wild reveal that they often forage in modest numbers (5-15 individuals) before coming together to form larger shoals. There's no denying that fifty or more fish makes for a very impressive spectacle in the aquarium but groups of six or twelve will be content in most suitable aquaria. Natural habitats seem to feature leaf litter or aquatic plant cover and these are welcome components of a suitable home set up. These conditions are often found in planted aquaria filled with RO water and running CO2 supplementation.
Most cardinals seen in shops are captive bred but an important sustainable export trade revolves around this species in its rainforest home. As the continued existence of these tetras is dependent on preservation of their habitat, the value of exports protects the fishery from destructive exploitation. For this reason, buying wild-collected fish should be considered as a positive conservation option - just remember that these Amazonian natives will be used to excellent water quality and low nitrates.
In addition to the unbeatable wild type, an albino form is seen which may be labelled as Gold. Lighting will accentuate different colours in these fish, red is more striking in brightly lit conditions
Shipping Policy
We ship our fish with DX, the only courier in the United Kingdom who are licensed to ship fish and other livestock by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
We can guarantee next-day delivery for £32 between Monday and Thursday for orders placed before 1pm and for boxes up to 25kg.
We are able to ship on Friday for a Saturday arrival, but this service will cost £45.
Please note that we will not send a fish that day if overnight temperatures are due to be lower than 6 degrees Celsius.
Some of the fish we stock can be sexed and are sold in a pair of 1 male and 1 female. Please bear in mind, however, that we attempt to match them correctly to the best of our anatomic knowledge but there can be some mistakes, as it is not always guaranteed that the fish will be oppositely sexed.
All our fish are packed in double thickness bags for their safety and security.
The bags are then packed into a polystyrene box with a 40h heat pack and a cardboard outer.
After a shipping date is agreed upon, it is the responsibility of the buyer to be at home when the package arrives.
Once the fish arrive it is your responsibility to acclimatise and then quarantine them using the dripping method. All fish leave our care in good health.
International Shipping
On account of stringent regulations and certificates surrounding the shipping of live fish reintroduced following the United Kingdom’s (UK) exit from the European Union (EU) in 2016, Aquarium-Fish Ltd are no longer able to ship to the EU.
However, we are able to ship anywhere else in the world. Please get in touch if you reside outside the UK and are interested in making a purchase to discuss shipping costs and times.
Got a question about our tropical fish for sale?
Get in contact on [number/email], or fill out our contact form, and we'll get back to you.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
Copyright 2025
