# How to keep Cardinal Tetra



## Cichlid2010 (Apr 21, 2010)

I need some help in keeping Cardinal Tetras alive. Bought 10 from April's today, a few hours later, a few dead already. I didn't expect they are that difficult fish to keep. If you have some good ways or suggestions, please let me know. 

They are currently in my 58 gallon discus tank with clown loaches and german blue rams. Temperature is 86F, acidic water with many driftwoods. As for filtration, I have fluval 305, eheim 2228 as well as 2 hydro sponge size V.

Thanks for any advice.

Happy new year!


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## catgoldfish (Apr 21, 2010)

Only thing I can think of is a drastic PH drop or increase. Most of the time cardinals like a low PH between 5.0 and 6.0. What is your PH?


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

3 things
*Temperature* fluctuations. Fish hate temp going up suddenly, try 1-2 degrees per day adjustment max. they can take more of a drop, just not significant changes. its cold out, so you need to make sure you keep the fish in a cooler with a bag of warm water or something.

*PH* and *water hardness* isn't that big of a deal with cardinals, once again, its the fluctuations that kill them. I keep my water at 7 ph and 5 degrees gh, they seem to do great.


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## Cichlid2010 (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks for the advice. I guess I will have do drip acclimation for them next time since they are super sensitive. Four passed away and six left. Hopefully they can survive.


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

if you lose more ill give you a few more to try. it could be the cool weather going home and then warm tank. id say float and acclimate slowly as your parameters may be different than mine. test ph in the bag and what your tank is. going down in ph is very hard on fish. mine are most likely neutral ph.


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## Fishkeeper (Apr 21, 2010)

Sorry to hear that Gavin, I bought 6 from a store a few weeks ago, in 2 days all were gone...the store tested my water, ph fine....so gave me a credit, I think the temperature was maybe to blame as it was a cold snap a few weeks ago as well when I bought....April, I will have to try Cardinals again....will try your store....but I'll wait until spring...


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## Cichlid2010 (Apr 21, 2010)

The Six left seem doing all right for now. I hope they are still doing all right when I wake up tomorrow. Yes, temperature might be the issue, however, I did float the bag for more than 30 mins and added tank water into the bag a few times before I release them into the tank. I guess they are just sensitive. Thanks April for the fishes, the discus looks nice.


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

Cichlid 2010,
Cardinals can be very hardy particularly if they are captive bred. Most of the cardinals we import to IPU now are captive. Wild ones tend to be more sensitive to shipping and transferring from different water parameters. Watching your GH is very important on them. Good luck with the remaining ones!


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## VinnyD (Apr 21, 2010)

cardinals are usually pretty hardy like the others said...but fluctuations in water parameters might be the reason why some of the tetras didn't survive.

the water temp and ph..yada at the store might be way diff from ur home tank...plus the transit home(cold out). 

they do best at 72-79 Celsius..and ph of 4.5-6 even tho they are hardy..but sudden changes might shock the fishes..so yah..,drip acclimatize if u can


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