Neon Tetra vs Wels Catfish

Paracheirodon innesi comparado com Silurus glanis

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo	Neon Tetra	Wels Catfish
Nome Científico	Paracheirodon innesi	Silurus glanis
Ordem	Characiformes	Siluriformes
Família	Characidae	Ictaluridae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Atributo	Neon Tetra	Wels Catfish
Comprimento Máximo	3,0 cm	500,0 cm
Peso Máximo	0,001 kg	300,0 kg
Cor	Electric iridescent blue-green stripe from eye to adipose fin; vivid red stripe from mid-body to tail base; back olive-brown; belly silvery-white; all fins transparent and colorless.	Dark olive-green to slate-gray back with irregular mottled marbling of darker blotches; flanks grade to olive-yellow; scaleless smooth skin; belly pale cream to yellowish-white; head broad and flat.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo	Neon Tetra	Wels Catfish
Tipo de Água	Freshwater	Brackish
Faixa de Profundidade	—	0-30m
Distribuição Geográfica	Native to blackwater tributaries of the upper Amazon River basin in Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. Inhabits slow, acidic, tannin-stained streams and flooded forest areas in …	Native to large river systems and lakes of central and eastern Europe from the Rhine basin east to the Caspian and Aral sea drainages. Introduced …
Habitat	Warm, soft-water rivers and streams of the upper Amazon and Perú in South America. Prefers slow-moving blackwater with dense vegetation (pH 5.5-7.5, 20-26°C). Dense schooling …	Large rivers, lakes, and reservoirs across Europe and Asia (Volga, Danube, Rhine, Ob). Inhabits deep, slow-moving freshwater with soft substrates. Tolerates turbid water (15-25°C). Highly …

Aquarium Suitability

Atributo	Neon Tetra	Wels Catfish
Tamanho Mínimo do Aquário	40 L	—
Temperatura	20-26	—
Faixa de pH	6.0-7.0	—
Nível de Cuidado	Easy	—
Temperamento	Peaceful	—

Informações de Pesca

Atributo	Neon Tetra	Wels Catfish
Peixe Esportivo	Não	Sim
Classificação de Resistência	—	9/10
Recorde Mundial	—	—
Nível de Mercúrio	—	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Neon Tetra

Not consumed — ornamental aquarium species kept for its vivid iridescent stripe and peaceful schooling behavior.

Wels Catfish

Fatty, soft flesh with a mild, slightly sweet flavor; quality improves from cold, clean water fish. Popular in Central European cuisines — commonly smoked, fried, or braised with vegetables.

Species Overview

Neon Tetra

The neon tetra is one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish, known for its iridescent blue and red horizontal stripes. Native to blackwater streams of the Amazon basin, it thrives in schools of six or more.

Wels Catfish

The wels catfish is the largest freshwater fish in Europe, capable of exceeding 5 meters. Found in large rivers and lakes across the continent, it has been documented beaching itself to catch pigeons. It can live over 80 years.