While the preference of the lemon tetra with respect to water chemistry lies within the realm of soft (hardness less than 8° dH) and acidic (pH around 6.6) parameters, the species is notably hardy, and will accommodate itself to a wide range of conditions, the pH range for the fish being from 6.0 to 7.4. Temperature range for the species is 21 °C to 28 °C, though the species is capable of withstanding water temperatures up to 32 °C for considerable periods of time if the water is well oxygenated. Aeration and good quality filtration should be provided for this fish (and indeed for all aquarium fishes) though the fish is sufficiently hardy to cope with aquarium equipment failures provided these are attended to upon discovery.