What is the best tetra?

I personally think neon tetras are the best. :)

They are fluorescent and really stand out in an aquarium. The happier they are, generally, the brighter they tend to look. They are pretty easy to take care of, just make sure that if you have other fish, have some food that will sink to the middle of the tank before other fish eat them, since tetras are used to feeding in the middle of the tank.

Neons are one of my favs but they are not always the hardiest. They are all about the same to care for really. Mostly I think the choice comes down to the size of your tank and if you want to keep anything with them. Black skirts are great and one of the more hardy types but can be fin nippers so you will need to think about what you will add with them.

Rummy nose tetras are another great one. They are said to be the best "schoolers" they school nice and tight usually which is a great look and are extremely peaceful and large enough that they won't become snacks for some larger fish like angels.. which can be a problem with neons.

If you only have a small tank like a 10 gallon however that outs most tetras as options do to lack of space and their activity level. Ember tetras would be a perfect option though. They have the same body shape as neons but are a very nice orange color.

Honestly I don't care for neons all that much. They're skittish fish. They also carry diseases and spread them quickly through your tank...look up Neon Tetra disease.

Black Skirts are an old favorite.

Personally I really like Serpae (Red Minor) tetras. Right now I have 9 Lamp (Red) Eye tetras. I really like these guys because they're larger and their color is stunning. They're very nice fish but do need to be kept in a group of at least 6 with 8+ being much better.

Tetra's are fairly easy to care for. Keep in mine you're looking at a tank of at least 15 gallons with a heater and filter. All tetras are schooling fish and they can be fin nippers. Overall they're a nice fish and easy to care for. :]

Personally, I LOVE neon tetras and I think they are very peaceful fish. I have a school of 6 neon tetras in my community tank and they add lots of color to my community tank. I have black substrate on the bottom to contrast with their bright colors. My guests often compliment the neon tetras and how they seem to "glow" under the florescent bulbs.

Black skirts are can be a little nippy, but they're also cute. I think they are also easy to care for as long as you also keep them in a minimum school size of 6.

I feed my tetras eat a variety of foods like, tropical flakes, frozen brine shrimp, and frozen bloodworms.

Neons are not the most hardy fish at all. They even have their own disease named after them.

Remember Neons in the wild inhabit very soft, acidic waters that are usually cooler than the 25°C (77°F) at which most tropical aquaria are maintained.

If you get a group that survives and likes your water then they are pretty fish and are beautiful in a planted tank. They survive better in large schools, in the wild they are found in schools of thousands.

I would not get Neons but rather the Cardinal Tetra. Cardinals are a fraction larger, have better coloring, are much hardier and deal with a typical tropical aquarium better.