Editing Cardinal tetra (section)

{{Short description|Species of fish}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Cardinal tetra
| image = Cardinal Paracheirodon axelrodi (3).jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn|title=''Paracheirodon axelrodi''|author= Lima, F. |year=2023|access-date=11 December 2023|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T164584363A164584373.en|page=e.T164584363A164584373}}</ref>
| taxon = Paracheirodon axelrodi
| authority = ([[Leonard Peter Schultz|L. P. Schultz]], 1956)
| synonyms = {{Specieslist
|Cheirodon axelrodi|Schultz, 1956
|Hyphessobrycon cardinalis|[[George S. Myers|Myers]] & [[Stanley H. Weitzman|Weitzman]], 1956
}}
| synonyms_ref = <ref name = fishbase/>
}}

The '''cardinal tetra''' ('''''Paracheirodon axelrodi''''') is a [[freshwater]] [[fish]] of the [[family (biology)|family]]  [[Characidae]] of [[order (biology)|order]] [[Characiformes]]. It is native to the upper [[Orinoco]] and [[Rio Negro (Amazon)|Negro]] Rivers in South America. Growing to about {{cvt|3|cm|in}} in total length, the cardinal tetra has the striking [[iridescent]] blue line characteristic of the genus ''[[Paracheirodon]]'' laterally bisecting the fish, with the body below this line being vivid red in [[color]], hence the name "[[Cardinal (color)|cardinal]] [[tetra]]". The cardinal tetra's appearance is similar to that of the closely related [[neon tetra]], with which it is often confused; the neon's red coloration extends only about halfway to the [[nose]], and the neon's blue stripe is a less vibrant blue.

The cardinal tetra is a very popular [[aquarium]] fish, but is less widespread than the [[neon tetra]] because until recently, it was difficult to breed in captivity. However, many breeders are now producing the fish; in most cases, one can determine if the cardinal tetra is bred or wild-caught due to damaged fins on wild-caught specimens. Some [[Ichthyology|ichthyologists]] believe [[fishkeeping|fishkeepers]] should continue to support the [[Project Piaba|sustainable cardinal fishery]] of the Amazon Basin, since thousands of people are employed in the region to capture fish for the aquarium trade. If those fishermen lost their livelihoods catching cardinals and other tropical fish, they might turn their attention to engaging in [[deforestation]].<ref name="piaba">{{cite web|title=Background about the Fishery and History {{!}} Project Piaba|url=http://projectpiaba.org/who-we-are/history/|website=projectpiaba.org|accessdate=18 November 2017}}</ref>