Tetras

Bleeding Heart Tetra

Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma

The bleeding heart tetra is a hardy, peaceful, schooling species that should be kept in groups of six or more. It does extremely well when kept with other peaceful fishes, such as Megalamphodus, Corydoras and Nannostomus species.

Bleeding heart tetras prefer a somewhat dark environment. They are best housed in a tank that contains several bunches of large plants (either live or plastic) in back and on the sides of the tank, with smaller plants in the front, leaving plenty of open space for swimming. A layer of floating plants to diffuse the light is also suggested. Pay strict attention to water quality.

Most tetras are carnivores that are specialized for eating small aquatic insects and the larvae of terrestrial insects. In the aquarium they will do quite well on commercial flake, frozen or freeze-dried foods. Be sure to vary their diets between dry foods and small live foods, such as bloodworms, glass worms, brine shrimp and Tubifex worms.

Tetras are egg scatterers that do not tend their eggs or fry and so a separate spawning/fry tank is needed. Spawning occurs usually between pairs, although some species spawn in schools.

Bleeding Heart Tetras require a larger-than-normal breeding aquarium (20 gallons or larger) to successfully mate. They can be sexed by the extended dorsal and anal fins and brighter colors of the male, but it is still best to buy a group and let them pair off, as they seem to breed more readily when they can choose their mates.

Source: aquarium fish magazine

Compatibility: Tetras, Rasboras, Danios, Dwarf Gouramis, Discus, Angelfish, Rainbowfish, Livebearers, Plecos, and small Scavenger Catfish.

Tetra Care:

Most species will adapt to a range of water conditions so long as the water is clean and well aerated. Extremely high pH (e.g. over 7.6, or 8 for hardy species) and very hard water should be avoided.

Most tetras will fade in color if they are stressed or uncomfortable with their surroundings. (But note that many lose all their color at night, which is not a cause for alarm).

They are schooling fish and will not be happy unless kept in a group of at least four of their own species.

Large fish such as Gouramis, Angelfish and Silver dollars should be avoided: even quite passive fish will eat other fish if they can fit them in their mouths!

Larger tetra species such as buenos aires tetras, congo tetras, serpaes and others can be mixed with quite large tank mates.

Tetra Related Articles:

Cardinal Tetra: Cardinal Tetra Millions of cardinals are caught wild and exported from Brazil every year.

The Neon Tetra was the first wild-caught fish that really set the tropical fish hobby into a dither, and contributed much to establishing the "tropical" fish hobby.

Breeding Tetras Tetras are egg scatterers that do not tend their eggs or fry and so a separate spawning/fry tank is needed. Spawning occurs usually between pairs, although some species spawn in schools.