![]() Tetras generally have compressed (sometimes deep), fusiform bodies and are typically identifiable by their fins. For example, payara ( Hydrolycus scomberoides) is occasionally known as the " sabretooth tetra" or "vampire tetra". Even vastly different fish may be called tetras. It is short for Tetragonopterus, a genus name formerly applied to many of these fish, which is Greek for "square-finned" (literally, four-sided-wing).īecause of the popularity of tetras in the fishkeeping hobby, many unrelated fish are commonly known as tetras, including species from different families. Tetra is no longer a taxonomic, phylogenetic term. Consequently, they are extremely popular for home aquaria. Many of these, such as the neon tetra ( Paracheirodon innesi), are brightly colored and easy to keep in captivity. The Characidae are distinguished from other fish by the presence of a small adipose fin between the dorsal and caudal fins. Tetras come from Africa, Central America, and South America, belonging to the biological family Characidae and to its former subfamilies Alestidae (the "African tetras") and Lebiasinidae. These fish tend to nibble at plants and will nip the fins of some species.Tetra is the common name of many small freshwater characiform fishes. Red eye tetras are native to Brazil and Paraguay and they prefer to be kept in schools of 6 or more. Red Eye Tetra – Also known as the Lamp Eye Tetra, this species grows to about 3 inches long and it has a bright red spot placed over the eye and a thick black band running vertically through the tail. These tetras can become a little aggressive so they should be kept in large schools. Buenos Aires tetras grow a little over two inches in length and they have a clear body with orange-tinted fins and a thin blue line running from the gills to the tail. These tetras are one of the hardiest species for the home aquarium, though they generally aren’t a good choice for planted tanks. These fish are extremely hardy in the home aquarium, though they can get a little nippy – it is best to keep them in a larger tank with plenty of open swimming space with other fin-nippers like Buenos Aires or Serpae tetras.īuenos Aires Tetra – This species of tetra comes from the Buenos Aires region of Argentina, as you can tell from the name. ![]() This species only became available in 1995 but it has quickly become one of the most popular species. Here are some of the top species of tetra that grow larger than two inches:Ĭolombian Tetra – Named for its homeland of Colombia, this species of tetra is also sometimes known as the red tail mirror blue tetra. Although these species of tetra may be a little bit larger, they still generally make good additions to the community tank when kept with other species of similar size. While many species of tetra are known for remaining fairly small (generally under two inches in length), there are some species that are larger. Also be aware that most tetras are tropical or semi-tropical so they need warm water temperatures to thrive. Tetras also do well in tanks with full-spectrum lighting and dark substrate because their brightly colored bodies show well in this type of set-up. ![]() Tetras appreciated planted tanks that offer them plenty of places to hide, just as long as the density of the plant growth doesn’t interfere with their swimming. In decorating your community tank try to keep your taller plants and larger decorations around the edges of the tank so that the space in the middle is left open for swimming. When keeping tetras in a community tank you have to keep in mind that, while many tetras remain fairly small, they are active fish that require a lot of open swimming space.
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