The neon tetra is a vibrant freshwater fish from the Amazon basin, renowned for its bright blue and red stripes, making it a favorite among aquarium hobbyists. In the wild, it inhabits warm, acidic waters in blackwater and clearwater streams, avoiding whitewater rivers. Distinguished by its iridescent coloration, which changes with light conditions, the neon tetra exhibits slight sexual dimorphism in its body shape and stripe curvature. First described in 1936, it is now a staple in the aquarium trade, primarily farm-raised in Southeast Asia. Neon tetras require specific water conditions and thrive in groups within well-planted tanks. They have an omnivorous diet, including small aquatic foods. Breeding in captivity is challenging and they are prone to neon tetra disease, an often fatal condition. Proper care and preventive measures are crucial for their health in aquariums.
Tetra is the common name of many small freshwater characiform fishes. Tetras come from Africa, Central America, and South America, belonging to the biological family Characidae and to its former subfamilies Alestidae and Lebiasinidae. The Characidae are distinguished from other fish by the presence of a small adipose fin between the dorsal and caudal fins. Many of these, such as the neon tetra, are brightly colored and easy to keep in captivity. Consequently, they are extremely popular for home aquaria.
The black neon tetra is a freshwater fish of the characin family (Characidae) of the order Characiformes. It is native to the Paraguay basin of southern Brazil. They are often found in the aquarium trade.
The black phantom tetra, or simply phantom tetra, is a small freshwater fish of the characin family (Characidae) of order Characiformes. It is native to the upper Paraguay basin and upper Madeira basin in Brazil and Bolivia. It is commonly seen in the aquarium trade.
Sterba's corydoras is a member of the South American Corydoras genus of freshwater aquarium catfish and one of the most popular species of Corydoras due to its attractive markings. The fish is native to the Guaporé River region between Bolivia and Brazil.
The western carp gudgeon is one of several carp gudgeon species. Carp gudgeons are very small perciform fish found in the Australian Murray-Darling River system, mainly in lowland environments, but some have been observed in upland environments. They are often found in small creeks, as well as billabongs and the edges of larger rivers. They prefer water 1 to 2 m deep with aquatic weed and structure provided by rocks or sunken timber.
The lemon tetra is a species of tropical freshwater fish which originates from South America, belonging to the family Characidae. It is a small tetra growing to 5 cm (2 in) in length. The species is a long established favourite aquarium fish, being introduced to the aquarium in 1932.
The rummy-nose tetra is a species of tropical freshwater characin fish originating in South America, popular among fishkeepers as a tropical aquarium fish. One of many small tetras belonging to the same genus, it is on average 5 cm (2 in) long when fully grown. The fish is one of several very similar species including Petitella bleheri, and Petitella georgiae, and it is possible that more recently collected specimens available in the aquarium trade are members of one or other of these similar species. The common name applied to most of these fishes is "rummy-nose tetra", though other common names are in circulation.
The Buenos Aires tetra is a tropical fish from South America. It was first observed in the wild in 1907, by Carl H. Eigenmann.
Hemigrammus erythrozonus, commonly known as the glowlight tetra, is a small tropical fish from the Essequibo River, Guyana, South America. It is silver in colour and a bright iridescent orange to red stripe extends from the snout to the base of its tail, the front of the dorsal fin being the same color as the stripe. Other fins are silver to transparent. The glowlight tetra is a peaceful, shoaling fish. It is larger than the neon tetra, and its peaceful disposition makes it an ideal, and popular, community tank fish. It should be kept with similar sized, non-aggressive species. Hemigrammus gracilis is a senior synonym. The red-line rasbora of Malaysia and Indonesia has markings and coloring very similar to H. erythrozonus, but is a member of family Cyprinidae, not a close relative.
The diamond tetra is a small freshwater fish of the characin family of order Characiformes. It is found in and around Lake Valencia in Venezuela, South America.
Protomelas kirkii is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where it is most commonly found in areas vegetated with Vallisneria. This species can reach a length of 18 centimetres (7.1 in) TL. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade.
Nannostomus trifasciatus,, commonly known as the three-lined or three-stripe pencilfish, is a freshwater species of fish belonging to the characin family Lebiasinidae. They are popular in the aquarium trade due to their small size, beautiful color pattern, and relative hardiness.
The ember tetra is a freshwater fish of the characin family of order Characiformes. It is native to the Araguaia River basin of Brazil and was discovered in 1987 and named in honor of the fish explorer Heiko Bleher's mother.
The redtail splitfin or redtail goodeid is a species of goodeid fish from the family Goodeidae and subfamily Goodeinae. Like other members of Goodeinae, the redtail splitfin is native to Mexico and a livebearer. However, the goodeid mating system differs in several ways from the more common livebearing fish from the family Poeciliidae that includes guppies and swordtails. While no goodeid species is a very popular aquarium fish, the redtail splitfin is one of the most popular. Only the male has the red-orange tail for which it is named. Its specific name honours the collector of the type, Gustav Eisen (1847–1940) who was Curator of Marine Invertebrates at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, California.
The black-winged hatchetfish is a freshwater ray-finned fish native to South America.
The green swordtail is a species of freshwater/brackish fish in family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is closely related to the southern platyfish or 'platy' and can crossbreed with it. It is native to an area of North and Central America stretching from Veracruz, Mexico, to northwestern Honduras.
The yellow-tailed African tetra is a freshwater fish that lives in the Congo River basin. It is found in both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. It is an omnivore in the wild which feeds on crustaceans, fallen fruits and small insects, but seems to have little difficulty in adjusting to normal aquarium foods. though they can be fed in aquarium with daphnia, bloostorm and artemia along good quality dried flakes and granules at least some of which should include additional plant or algal content. The species can tolerate water up to 20 degrees DH, though it does better in softer water. A temperature of 22–26 °C (72–79 °F) and a pH of between 5.0 and 7.5 and a hardness of between 36 and 268ppm is suitable. adult male are more colorful and tend to grow faster than females. males also develops extended white-tipped dorsal, ventral, caudal and anal fins which females lack. it is an egg scattered exhibiting no parental care, and one method of breeding is apparently to keep a group of adults in their own aquarium furnished with a kind of artificial trap, checking it regularly as much as possible especially for eggs. these are removed and normally hatched in smaller containers with the fry being offered microscopic foods until large enough to accept daphnia, bloostorm and the rest.
Nannostomus anduzei is a freshwater species of fish belonging to the genus Nannostomus in the characin family Lebiasinidae. It is native to Venezuela and northern Brazil, particularly the upper Orinoco and Rio Ererê, a tributary of the Rio Negro. The adults grow to a maximum length of only 16 mm, making them one of the smallest pencilfish. Other common names include miniature pencilfish, miniature nannostomus, and Anduzi's nannostomus.
Hyphessobrycon bentosi, the Bentos tetra, ornate tetra or candy cane tetra, is a species of characin fish found in sluggish tributaries at the Amazon Basin in Brazil and Peru. Occasionally, it makes its way into the aquarium trade. It has often been confused with the rosy tetra.
