Flame Tetra

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Scientific Name

Hyphessobrycon flammeus

Min. Tank Size

20 gallons

Personality

Peaceful

Temperature

72-82°F

pH

6.0-7.5/0-12°dGH

Size

1.5"

Diet

Omnivore

Breeding

Egglayer

Compatibility

Best kept in shoals with 6 or more of their own species; can also be kept with most other Tetras, Livebearers, Rasboras, Danios, Corydoras, Gouramis and Dwarf Cichlids.

Flame Tetra

Also called the Fire Tetra and Red Tetra, the Flame Tetra is named for the red coloration on the rear half of its body. The front half of the body is typically silver in coloration, adorned with two dark vertical bars. Most of the fins on this species are red, though the pectoral fins are often colorless and the tip of the anal fin may be black in males of the species. Flame Tetras are native to the coastal waters surrounding Rio de Janeiro in the eastern part of Brazil. These fish tend to inhabit slow-moving waters such as creeks, backwaters and tributaries.

Tank Set-Up

In the home aquarium, Flame Tetras are highly adaptable. These fish show their best colors in planted and biotype tank setups, but may appear washed out in sparsely decorated tanks. In order for these fish to thrive, keep them in small shoals with at least 6 or 8 of their own species. This species can also be kept with other community fish, provided they aren’t large enough to see the Tetras as food.

Feeding

The Flame Tetra is not a picky eater as you will quickly see if you decide to keep this lively and active fish. For optimum health and coloration, feed a varied diet of live/frozen foods such as brine shrimp, Daphnia, and bloodworms along with a high quality flake. The addition of a Spirulina based flake would also be beneficial.

Breeding

Flame Tetras are fairly easy to breed in the home aquarium, though a separate breeding tank is recommended if you hope to raise many of the fry. Keep the breeding tank at a pH between 5.5 and 6.5 and a temperature between 80 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit. Outfit the tank with a small sponge filter to facilitate aeration and decorate the tank with fine-leaved plants like Java moss. The females will lay approximately 200 – 300 eggs. Once spawning has occurred it is best to remove the adult fish so they do not eat the eggs. The eggs will then hatch between 24 and 36 hours later with the fry freely swimming in several days. Don’t use any lighting in the breeding tank as the eggs and fry are light-sensitive and will fare much better in darkness.