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Characins
/ Characinae / Jewel Tetra
Jewel Tetra, Callistus Tetra, Blood Characin, Serpae Tetra
Hyphessobrycon callistus | Pictures
SYN: Hemigrammus
melanopterus, Hyphessobrycon melanopterus, Tetragonopterus callistus
PD: A laterally compressed, deep-bodied fish. The base body color is brilliant red to reddish
brown. A black spot is located just behind the gill cover and ranges in size depending on the age of the individual.
It lessen in size with age. The black dorsal fin is tall and has a white fringe. The tail, pectoral, and pelvic
fins are red. The pelvic fins have a white fringe. The anal fin is red, but has a black and white fringe.
SIZE: To 2" (5 cm)
SS: Red Phantom Tetra (
Megalamphodus sweglesi)
HAB: Calm blackwater with little current, often full of vegetation.
South America; from the Southern Amazon
Basin to the Paraguay River Basin.
Now most are imported from Asia.
S: bottom, middle
TANK: 20" (50 cm) or 10 gallons (38 L).
The tank should be arranged in dark
colors, and a cover of floating plants should be used to diffuse the light.
Have well-planted areas for hiding,
but leave open swimming areas.
WATER: pH 6-7.5 (6.7); 5-25 dH (5); 73-82°F (23-28°C).
SB: Usually a good community fish.
Keep in groups of six or more fish. Individuals
behave towards each other much like Piranhas, as weaker fish are bitten and attacked, although they are not usually
killed.
This aggressive behavior can usually be attributed to a lack of food.
SC: Corydoras,
hardy tetras, gouramis.
FOOD: Flake; live; insect larvae, Brine Shrimp,
Tubifex.
SEX: The male is smaller and brighter in color
B: Use a breeding tank with water qualities of: pH 6-7 and 4-8 dH.
The Blood Characin is easy to breed
in soft, peat-filtered water.
The fry hatch in 24-28 hours.
Feed the young small crustaceans, Infusoria,
egg yolk, and later, crushed dry food.
BP: 5.
The Blood Characin is easily bred.
R: There are several different variants, which have long flowing fins.
DC: 3.
A hardy fish that is recommended for a community tank.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
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