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Characins
/ Characinae / Flame Tetra
Flame Tetra, Red Tetra
Hyphessobrycon flammeus | Pictures
SYN: Hyphessobrycon
rubrostigma, H. callistus rubrostigma
PD: The body is deep and disc-shaped. The back is orange to brown and the belly is the
same. The body color is pinkish violet to orange and in reflected light, purple. The upper half of the iris is
red. Just behind the gill cover is a bright red spot from which this fish gets its name. The male's dorsal fin
is sickle-shape and black, pink, purple, and white in color. His anal fin is white. The female's dorsal fin is
not as elongated, has the same colors. Its anal fin is smaller with less white color. The back is more high-arched
with older individuals. the other fins are pink to gray.
SIZE: To 3" (7.5 cm)
SS: Bentos Tetra ( Hyphessobrycon
bentosi bentosi), Rosy Tetra (
H. bentosi rosaceus), Copeland's Tetra
( H. copelandi
), Flame-back Bleeding Heart Tetra (
H. pyrrhonotus), Bleeding Heart Tetra (
H. socolofi
).
S: middle
HAB: Small creeks and river bends with heavy vegetation.
South America; the Upper Amazon in Colombia
and Peru.
TANK: 24" (60 cm) or 15 gallons (55 L).
The tank should be well-planted and
arranged in dark colors.
Provide a cover of floating plants to help mute the lighting.
Leave open spaces for swimming and provide
hiding places.
This fish prefers peat filtration.
WATER: pH 5.5-7.3 (6.5), 3-12 dH (6), 73-82°F (23-28°C)
SB: A peaceful, schooling fish that can be kept in a community tank.
These fish must be kept in groups of
at least six individuals.
They do poorly if kept in smaller numbers.
Do not combine with fin-nipping fish.
An
easily frightened fish.
SC: Tetras, Corydoras,
Apistogramma, Loricarids, Discus.
FOOD: Flake; live; insect larvae, Brine Shrimp,
Tubifex.
Requires varied diet.
SEX: Males are more colorful and have more elaborate fins.
B: Difficult, because females often do not respond to mating attempts of males.
Eggs
are laid in floating plants and some fall to the bottom.
Remove parents after eggs are laid.
Fry
hatch after 2-3 days and are free-swimming after 2-4 more.
The fry are hard to raise and must be kept under
a constant regime of regular, partial water changes.
Start feeding with small live and crushed dry foods.
BP: 9.
A challenging fish to breed.
R: This fish is somewhat susceptible to velvet disease and "Ich". This fish is
sensitive to water conditions.
Does not usually live more than five years.
Requires frequent partial water changes.
DC: 5.
The Bleeding Heart Tetra is sensitive to water pollutants and disease.
It must be fed a varied diet in order
to thrive.
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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