Adonis tetra

Lepidarchus adonis

Also known as Lepidarchus adonis signifer, Adonis characin

FreshwaterFish

Adonis tetra (Lepidarchus adonis) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C)
pH: 5.0–6.5
Adult size: 1 in (2.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 11 gal (40 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Coastal Ghana and Ivory Coast
Family: Alestidae

Overview

This is a tiny, delicate schooling characin that only feels safe in numbers, so keep a group of at least eight and preferably ten or more; single fish hide away and fade. It holds in the middle of the water in a quiet, dimly lit nano and needs very soft, acidic water to do well. Temperament is gentle and it is easily out-competed at feeding time, so choose equally small, calm tankmates such as dwarf rasboras or pygmy corydoras, or keep it in a species tank. Because the mouth is minute, feed micro foods: crushed flake, baby brine shrimp, microworm, and finely powdered dry foods. A mature, gently run nano of around 40 liters holds a starter group.

In the wild

The Adonis tetra comes from small, soft, gently acidic forest streams along the coast of Ghana and Ivory Coast in West Africa. These are shaded, tannin-stained waters running over sand and leaf litter. Recreate that with a dim tank, a sand base, driftwood, dried leaves, and some floating cover to soften the light. Keep the water very soft and acidic, at 22 to 26 degrees Celsius and pH 5.0 to 6.5, with gentle filtration and pristine, stable conditions.

Good to know

Lepidarchus adonis belongs to Alestidae, the African tetras, and is one of the smallest in the family at only about 2.5 centimeters. It is remarkable for being almost scaleless, with a near-transparent body carrying just a few scales, which is why it is sometimes called the naked tetra. Mature males show scattered dark spots while females are plainer and rounder. Breeding is difficult and rarely achieved: it demands very soft, acidic water, and the eggs and fry are extremely small and light-sensitive.

Did you know

It is one of very few characins that are almost entirely scaleless, so a settled adult looks like a sliver of tinted glass drifting over the sand. That bare, see-through body is why the trade also sells it as the naked tetra or jellybean tetra.