African oneline tetra

Care at a glance

Overview

This peaceful, easygoing fish does well in a shoal of at least 6 in a planted community tank. It is undemanding about water chemistry but is easily bullied, so keep it with other calm, small fish. Good numbers and gentle tankmates keep it out and active.

In the wild

Lives in streams, small rivers, ponds, and lake margins across a broad swath of Africa. It shoals in the middle and lower water among plants and over soft bottoms. The water ranges from soft to moderately hard.

Good to know

Nannaethiops unitaeniatus is a small African characin of around 6.5 cm in the family Distichodontidae, marked by a single dark stripe from snout to tail. Females grow a little larger than males. Spawning males take on a golden red flush.

Did you know

When a male comes into spawning condition, the plain dark stripe intensifies and his body flushes with warm gold and red.

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