Congo tetra

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep them in a school of six or more, ideally with a few males so they display to each other. They are peaceful, active swimmers that hold the middle of the tank, and they want at least 90 liters with room to move. Target the mid to high 20s C and a soft, slightly acidic to neutral pH. Feed a mix of quality flake or pellet plus live and frozen foods to keep their color strong.

In the wild

Congo tetras live in the slow, plant-lined waters of the Congo Basin in Central Africa, often under shade with a soft, dark bottom. The water is soft and a touch acidic to neutral. To bring out their best color, run a planted tank with dim or filtered lighting and an open lane down the middle for swimming. A darker substrate also helps them feel settled.

Good to know

Congo tetras belong to the African characin family Alestidae. They reach about 8 cm and are egg scatterers that give no parental care. Males grow longer, flowing fin extensions than females, which is the easiest way to tell them apart.

Did you know

Their scales throw off a shifting gold, blue, and violet sheen that only really develops on well-fed adult males in a settled group. A single fish in a bright bare tank looks washed out by comparison.

Related species

• African Moon Tetra

  Bathyaethiops caudomaculatus

  3.1 in (8 cm)22 gal (85 L)72–77°F (22–25°C)

• 

  Niger tetra

  Arnoldichthys spilopterus

  3.9 in (10 cm)50 gal (190 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Sharptooth tetra

  Micralestes acutidens

  3.5 in (9 cm)32 gal (120 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Yellow-tailed Congo tetra

  Alestopetersius caudalis

  2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Jellybean tetra

  Ladigesia roloffi

  1.2 in (3 cm)10 gal (37 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Long-fin tetra

  Brycinus longipinnis

  4.9 in (12.5 cm)50 gal (190 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)