TankBud

Cosmops tetra

Bario cosmops

Also known as Moenkhausia cosmops, Lipstick tetra

FreshwaterFish

Cosmops tetra (Bario cosmops)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
5.5–7.0
Adult size
2.6 in
6.5 cm
Minimum tank
24 gal
90 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg scatterer
Rarity
Rare
Family
Characidae
Origin
Upper Tapajós and Paraguay headwaters, Brazil

Overview

The Cosmops tetra is a hardy, peaceful schooling fish for the middle of a community tank. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

Cosmops means adorned face in Greek. The fish lives up to it with a smear of blue over the eye. It carries that coloring straight out of the river.

Caring for the Cosmops tetra

Keep Cosmops tetras in a group of at least eight, in 24 gal (90 L) or larger. A dark substrate shows off their painted faces and deepens their colors. Add driftwood, some planting, open swimming lanes and some shade.

They are adaptable and undemanding about water. Soft to moderately hard water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.0 suits them. Keep the flow gentle and the water clean and stable with regular changes. Feed quality flake and micro pellets, with frozen or live foods like daphnia, bloodworm and brine shrimp.

Cosmops tetras are peaceful and mix well with other calm community fish of similar size. Tetras, pencilfish, peaceful barbs and corydoras all make good company. They are egg scatterers, and home breeding is not formally documented.

Good to know

The Cosmops tetra was described in 2007 as Moenkhausia cosmops and later moved to the genus Bario. It is a characin of the family Characidae. Its red lips and glittering scales give it the trade name lipstick tetra.

In the wild

The Cosmops tetra comes from clear headwater streams in Mato Grosso, Brazil. These streams lie on the divide between the upper Rio Tapajos and the Rio Paraguay.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Cosmops tetra is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Cosmops tetra need?

A Cosmops tetra needs at least 24 gal (90 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Cosmops tetra need?

A Cosmops tetra is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.

What does a Cosmops tetra eat?

A Cosmops tetra eats quality flake and micro pellets. Give it frozen or live foods like daphnia, bloodworm and brine shrimp as well.

How big does a Cosmops tetra get?

An adult Cosmops tetra reaches about 2.6 in (6.5 cm).

Does a Cosmops tetra need a group?

Yes. A Cosmops tetra is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How does a Cosmops tetra breed?

The Cosmops tetra is an egg scatterer. Home breeding has not been formally documented.

Related species