Flame tetra

Hyphessobrycon flammeus

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 68–79°F (20–26°C)
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 1 in (2.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 10 gal (38 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Brazil
Family: Characidae

Overview

Keep them in a group of at least six. They are peaceful mid-water swimmers that color up better and act more naturally in numbers. A 38 liter tank suits a small school, with temperatures in the low to mid 20s C. Feed a mix of quality flake, micro-pellets, and the odd serving of frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp. They get along well with other calm community fish.

In the wild

Flame tetras come from the coastal rivers near Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil. They live in slow, shaded streams over fine sand and leaf litter, where the water runs soft and slightly acidic. Aim for that at home: a planted tank with some shade, a sandy bottom, and pH on the lower end of their 5.5 to 7.5 range. A bit of botanical material like leaves or wood helps recreate the conditions they know.

Good to know

This is a small characin in the family Characidae, reaching about 2.5 cm as an adult. They are egg scatterers that give no parental care, and breeding is moderately tricky to pull off in a tank. Their wild range near Rio has shrunk under urban development and pollution, so wild stock is under pressure, though the species is common in the hobby and easy to find captive-bred.

Did you know

Males turn a deeper, hotter red during courtship to win over females, and they also use small fin-flaring displays against rival males. A settled, well-fed group looks noticeably different from a few stressed loners.