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Flameback bleeding heart tetra

Hyphessobrycon pyrrhonotus

Also known as Flame-back bleeding heart

FreshwaterFish
Flameback bleeding heart tetra (Hyphessobrycon pyrrhonotus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F (24–28°C)
pH
5.0–6.8
Adult size
2.1 in (5.4 cm)
Minimum tank
20 gal (75 L)
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Origin
Rio Negro basin, Brazil
Family
Characidae

Overview

Keep six or more with calm midsized company; like other bleeding hearts it is peaceful but substantial. It takes flake, granules, and meaty frozen foods. Color is condition-dependent: in hard bright water it looks ordinary, in soft dark water the back truly ignites.

In the wild

This bleeding heart comes from the Rio Negro basin, true blackwater country. It wants warmth and acidity: 24 to 28 degrees Celsius, pH 5.0 to 6.8, stained water, leaf litter, and shade, the darker and softer the better.

Good to know

Hyphessobrycon pyrrhonotus was described in 1993 and reaches about 5.4 centimeters. The name means flame-backed: it pairs the classic bleeding-heart shoulder spot with a band of glowing red along the upper body that neither of its bleeding-heart cousins carries.

Did you know

Of the three bleeding heart tetras in the hobby, this is the rare one that added a burning back to the trademark heart spot, and wild Rio Negro fish glow like coals.

Tank mates

Flameback bleeding heart tetra is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Flameback bleeding heart tetra need?

A Flameback bleeding heart tetra needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH do Flameback bleeding heart tetra need?

Flameback bleeding heart tetra are comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.0–6.8.

How big do Flameback bleeding heart tetra get?

An adult Flameback bleeding heart tetra reaches about 2.1 in (5.4 cm).

Do Flameback bleeding heart tetra need a group?

Yes. Flameback bleeding heart tetra are a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

Where to buy

Some links may not be the exact species or variety.

…or ask your local fish store.

Appears in

Freshwater fish · Tetras · Schooling fish · Community fish

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