Hansen's hasemania

Hasemania hanseni

Also known as Hanseni tetra, Fowler's silver tip tetra

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.6 in (4 cm)
Minimum tank: 14 gal (54 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Tocantins headwaters, Brazil
Family: Characidae

Overview

Hansen's hasemania is an active, peaceful schooling fish that behaves much like its cousin the silvertip tetra, and it should be kept in a decent-sized group of at least eight to ten. A larger group keeps the fish busy with each other and reduces any tendency to nip at tankmates. It swims in the middle of the tank and suits robust, similar-sized community fish rather than slow or long-finned species. Feed quality flake, micro pellets, and frozen or live foods such as daphnia, bloodworm, and brine shrimp. Give a group around 54 liters or more with open swimming room.

In the wild

Hasemania hanseni comes from headwater creeks in the upper Tocantins drainage of Goias, central Brazil. Keep it in warm water from 22 to 27 degrees Celsius at pH 6.0 to 7.5 with soft to moderately hard water. A sand or fine gravel bottom, driftwood, and some hardy planting around open swimming space suit it, with steady, gentle flow and clean water from regular changes.

Good to know

Hasemania hanseni belongs to the characin family Characidae and reaches about 4 centimeters. Like all members of its genus it lacks the small adipose fin found on most tetras, so a quick fin count is one way to recognize a Hasemania; the silvertip tetra is its familiar relative. It is an egg-scattering spawner, and settled aquarium breeding of this particular species is not documented.

Did you know

Hasemania are among the few tetras with no adipose fin, the little fleshy fin most characins carry between the dorsal and the tail; counting fins is the quickest way to place one in the genus.