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Hilgendorf's Congo tetra

Alestopetersius hilgendorfi

Also known as Hilgendorfi tetra

FreshwaterFish

Hilgendorf's Congo tetra (Alestopetersius hilgendorfi)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
6.0–7.2
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
42 gal
160 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg scatterer
Rarity
Rare
Family
Alestidae
Origin
Central Congo basin

Overview

Hilgendorf's Congo tetra is a larger, peaceful schooling tetra that cruises the middle of the tank. It suits a keeper with some experience and a roomy tank.

Did you know

This tetra's name honors Franz Hilgendorf, a German zoologist who helped bring modern natural history to Meiji-era Japan. He later curated fish in Berlin, and more than a century on, this Congo tetra still carries his name.

Caring for the Hilgendorf's Congo tetra

Keep Hilgendorf's Congo tetras in a group of at least six, where they look and behave their best. Rival males spar in harmless display. A tank of 42 gal (160 L) or larger gives a school of these active fish real swimming length.

Leave open midwater, with driftwood or planting toward the back and sides. Keep the water at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.2. Give it some current, good filtration, clean oxygen-rich water and a regular change schedule.

Hilgendorf's Congo tetra is an easy omnivore. Base its diet on flake and pellets, and add frequent frozen or live foods such as bloodworm and brine shrimp.

It is peaceful, but it grows to a decent size. Give it roomy, robust tank mates such as Synodontis catfish, peaceful medium cichlids or bushfish rather than tiny nano fish. Males can carry an extended streamer on the tail. Reliable aquarium breeding is not documented, but like its relatives it scatters its eggs.

Good to know

Alestopetersius hilgendorfi is an African tetra in the family Alestidae and one of the larger fish in its genus. It is silvery, with yellow and dark tones in the fins. Hilgendorf also erected the related genus Petersius. Some sellers list it as the Hilgendorfi tetra.

In the wild

Hilgendorf's Congo tetra ranges through the channels and tributaries of the central Congo basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The water there is warm, soft and slightly acidic, and it moves steadily over sand and wood beneath forest cover.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Hilgendorf's Congo 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 Hilgendorf's Congo tetra need?

A Hilgendorf's Congo tetra needs at least 42 gal (160 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Hilgendorf's Congo tetra need?

A Hilgendorf's Congo tetra is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.2.

What does a Hilgendorf's Congo tetra eat?

A Hilgendorf's Congo tetra is an easy omnivore. It eats flake and pellets as a base, plus frequent frozen or live foods such as bloodworm and brine shrimp.

How big does a Hilgendorf's Congo tetra get?

An adult Hilgendorf's Congo tetra reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

Does a Hilgendorf's Congo tetra need a group?

Yes. A Hilgendorf's Congo tetra is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How can you tell a male Hilgendorf's Congo tetra from a female?

Males can carry an extended streamer on the tail.

How does a Hilgendorf's Congo tetra breed?

Hilgendorf's Congo tetra scatters its eggs like its relatives. Breeding it in the aquarium has not been documented in any reliable way.

Related species