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
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Central Congo basin
Family: Alestidae

Overview

Hilgendorf's Congo tetra is a larger, peaceful schooling tetra that wants a group of at least six to look and behave its best, with rival males sparring in harmless display. It cruises the middle of the tank and needs real swimming length and some flow. Because it grows to a decent size, give it roomy, robust tankmates like Synodontis catfish, peaceful medium cichlids, or bushfish rather than tiny nano fish. It is an easy omnivore: base its diet on flake and pellets and add frequent frozen or live foods such as bloodworm and brine shrimp. A tank of around 160 liters or larger suits a school of these active fish.

In the wild

This tetra ranges through the channels and tributaries of the central Congo basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The water is warm, soft, and slightly acidic, moving steadily over sand and wood beneath forest cover. Give it a spacious, well-filtered tank with open midwater, some current, and driftwood or planting toward the back and sides. Keep it at 23 to 27 degrees Celsius and pH 6.0 to 7.2, with clean, oxygen-rich water and a regular change schedule.

Good to know

Alestopetersius hilgendorfi is an African tetra in Alestidae, reaching about 10 centimeters, one of the larger fish in its genus. It is silvery with yellow and dark tones in the fins, and males can carry an extended streamer on the tail. The name honors Franz Hilgendorf, the German zoologist who erected the related genus Petersius. Aquarium breeding is not documented in any reliable way, but like its relatives it is an egg-scattering species.

Did you know

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

Tank mates

Hilgendorf's Congo tetra is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.