Hummingbird tetra
Trochilocharax ornatus
Also known as Ornate hummingbird tetra, Hummingbird characin, Ornate Glass Tetra
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–81°F
- 23–27°C
- pH
- 5.0–6.5
- Adult size
- 0.8 in
- 2 cm
- Minimum tank
- 12 gal
- 45 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Characidae
- Origin
- Native to the upper Amazon in Peru.
Overview
This is a delicate nano fish that needs soft, acidic, spotless water and a mature, gently filtered tank. Keep a group of at least 10, since a small huddle will simply hide away. House it only with the smallest, most peaceful tankmates, or better yet on its own, and feed tiny foods it can actually swallow.
In the wild
Comes from soft, acidic blackwater streams and pools in the Peruvian Amazon. These are shaded, tannin stained waters full of leaf litter and fine roots. The tiny fish keep to the middle water among cover.
Good to know
Trochilocharax ornatus is one of the smallest characins in the hobby at under 2 cm, and it sits in its own genus. Males have extended, ornate fins that they flick in rapid display. The hummingbird name comes from these fast, hovering fin movements.
Did you know
Displaying males flick their oversized fins in a rapid, hovering flutter that looks a bit like a hummingbird working a flower, which is how the fish got its name.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Hummingbird 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.
Violet cory
Hoplisoma simile
Freshwater2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 12 gal (45 L)70–81°F (21–27°C)
Borneo gold spot halfbeak
Hemirhamphodon tengah
Freshwater1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Somphongs's rasbora
Trigonostigma somphongsi
Freshwater1 in (2.5 cm) · 12 gal (45 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Burmese mini moth catfish
Hara minuscula
Freshwater1.2 in (3 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
Paska's blue-eye
Pseudomugil paskai
Freshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Blue axelrodi rasbora
Sundadanio axelrodi
Freshwater0.8 in (2 cm) · 12 gal (45 L)73–79°F (23–26°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Hummingbird tetra need?
A Hummingbird tetra needs at least 12 gal (45 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Hummingbird tetra need?
A Hummingbird tetra is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 5.0–6.5.
How big does a Hummingbird tetra get?
An adult Hummingbird tetra reaches about 0.8 in (2 cm).
Does a Hummingbird tetra need a group?
Yes. A Hummingbird tetra is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
0.8 in (2 cm)9 gal (35 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Ember tetra
Hyphessobrycon amandae
0.8 in (2 cm) · 9 gal (35 L)
0.8 in (2 cm)12 gal (45 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Ruby tetra
Axelrodia riesei
0.8 in (2 cm) · 12 gal (45 L)
0.8 in (2 cm)12 gal (45 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Tucano tetra
Tucanoichthys tucano
0.8 in (2 cm) · 12 gal (45 L)
0.8 in (2 cm)7 gal (25 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)Yellow phantom tetra
Hyphessobrycon roseus
0.8 in (2 cm) · 7 gal (25 L)
0.7 in (1.9 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Tambopata glass tetra
Tyttocharax tambopatensis
0.7 in (1.9 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)
0.9 in (2.4 cm)11 gal (40 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Krieg's tetra
Serrapinnus kriegi
0.9 in (2.4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)