Kyburz tetra

Pseudochalceus kyburzi

Also known as Kyburzi tetra, Giant spotted emperor tetra

FreshwaterFish

Kyburz tetra (Pseudochalceus kyburzi) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 5.5–7.0
Adult size: 3.1 in (7.8 cm)
Minimum tank: 29 gal (110 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Pacific-slope streams of Colombia
Family: Characidae

Overview

The Kyburz tetra is a large, boldly colored schooling fish that should be kept in a group of at least six, ideally more, to spread out its energy. It is mostly peaceful but pushy: rival males spar with one another, and the fish will nip smaller, slower, or long-finned tankmates, so choose robust, fast-moving companions of similar size and give the tank plenty of space and visual barriers. It swims in the middle of the water and treats feeding as a competition, taking flake, pellets, and frozen or live foods like bloodworm, brine shrimp, and mosquito larvae. Give a group around 110 liters or more, well decorated.

In the wild

Pseudochalceus kyburzi comes from forest streams on the Pacific slope of Colombia, in the wet Choco region rather than the Amazon side of the Andes. Keep it in soft, slightly acidic water from 22 to 27 degrees Celsius at pH 5.5 to 7.0. Provide open midwater for swimming together with structure around the edges, using driftwood, rocks, and planting to create shady retreats and break up lines of sight between rival males.

Good to know

Pseudochalceus kyburzi is a robust characin, family Characidae, reaching about 7.8 centimeters, with pink to turquoise spangling over a wine-red body. It lives on the Pacific side of the Colombian Andes and honors the collector William Kyburz. Breeding is not documented in home aquaria, and like other characins it is an egg-scattering spawner with no parental care.

Did you know

It comes from the Choco, the rain-drenched Pacific coast of Colombia whose fishes seldom cross the Andes into the aquarium trade, which is part of why it stays uncommon.

Tank mates

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