Lemon tetra
Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–82°F
- 22–28°C
- pH
- 6.0–8.0
- Adult size
- 2 in
- 5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 17 gal
- 65 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Egg scatterer · Hard
- Rarity
- Very common
- Family
- Characidae
- Origin
- Brazil
Overview
The lemon tetra is a peaceful schooling characin for a planted community tank. It is an easy fish to keep.
Did you know
In a tight group, dominant lemon tetras flush their fins with deep black-and-yellow edging during display, while subordinate fish stay washed out. The color of the whole school is a quick read on how settled and well-fed they are.
Caring for the lemon tetra
Keep lemon tetras in a group of at least six, and ideally more, or they get skittish and nippy. A school fits in 17 gal (65 L) or more. They are constantly active in the middle and upper water, so leave open swimming room among the plants.
A planted tank with driftwood, a darker substrate and subdued lighting brings out their color. Keep the water soft, at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 8.0.
Feed small foods such as quality flake and micro pellets, with the odd frozen treat such as brine shrimp or bloodworms. Lemon tetras are peaceful, so keep them alongside calm tank mates. They are egg scatterers with no parental care. The eggs hatch in roughly a day, but breeding them is hard.
Good to know
The lemon tetra, Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis, is a characin in the family Characidae. It has a translucent yellow body and a bright red top to the eye. The species is widespread and listed as Least Concern.
In the wild
Lemon tetras come from clear, slow tributaries in the Brazilian Amazon, shaded by overhanging plants and full of roots and leaf litter. The water is soft and slightly acidic, with a dim, tannin-tinted look.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The lemon 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.
Neocaridina shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (19 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
FreshwaterBrackish2.4 in (6 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Neon tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Freshwater1.5 in (3.8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)
Spotted splash tetra
Copella nattereri
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Gold rabbit snail
Tylomelania gemmifera
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Kuhli loach
Pangio kuhlii
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 17 gal (65 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a lemon tetra need?
A lemon tetra needs at least 17 gal (65 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a lemon tetra need?
A lemon tetra is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–8.0.
What does a lemon tetra eat?
A lemon tetra eats small foods such as quality flake and micro pellets. Give it the odd frozen treat as well, such as brine shrimp or bloodworms.
How big does a lemon tetra get?
An adult lemon tetra reaches about 2 in (5 cm).
Does a lemon tetra need a group?
Yes. A lemon tetra is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
How does a lemon tetra breed?
Lemon tetras scatter their eggs and give them no parental care. The eggs hatch in roughly a day, but breeding them is hard.
Related species
2 in (5.2 cm)17 gal (65 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Agulha tetra
Hyphessobrycon agulha
2 in (5.2 cm) · 17 gal (65 L)
1.9 in (4.8 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Margitae tetra
Hyphessobrycon margitae
1.9 in (4.8 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
2.1 in (5.4 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Flameback bleeding heart tetra
Hyphessobrycon pyrrhonotus
2.1 in (5.4 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
1.8 in (4.6 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Itaparica tetra
Hyphessobrycon itaparicensis
1.8 in (4.6 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
1.8 in (4.5 cm)16 gal (60 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Mayan tetra
Hyphessobrycon compressus
1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
1.8 in (4.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Ornate tetra
Hyphessobrycon bentosi
1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)