Lemon tetra

Care at a glance

Overview

Lemon tetras are peaceful schoolers and should be kept in a group of at least six, ideally more, or they get skittish and nippy. They swim in the middle and upper water and are constantly active. Feed small foods like quality flake, micro-pellets, and the odd frozen treat such as brine shrimp or bloodworms. About 65 liters suits a school, with plants and open swimming room alongside calm tankmates.

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. A planted tank with driftwood, a darker substrate, and subdued lighting brings out their color. Keep the water soft and the pH around 6 to 7.5, with temps in the mid 20s C.

Good to know

Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis is a characin in the family Characidae and grows to about 5 cm. It has a translucent yellow body and a bright red top to the eye. It is an egg-scatterer with no parental care, and eggs hatch in roughly a day. The species is widespread and listed as Least Concern.

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 whole school's color intensity is a quick read on how settled and well-fed they are.

Related species

• 

  Mayan Tetra

  Hyphessobrycon compressus

  1.8 in (4.5 cm)16 gal (60 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)

• 

  Ornate tetra

  Hyphessobrycon bentosi

  1.8 in (4.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Serpae tetra

  Hyphessobrycon serpae

  1.8 in (4.5 cm)17 gal (65 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)
• Purple tetra

  Hyphessobrycon metae

  1.8 in (4.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  Lesser bleeding heart tetra

  Hyphessobrycon socolofi

  2.2 in (5.6 cm)24 gal (90 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  Bleeding heart tetra

  Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma

  2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)70–81°F (21–27°C)