Preto tetra
Moenkhausia pretoensis
Also known as Pretoensis tetra, Red fin moenkhausia
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–82°F
- 23–28°C
- pH
- 5.0–6.8
- Adult size
- 2.4 in
- 6 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Egg scatterer
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Characidae
- Origin
- Blackwater creeks of the Colombian and Brazilian Amazon
Overview
The Preto tetra is a peaceful schooling fish for a blackwater community tank. It suits an intermediate keeper.
Did you know
The Preto tetra is named for black water, not for any black marking it wears. Its name comes from a locality called Preto, the Portuguese word for black, and refers to the dark, tea-colored creeks it swims in.
Caring for the Preto tetra
Keep Preto tetras in a group of at least eight to ten, in 20 gal (75 L) or more. Filter over botanicals or peat, and add leaf litter and driftwood for tannins. Dim the light and use a dark substrate, since their silver shows cleanest against dark water and decor.
Give them warm water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C), with an acidic pH of 5.0 to 6.8 and very low hardness. Feed small foods such as quality flake, micro pellets, and regular frozen or live daphnia, cyclops and bloodworm.
Preto tetras are peaceful and swim in the middle of the tank. Pair them with fish that share their home waters, such as cardinal and other small tetras, pencilfish, hatchetfish and corydoras. Avoid large or pushy species. They are egg scatterers, but aquarium breeding is not documented.
Good to know
The Preto tetra, Moenkhausia pretoensis, belongs to the characin family Characidae. The fish itself is a fairly plain silver.
In the wild
The Preto tetra lives in dark, tannin-stained creeks of the upper Amazon in Colombia and Brazil. This is the kind of soft, acidic blackwater that cardinal tetras favor.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Preto 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.
Six-barred panchax
Epiplatys sexfasciatus
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Marble wood shrimp
Atya scabra
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Alacrina dwarf cichlid
Apistogramma alacrina
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Thick-lipped gourami
Trichogaster labiosa
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Kuekenthal's halfbeak
Hemirhamphodon kuekenthali
Freshwater3.3 in (8.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Clown pleco
Panaqolus maccus
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Preto tetra need?
A Preto tetra needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Preto tetra need?
A Preto tetra is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 5.0–6.8.
What does a Preto tetra eat?
A Preto tetra eats small foods, such as quality flake, micro pellets, and regular frozen or live daphnia, cyclops and bloodworm.
How big does a Preto tetra get?
An adult Preto tetra reaches about 2.4 in (6 cm).
Does a Preto tetra need a group?
Yes. A Preto tetra is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
How does a Preto tetra breed?
Preto tetras are egg scatterers. Aquarium breeding is not documented.
Related species
2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Cope's tetra
Moenkhausia copei
2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
2.2 in (5.6 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Dusky tetra
Moenkhausia phaeonota
2.2 in (5.6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
2.6 in (6.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Napo tetra
Moenkhausia naponis
2.6 in (6.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
2.1 in (5.4 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Ruby moenkhausia
Moenkhausia rubra
2.1 in (5.4 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
2.1 in (5.3 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Blackmargin tetra
Moenkhausia nigromarginata
2.1 in (5.3 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
2 in (5.2 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Aurora tetra
Moenkhausia aurora
2 in (5.2 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)