Purple tetra

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep a shoal of at least 8 for the best color and behavior. It is a hardy, peaceful community fish that suits soft to moderately hard water. The purple sheen shows best over dark substrate in a planted tank.

In the wild

Comes from soft, slightly acidic streams and tributaries of the Rio Meta and upper Orinoco. These are calm, shaded waters with wood, roots, and leaf litter. The fish shoal in the middle water.

Good to know

Hyphessobrycon metae is a small tetra of around 4.5 cm with a broad dark stripe along the side and a soft purple sheen above it. It is named for the Rio Meta, where it was first found. It is closely related to several other striped Hyphessobrycon tetras.

Did you know

In good condition a soft violet gleam sits above the black side stripe, which is where the purple tetra name comes from.

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)

• 

  Lemon tetra

  Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis

  2 in (5 cm)17 gal (65 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Peruvian tetra

  Hyphessobrycon peruvianus

  1.6 in (4 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Red phantom tetra

  Hyphessobrycon sweglesi

  1.6 in (4 cm)15 gal (55 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)