Purple tetra
Hyphessobrycon metae
Also known as Meta tetra, Purple loreto tetra, Purple Neon Tetra
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–82°F
- 23–28°C
- pH
- 5.5–7.5
- Adult size
- 1.8 in
- 4.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Characidae
- Origin
- Native to the Rio Meta and upper Orinoco drainages of Colombia and Venezuela.
Overview
The purple tetra is a hardy, peaceful community fish that looks its best in a planted tank. It is easy to keep.
Did you know
The purple tetra is named for the soft violet gleam that sits above its broad black side stripe. The gleam shows when the fish is in good condition.
Caring for the purple tetra
Keep purple tetras in a shoal of at least eight, which brings out their best color and behavior. A group needs a tank of 20 gal (75 L) or more. The purple sheen shows best over a dark substrate in a planted tank.
Purple tetras suit soft to moderately hard water. Keep it at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C), with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5.
They shoal in the middle of the tank and are peaceful, so they are safe with other community fish. Breeding them is moderately difficult.
Good to know
Hyphessobrycon metae is a small tetra in the family Characidae. Its species name, metae, comes from the Rio Meta, where it was first found. Several other striped Hyphessobrycon tetras are close relatives.
In the wild
Purple tetras come from soft, slightly acidic streams and tributaries of the Rio Meta and upper Orinoco, in Colombia and Venezuela. These are calm, shaded waters with wood, roots and leaf litter.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The purple 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)
Marble wood shrimp
Atya scabra
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Adolfo's cory
Hoplisoma adolfoi
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)
Kuekenthal's halfbeak
Hemirhamphodon kuekenthali
Freshwater3.3 in (8.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a purple tetra need?
A purple tetra needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a purple tetra need?
A purple tetra is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.5.
How big does a purple tetra get?
An adult purple tetra reaches about 1.8 in (4.5 cm).
Does a purple tetra need a group?
Yes. A purple tetra is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
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)
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)
1.7 in (4.4 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Lapis tetra
Hyphessobrycon cyanotaenia
1.7 in (4.4 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
1.7 in (4.4 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Melanostichos tetra
Hyphessobrycon melanostichos
1.7 in (4.4 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
1.7 in (4.4 cm)16 gal (60 L)70–81°F (21–27°C)Robustulus tetra
Hyphessobrycon robustulus
1.7 in (4.4 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)