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
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.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
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.
Marble wood shrimp
Atya scabra
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Forktail spiny loach
Lepidocephalichthys furcatus
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Kuekenthal's halfbeak
Hemirhamphodon kuekenthali
Freshwater3.3 in (8.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Ornate rainbowfish
Rhadinocentrus ornatus
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Alacrina dwarf cichlid
Apistogramma alacrina
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Six-barred panchax
Epiplatys sexfasciatus
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–81°F (22–27°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 (4.5 cm)17 gal (65 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)Serpae tetra
Hyphessobrycon eques
1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 17 gal (65 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)