Red devil tetra
Hyphessobrycon piranga
Also known as Piranga tetra
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–82°F
- 23–28°C
- pH
- 5.0–7.0
- Adult size
- 1 in
- 2.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 10 gal
- 38 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Characidae
- Origin
- Mato Grosso, Brazil
Overview
The red devil tetra is a tiny, peaceful schooling fish for a nano community tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.
Did you know
Red devil tetra males and females look so different that a school seems like two species swimming together. Shops occasionally sell the two sexes as different fish.
Caring for the red devil tetra
Keep red devil tetras in a nano or small planted tank of 10 gal (38 L) or more. Tannins and gentle flow suit them.
Keep the water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C), with a pH of 5.0 to 7.0. Their food must be tiny, such as crushed flake, micro granules and brine shrimp nauplii.
Red devil tetras are completely peaceful and suit nano communities, where they swim in the middle of the tank. Keep ten or more of them to get the full two-tone effect.
Males color deep red, while females stay yellow-gold. In a group, the red males court the yellow females. Red devil tetras suit breeding projects, and breeding them is moderately difficult.
Good to know
Hyphessobrycon piranga is a miniature tetra in the family Characidae, described in 2018. Its name, piranga, means red in Tupi. The devil in its trade name is strictly marketing.
In the wild
The red devil tetra comes from soft, shallow waters in Mato Grosso, Brazil.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The red devil 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.
Green panchax
Aplocheilus blockii
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Green babaulti shrimp
Caridina babaulti
Freshwater1.2 in (3 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Wandering snail
Ampullaceana balthica
Freshwater0.8 in (2 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)50–84°F (10–29°C)
Dwarf warty catfish
Parakysis notialis
Freshwater1 in (2.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Black-barred livebearer
Quintana atrizona
Freshwater1.3 in (3.4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Honey blue-eye
Pseudomugil mellis
Freshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a red devil tetra need?
A red devil tetra needs at least 10 gal (38 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a red devil tetra need?
A red devil tetra is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 5.0–7.0.
What does a red devil tetra eat?
A red devil tetra needs tiny foods, such as crushed flake, micro granules and brine shrimp nauplii.
How big does a red devil tetra get?
An adult red devil tetra reaches about 1 in (2.5 cm).
Does a red devil tetra need a group?
Yes. A red devil tetra is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
How can you tell a male red devil tetra from a female?
Males color deep red, while females stay yellow-gold.
How does a red devil tetra breed?
Red devil tetras suit breeding projects, and in a group the red males court the yellow females. Breeding them is moderately difficult.
Related species
1 in (2.5 cm)10 gal (38 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Crystal red tetra
Hyphessobrycon haraldschultzi
1 in (2.5 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)
1 in (2.5 cm)10 gal (38 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Flame tetra
Hyphessobrycon flammeus
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1 in (2.6 cm)10 gal (38 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Parvellus tetra
Hyphessobrycon parvellus
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0.9 in (2.4 cm)10 gal (38 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Veiltail tetra
Hyphessobrycon elachys
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1.1 in (2.8 cm)10 gal (38 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Calypso tetra
Hyphessobrycon axelrodi
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Hyphessobrycon myrmex
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