TankBud

Red-tail brycinus

Brycinus macrolepidotus

Also known as True big-scale tetra

FreshwaterFish

Red-tail brycinus (Brycinus macrolepidotus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
20.9 in
53 cm
Minimum tank
264 gal
1,000 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Alestidae
Origin
Nilo-Sudanic and Congo rivers, Africa

Overview

The red-tail brycinus is a fast, active schooling tetra that swims in open midwater. It is a fish for experienced keepers with room for a huge tank.

Did you know

The red-tail brycinus is a tetra you measure against an arowana, not a neon. Its coarse, plated scales are unusually large for a tetra, which is where the name big-scale tetra comes from.

Caring for the red-tail brycinus

Give the red-tail brycinus a very large aquarium of at least 264 gal (1,000 L), with a long, open swimming lane rather than fine planting. Realistically, it is a fish for a public aquarium or a dedicated monster-tank keeper.

Keep the water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Heavy-duty filtration, heavy oxygenation and strong flow keep the water pristine for a fish of this size. Feed generously on large pellets, meaty frozen foods, whole foods and some plant matter.

Keep a small group of at least five, since lone fish are nervous and a group settles. It is mostly peaceful for its size and leaves comparable tank mates alone. It will eat anything small enough to fit in its mouth, so keep only robust, similar-sized companions. Aquarium breeding is not recorded, and in the wild it spawns seasonally in rivers.

Good to know

Brycinus macrolepidotus, the true big-scale tetra, is one of the largest African tetras. Its name means large-scaled, and its silver scales catch the light, set off by a reddish wash in the tail. It is a valuable food and fishery species across much of Africa. In the wild it eats insects, crustaceans, smaller fish and plant matter.

In the wild

The red-tail brycinus is widespread across Africa, through the Nile, Niger, Senegal, Volta, Chad and Congo basins and the region's great lakes. It is more a river fish than a lake fish, living in large, warm, open, flowing water.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The red-tail brycinus is a mostly 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a red-tail brycinus need?

A red-tail brycinus needs at least 264 gal (1,000 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a red-tail brycinus need?

A red-tail brycinus is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a red-tail brycinus eat?

A red-tail brycinus eats large pellets, meaty frozen foods, whole foods and some plant matter. Feed it generously.

How big does a red-tail brycinus get?

An adult red-tail brycinus reaches about 20.9 in (53 cm).

Does a red-tail brycinus need a group?

Yes. A red-tail brycinus is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How does a red-tail brycinus breed?

The red-tail brycinus spawns seasonally in rivers in the wild. Breeding in the aquarium is not recorded.

Related species