Scratched inpa tetra

Inpaichthys parauapiranga

Also known as Parauapiranga tetra

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 5.5–7.2
Adult size: 1.2 in (3 cm)
Minimum tank: 14 gal (54 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Common
Origin: Rio Parauapiranga, Pará, Brazil
Family: Characidae

Overview

A micro tetra described only in 2024, so keeping a colony is close to conservation work and worth recording properly. Keep twelve or more in a 54 liter tank with soft water, planting and dim light; a larger group is what makes a fish this small visible. Feed the finest foods available: crushed flake, micro granules, frozen cyclops and baby brine shrimp. Nothing large enough to eat it.

In the wild

Inpaichthys parauapiranga comes from the Rio Parauapiranga in Pará, Brazil, a small clearwater tributary. Keep it at 22 to 27 degrees Celsius and pH 5.5 to 7.2, with gentle flow, planting and subdued lighting.

Good to know

Inpaichthys parauapiranga reaches about 3 centimeters and was described in 2024. Its genus is named for INPA, the Brazilian national institute for Amazon research, and contains the royal tetra alongside a handful of recently described relatives. Captive observations are still thin, so keeper notes have real value here.

Did you know

Its whole known range is one river; the aquarium strain may become the species' insurance policy.

Tank mates

Scratched inpa tetra is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.