Silvertip tetra

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep them in a school of six or more in a tank of around 70 liters. In good-sized groups they show their copper color and tight schooling. They are active mid-water swimmers and generally peaceful, though a thin group can turn nippy toward long-finned tankmates. Feed small flakes, micro-pellets, and the occasional daphnia or bloodworms. They adapt to a broad range of water conditions, which makes them a solid beginner fish.

In the wild

Silvertip tetras come from the Sao Francisco basin in Brazil, living in clear, moving streams over sand and rock with plant cover. The water is soft to moderately hard and runs from slightly acidic to neutral. A planted tank with some open swimming space, gentle flow, and a temperature in the mid-20s C suits them well. They tolerate a wide pH range, from 6 to 8.

Good to know

Hasemania nana is a small characin in the family Characidae, reaching only about 4 cm. Unusually for a tetra, it lacks an adipose fin. It is an egg scatterer that gives no parental care, with eggs hatching in roughly a day. It is a hardy, widely available species with no major conservation concerns.

Did you know

Dominant males turn a deeper coppery-gold during courtship, with the white fin tips standing out more, and they use that color shift to compete for females and stake out small display areas.

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