Silvertip tetra
Hasemania nana
Also known as Silver tip tetra
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–82°F
- 23–28°C
- pH
- 6.0–8.0
- Adult size
- 1.6 in
- 4 cm
- Minimum tank
- 18 gal
- 70 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Characidae
- Origin
- Brazil
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.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Silvertip 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.
Kuekenthal's halfbeak
Hemirhamphodon kuekenthali
Freshwater3.3 in (8.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Marble wood shrimp
Atya scabra
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Amanda Jane's cory
Brochis amandajanea
Freshwater2.6 in (6.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Umbrella cichlid
Apistogramma borellii
Freshwater2.6 in (6.5 cm) · 18 gal (70 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
Blue panchax
Aplocheilus panchax
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Bethan's cory
Brochis bethanae
Freshwater2.6 in (6.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Silvertip tetra need?
A Silvertip tetra needs at least 18 gal (70 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Silvertip tetra need?
A Silvertip tetra is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–8.0.
How big does a Silvertip tetra get?
An adult Silvertip tetra reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).
Does a Silvertip tetra need a group?
Yes. A Silvertip tetra is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
1.6 in (4 cm)14 gal (54 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Hansen's hasemania
Hasemania hanseni
1.6 in (4 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)16 gal (60 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Epicharis tetra
Hyphessobrycon epicharis
1.6 in (4 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)18 gal (70 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Glowlight tetra
Hemigrammus erythrozonus
1.6 in (4 cm) · 18 gal (70 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)17 gal (65 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)January tetra
Hemigrammus hyanuary
1.6 in (4 cm) · 17 gal (65 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)15 gal (55 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Madre de Dios tetra
Hyphessobrycon nigricinctus
1.6 in (4 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Parrot tetra
Hyphessobrycon psittacus
1.6 in (4 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)