Tucano tetra
Tucanoichthys tucano
Also known as Tucano fish, Tucanoichthys tetra
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F
- 24–28°C
- pH
- 4.5–6.0
- Adult size
- 0.8 in
- 2 cm
- Minimum tank
- 12 gal
- 45 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Very rare
- Family
- Characidae
- Origin
- Endemic to the Rio Uaupes drainage in the upper Rio Negro system of Brazil.
Overview
This is a demanding nano jewel that needs very soft, acidic blackwater and a stable, mature tank to do well. Keep a group of at least 8 to 10 in a small species tank with leaf litter and gentle filtration. It is far too small and delicate for a general community and is really a fish for blackwater specialists.
In the wild
Lives in tiny, shaded blackwater forest streams in the upper Rio Negro region. The water is extremely soft, acidic, and stained dark with tannins, over a bed of sand and leaf litter. The fish stay in small shoals close to cover.
Good to know
Tucanoichthys tucano is a miniature characin under 2 cm that sits in its own genus, described only in the 1990s. It carries a dark lateral stripe topped with a red glow along the body. It comes from a very restricted range in Brazil.
Did you know
It was only discovered and named in the 1990s and still comes from just a small patch of blackwater streams, so it remains a scarce specialty fish.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Tucano 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.
Lumbantobing goby
Pseudogobiopsis lumbantobing
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Paska's blue-eye
Pseudomugil paskai
Freshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Kitty tetra
Hyphessobrycon heliacus
Freshwater1.3 in (3.4 cm) · 12 gal (45 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Dwarf warty catfish
Parakysis notialis
Freshwater1 in (2.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Green panchax
Aplocheilus blockii
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Somphongs's rasbora
Trigonostigma somphongsi
Freshwater1 in (2.5 cm) · 12 gal (45 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Tucano tetra need?
A Tucano tetra needs at least 12 gal (45 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Tucano tetra need?
A Tucano tetra is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 4.5–6.0.
How big does a Tucano tetra get?
An adult Tucano tetra reaches about 0.8 in (2 cm).
Does a Tucano tetra need a group?
Yes. A Tucano tetra is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
0.8 in (2 cm)9 gal (35 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Ember tetra
Hyphessobrycon amandae
0.8 in (2 cm) · 9 gal (35 L)
0.8 in (2 cm)12 gal (45 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Hummingbird tetra
Trochilocharax ornatus
0.8 in (2 cm) · 12 gal (45 L)
0.8 in (2 cm)12 gal (45 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Ruby tetra
Axelrodia riesei
0.8 in (2 cm) · 12 gal (45 L)
0.8 in (2 cm)7 gal (25 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)Yellow phantom tetra
Hyphessobrycon roseus
0.8 in (2 cm) · 7 gal (25 L)
0.7 in (1.9 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Tambopata glass tetra
Tyttocharax tambopatensis
0.7 in (1.9 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)
0.9 in (2.4 cm)11 gal (40 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Krieg's tetra
Serrapinnus kriegi
0.9 in (2.4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)