Ulrey's tetra

Hemigrammus ulreyi

Also known as Ulreyi tetra, Broken stripe tetra

FreshwaterFish

Ulrey's tetra (Hemigrammus ulreyi) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.7 in (4.4 cm)
Minimum tank: 20 gal (75 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Paraguay basin
Family: Characidae

Overview

This is a peaceful schooling tetra that should be kept in a group of at least eight, and ideally ten or more, since it is a shoaling fish that loses its nerve and its colour on its own. It swims in the middle of the tank and suits a calm community, though it does not compete well against very boisterous or much larger tankmates, so choose gentle companions. A soft-water planted tank with open swimming space is ideal. Feed small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, daphnia, and brine shrimp alongside good flake to keep its stripe bright. Give it a tank of around 75 liters for a proper school.

In the wild

Hemigrammus ulreyi comes from the Paraguay river basin in central South America, warm, clear to lightly stained lowland streams. Keep it at 22 to 27 degrees Celsius with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Soft, gently acidic water suits it best, in a planted tank with driftwood, some shade, and open room to swim in the middle levels. Clean, stable water keeps the fish in good colour.

Good to know

This characin of the family Characidae reaches about 4.4 centimeters and carries a bold dark line, edged in gold, running the length of its body, which is why it is also called the broken-line tetra. It was named in 1895 after Albert Ulrey, an American zoologist. The genuine species is scarce in the trade and is often confused with other striped tetras sold under its name. It is not known to have been bred in captivity.

Did you know

The fish is named for the zoologist Albert Ulrey, but for a long time the name was pinned on the wrong tetras. The true ulreyi is a Paraguay-basin fish that stays uncommon in the hobby, its identity muddled by look-alikes.