TankBud

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
Family
Characidae
Origin
Paraguay basin

Overview

Ulrey's tetra is a peaceful, striped schooling fish for a calm community tank. It suits a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

Ulrey's tetra had its name pinned on the wrong tetras for a long time. The true species stays uncommon in the hobby, and other striped tetras sold under its name still muddle its identity.

Caring for the Ulrey's tetra

Keep Ulrey's tetras in a group of at least eight, and ten or more if you can. Give the group a tank of 20 gal (75 L) or larger. A soft-water planted tank with driftwood, some shade and open swimming space in the middle levels suits them.

Give them soft, gently acidic water at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Clean, stable water keeps the fish in good color. Feed small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp alongside a good flake, which keeps the stripe bright.

Ulrey's tetras are peaceful shoaling fish, and one kept on its own loses its nerve and its color. They do not compete well against very boisterous or much larger tank mates, so choose gentle companions. They are not known to have been bred in captivity.

Good to know

Ulrey's tetra is a characin of the family Characidae, named in 1895 after the American zoologist Albert Ulrey. A bold dark line, edged in gold, runs the length of its body. That line is why it is also called the broken-line tetra.

In the wild

Hemigrammus ulreyi comes from the Paraguay river basin in central South America. It lives in warm lowland streams with clear to lightly stained water.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Ulrey's 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does an Ulrey's tetra need?

An Ulrey's tetra needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an Ulrey's tetra need?

An Ulrey's tetra is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does an Ulrey's tetra eat?

An Ulrey's tetra eats small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp. Give it a good flake alongside them.

How big does an Ulrey's tetra get?

An adult Ulrey's tetra reaches about 1.7 in (4.4 cm).

Does an Ulrey's tetra need a group?

Yes. An Ulrey's tetra is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

Related species