Vilma's tetra
Hyphessobrycon vilmae
Also known as Vilma tetra, Chocolate Neon Tetra
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–81°F
- 22–27°C
- pH
- 5.0–7.0
- Adult size
- 1.4 in
- 3.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 15 gal
- 55 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Characidae
- Origin
- Upper Tapajos basin, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Overview
Vilma's tetra is a classic schooling tetra for a soft-water community tank. It asks nothing unusual of an experienced community keeper.
Did you know
Vilma's tetra carries a personal dedication from Jacques Gery, who described it in 1966. Across a long career, he named tetras for colleagues, collectors and family.
Caring for the Vilma's tetra
Keep Vilma's tetras in a group of six or more, in a tank of 15 gal (55 L) or larger. A dark substrate with plant thickets and open lanes suits them.
Give them soft water at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C) and a pH of 5.0 to 7.0. Feed small dry and frozen foods.
Vilma's tetras are peaceful and swim in the middle of the tank. They pair naturally with corys, pencilfish and dwarf cichlids from the same headwater region. Breeding them is hard.
Good to know
Vilma's tetra is a characin of the family Characidae. It wears a strong dark lateral stripe under a golden back line. That crisp two-tone pattern photographs far better than its obscurity suggests.
In the wild
Vilma's tetra comes from the upper Tapajos basin in Mato Grosso, Brazil. It lives in soft, gently flowing forest streams.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Vilma'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.
Blackstripe cory
Hoplisoma bondi
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)
New Guinea blue-eye
Pseudomugil novaeguineae
Freshwater1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)
Hockeystick pencilfish
Nannostomus eques
Freshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Zebra pleco
Hypancistrus zebra
Freshwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)
Clown killifish
Epiplatys annulatus
Freshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
Barred pencilfish
Nannostomus espei
Freshwater1.2 in (3 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Vilma's tetra need?
A Vilma's tetra needs at least 15 gal (55 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Vilma's tetra need?
A Vilma's tetra is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 5.0–7.0.
What does a Vilma's tetra eat?
A Vilma's tetra eats small dry and frozen foods.
How big does a Vilma's tetra get?
An adult Vilma's tetra reaches about 1.4 in (3.5 cm).
Does a Vilma's tetra need a group?
Yes. A Vilma's tetra is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
1.4 in (3.5 cm)10 gal (38 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Black neon tetra
Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)
1.4 in (3.5 cm)14 gal (54 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Colombian gold tetra
Hyphessobrycon saizi
1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
1.4 in (3.5 cm)16 gal (60 L)70–81°F (21–27°C)Flag tetra
Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus
1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
1.4 in (3.5 cm)15 gal (55 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Krenakore tetra
Hyphessobrycon krenakore
1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)
1.4 in (3.5 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Loreto tetra
Hyphessobrycon loretoensis
1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
1.4 in (3.5 cm)15 gal (55 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Notidanos tetra
Hyphessobrycon notidanos
1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)