Vinaceus tetra

Hyphessobrycon vinaceus

Also known as Wine-red tetra, Vinaceus rosy tetra

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 5.5–7.0
Adult size: 1.6 in (4 cm)
Minimum tank: 14 gal (54 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Rio de Contas basin, Bahia, Brazil
Family: Characidae

Overview

This is a deep wine-red schooling tetra for a soft-water planted tank. Keep it in a group of at least eight, where the fish feel secure and the males show their fullest colour as they display. It swims in the middle levels and is peaceful, a good match for a calm community of similarly sized soft-water fish. Give it gentle flow, some shade, and planted margins with open swimming space. Feed varied small foods: quality flake and micro-pellets plus frozen bloodworm, daphnia, and brine shrimp. A tank of around 54 liters holds a good group.

In the wild

Hyphessobrycon vinaceus comes from a clear, fast coastal stream in the Atlantic drainages of eastern Bahia, Brazil, collected in rapid stretches just below a small waterfall over a sandy bottom. Recreate soft, gently acidic water at 22 to 27 degrees Celsius and a pH of 5.5 to 7.0, with some current and good oxygen. A sandy floor, driftwood, and planted edges with open central space suit it.

Good to know

This is a characin of the family Characidae, a small member of the rosy tetra group reaching around 4 centimeters. Its name, vinaceus, is Latin for wine and describes the deep claret red the body takes on, a colour unusual in the group. It is an egg-scattering spawner: in a separate tank over fine-leaved plants or a spawning mesh it drops eggs that the parents will eat if left, so breeders remove the adults after spawning.

Did you know

Unlike most aquarium tetras, this one is not an Amazon fish at all. It lives in a short coastal river basin in eastern Bahia, one of several isolated Atlantic drainages that have grown their own distinct tetras.