Yellow-tailed Congo tetra

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep it in a school of at least six. In smaller numbers it gets nervous and washed out. It swims in the middle and upper water and is peaceful with similar-sized fish. In the wild it eats small insects, larvae, and bits of plant matter, so feed good flake or small pellets with regular live or frozen treats like bloodworms and daphnia.

In the wild

This tetra comes from the slow, soft, slightly acidic waters of the Congo Basin, usually over sand or mud with plenty of plants around. Aim for soft water on the acidic to neutral side, pH 6 to 7.5, and a temperature in the low to mid 20s C. A planted tank with some open swimming room and dimmer lighting shows off its colors and keeps it settled.

Good to know

It is a member of the African tetra family, Alestidae, and stays small at around 6 cm. It is an egg scatterer with no parental care, and the eggs hatch in roughly a day and a half. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern with stable wild populations.

Did you know

Males grow long, trailing extensions on the middle of the tail fin, which they flick and display during courtship to compete for females.

Related species

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  Sharptooth tetra

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• 

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• 

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• 

  Spot-tail Tetra

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• 

  Niger tetra

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