Flame tetra
The Flame Tetra (Hyphessobrycon flammeus), also known as the Red Tetra or Tetra of Rio, is a small freshwater fish of the characin family Characidae of order Characiformes. The species was first introduced as aquarium fish in 1920 by C. Bruening, Hamburg, Germany, and formally described in 1924 by Dr. George S. Myers.
Cuba produced a postal stamp with an image of H. flammeus in 1978.
Cuba produced a postal stamp with an image of H. flammeus in 1978.
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| Flame tetra |
image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nonstickron/
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| Flame tetra |
image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/d_wilkinson08/
Habits, colouration and sexing
Standard length reaches 2.5 to 4 cm. The rear half of the body is flame red while the area in front of the dorsal fin is silver crossed by two dark vertical bars. All the fins are red except for the pectoral fins, which are colourless.The tip of the anal fin on the male is black, while on the female the fins have less red colouration but darker tips of the pectoral fins.
Geographical distribution
H. flammeus is found in slowly flowing rivers in the vicinity of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, South America.The natural populations are locally endangered and listed in the Brazilian national red list but not in the international IUCN red list. Commercially sold Flame Tetras are bred in captivity since capture and export from Brazil are prohibited.
Aquarium keeping and breeding
H. flammeus should be kept in groups of more than 5 fish in tanks with a volume of 60+ Litres, preferably 600+ mm in length. Its preferred water parameters are: 22-28°C, pH 5.8 - 7.8, dH 5 - 25. The aquarium should contain live plants for hiding and some free water for swimming. Keeping and breeding is easy and the Flame Tetra can be kept in community aquariums. It is generally peaceful.
In the wild, Flame Tetras feed on insect larvae, small crustaceans, plant matter and in some noted cases, tiny strips of chicken.In captivity they will happily feed on dried flake, Daphnia, mosquito larvae, and frozen foods.
The Flame Tetra also enjoys aquariums with plenty of wood and plants, as this will bring out their best colors and natural behavior. Larger South American species such as angelfish and silver dollar fish can keep them in a nice tight school, simulating a protective group.
In the wild, Flame Tetras feed on insect larvae, small crustaceans, plant matter and in some noted cases, tiny strips of chicken.In captivity they will happily feed on dried flake, Daphnia, mosquito larvae, and frozen foods.
The Flame Tetra also enjoys aquariums with plenty of wood and plants, as this will bring out their best colors and natural behavior. Larger South American species such as angelfish and silver dollar fish can keep them in a nice tight school, simulating a protective group.
Breeding
Breeding these fish in captivity is as typical for most of the Tetra family. They will spawn in both hard and soft water. It is recommended that the parents be removed after spawning as they will eat the eggs. Flame Tetras scatter about 200-300 adhesive eggs through plants; a large clump of Java moss placed in the aquarium is ideal for this. The eggs hatch relatively quickly, in 24-36 hours, but the fry do not become free-swimming until several days later.