Serpae Tetra
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Serpae
Tetra
Hyphessobrycon
calistus
Max.
size: 4cm
/ 1.5 inches
pH
range:
6 – 8
dH
range:
2-30
Temperature
range:
22 - 26°C / 72 – 79°F
Care
Easy to Moderate
Common names-
Blood Tetra, Red Minor Tetra, Red
Serpae
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The Serpae Tetra originates
from South America and goes by a variety of
names which can cause some
confusion.
It has a distinct red colour
to the body and is tall and
compressed. The shades of red can vary
from bright red to reddish brown.
The body is decorated with a
black comma-shaped mark that is found right
behind the gill cover. As the Serpae
Tetra grows these markings fade and may well
grow smaller.
The anal fin is red and
fringed with black and white layers the tail
and ventral fins are red whilst the dorsal fin
is tall and black with a thin white
fringe.
Your aquarium needs to be at
least twenty four inches long and well planted
as the Serpae Tetra likes to stay close to the
surface amongst the plants. Their natural
habitat has quite dense plant life and they
will appreciate plants that cover the surface
of the tank.
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Serpae Tetra
(Wikipedia)
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This is a
popular fish in community tanks and needs to be kept in shoals
of at least five or six fish. Although fairly peaceful in
nature they do get in a bit of a frenzy at feeding time and
could even be considered aggressive when feeding occasionally
nipping fins as they compete for food.
In the wild
they are omnivorous and live on a varied diet. You need
to try to keep their diet quite varied in the tank including
flake food and frozen food.
The Serpae
Tetra will breed quite readily in captivity but as with other
fish the fry need to be separated from the main tank to avoid
being eaten. If left in the main tank they will hide in
amongst weed until large enough to survive but you will have a
much reduced survival rate.
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