Care
The Red Spotted Splash Tetra is known from slow-moving tropical rainforest streams where the water is soft and acidic, and where there is an abundance of lush vegetation both in the water and growing/overhanging the margins. A shoal of these elongate characins makes for an eye-catching addition to peaceful, planted softwater aquariums and paludariums, where they will occupy the mid to upper levels. The tank should be mature, water movement gentle, and the tank furnished with driftwood and plenty of plant life (including floating species and species which form large broad leaves near the water's surface). Peat filtration would be very beneficial. As these fish are accomplished jumpers, the aquarium must have tight fitting coverslides with no escape holes where equipment might feed in to the tank (holes can be blocked with bits of coarse filter sponge). As a shoaling species, Red Spotted Splash Tetras are best maintained in good sized groups; six specimens at the minimum and 10+ being much better. Due to their relatively small adult size, care must be taken when considering tankmates. They are easily intimidated by boisterous fish and should not be housed with anything that would consider them a snack. Good companions would include smaller species of Corydoras catfish, dwarf cichlids, pencilfish, and other small blackwater tetras. Copella species are commonly referred to as 'splash tetras" or "˜splashing tetras' but in fact it is only C. arnoldi which lays its eggs above the water and keeps them wet by splashing them. The others spawn on or among leaves at the surface of the water (see Breeding section below).
Feeding
In the wild, these fish feed on small worms, insects, and crustaceans. In the home aquarium, they are not fussy feeders and should be offered a good mixture of foodstuffs including small meaty frozen fare e.g. mini-bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, daphnia, and cyclops, plus flake and micro granules.
Breeding
Red Spotted Splash Tetras have been bred in the home aquarium, although it is quite challenging. The water in the breeding tank must be very soft (< 8 dH) and acidic. Peat filtration can help in this respect. It should also contain a dense amount of planting that reaches the water's surface. When ready to breed, the male will search for a suitable spawning territory and then attempt to entice a ripe female into the area. The eggs will be laid on broad leaved plants near the surface or scattered amongst finer-leaved vegetation. Once she appears spent of eggs, it is wise to remove the female from the breeding aquarium, as the male fish takes on sole responsibility of guarding the eggs until they hatch (usually between 36-72 hours depending on water temperature). Once the eggs begin to hatch, all paternal care ceases, and the male should also be removed from the aquarium to prevent predation. The fry will begin feeding after 2 days, once their yolk sacs have been absorbed. Offer them infusoria, brineshrimp nauplii, and microworms. Growth is generally very slow. In very heavily planted aquaria, a good number of the fry should survive to adulthood without intervention.
