The Amazon, Rio Guapore and Rio Paraguay, South America.
Maximum Size
4cm (1.6")
Temperature
22-26°C
Water Parameters
Will acclimatise to a wide range of conditions. pH: 6.0-7.5, dH: up to 18 degrees.
Compatibility
Community with no long-finned fish
Lighting
No special requirements
Sexual Dimorphism
Mature females are fuller-bodied.
Feeding
Flake, granules and frozen foods
Description
Care
Serpae Tetra is a beautiful glittering species but has a bad reputation for being a fin-nipper. This will present a problem where fancy long-finned fish are concerned, so choose tankmates with care. The nippiness can be controlled to a degree by keeping larger shoals (10+ fish) in larger tanks with plenty of decor and plant life to create visual barriers, although fish with very long trailing fins would still not be recommended. For those fishkeepers who like the appearance of the Serpae Tetra, but not the aggression level, you could consider the Red Phantom Tetra instead (providing its temperature requirements are compatible with that of the other species you are keeping) or even the Ember tetra.
Recent taxonomic work has put this species in the genus Megalamphodus.
Feeding
Easy to feed - will eagerly accept most foods offered. Vary the diet with flake, micropellets and small frozen foods such as daphnia and mosquito larvae.
Breeding
A conditioned pair should be added to a specially set up breeding aquarium which has soft water, a pH below 6.5, and plenty of live plants. The male is said to pursue the female during the first light of day, after which time she will release her eggs, which will sink to the bottom of the aquarium amongst the plants. Remove parents after spawning. The eggs should hatch after 24 hours.
Where can I buy these aquarium fish?
If you like this species and would like to find out more, we have an enormous range of aquarium fish and invertebrates available to buy in all of our stores across the UK (including freshwater tropical and marine fish).
However, please note that this species may not be available in your chosen store, even if the store specialises in this particular species. This is due to seasonality and stock availability from store-to-store. Please check with your local store about availability of specific species to purchase before making a journey.
For delivery before Christmas, orders must be placed on or before 3pm on Wednesday 20th December. We cannot guarantee delivery of these orders pre-Christmas as we are reliant on our couriers, but will use our best endeavours to get orders placed on this date out to you before Christmas. For full details of our festive delivery and opening times click here
Please note: online orders placed after 3pm on Friday 22nd December will not be dispatched until the New Year. For full details of our festive delivery and opening times click here
