Tetra: description, types and contents of aquarium fish

Tetra - what is this aquarium fish, what maintenance and care does it need? Those who first come to the pet store with the goal of acquiring a pet for the aquarium are most likely to recommend this unpretentious and bright-looking representative of the haracin family.

Its compact size and liveliness make it a good addition to existing aquariums with an existing biosphere. A variety of species of such fish (royal tetra or palmery, diamond and sapphire) allow you to create a variety of combinations of pets, even in a species of artificial reservoir.

The description of the aquarium fish tetra allows you to get a fairly complete picture of its appearance and other important characteristics. This genus of the haracin family is characterized by habitat in the warm and shallow reservoirs of South America. In nature, tetras choose a flocking way of life, they actively use natural shelters - driftwood, algae, and other aquatic vegetation.

The appearance of the tetra depends on the species, but on the whole individuals have an elongated rhomboid body, 2-15 cm long. Under good conditions, the body of the fish retains a bright saturated color, when the environment worsens, it turns pale. The average life expectancy is at least 5-6 years.

In total, there are more than 20 types of tetras found in home aquariums. It is worth exploring their names and a brief description in more detail.

• Royal Tetra or Palmeri. These fish are characterized by a dark color of the abdomen, the presence of a contrasting wide strip along the body. The back is translucent, pink-purple hue. The fins have a light greenish yellow hue.

• Gold. Tetras of this species have golden eyes and the same upper part of the body, in the middle of the body lies a brighter horizontal strip, the lower part of the body is silver. The fins are transparent.

• Diamond A fish with a platinum gray body, out of directional light, it looks inconspicuous, but in the rays of illumination its scales shine like diamonds.

• Fiery or tetra of Amanda. A fish with a translucent elongated body, recently discovered, this species is often confused with the usual red.

• Red Type tetra with a golden yellow color of the head and a smooth transition of color along the body in scarlet. Particularly striking are the borders of the fins. There is a horizontal strip extending from the middle of the body.

• Colombian or sapphire. A sufficiently brightly colored tetra and one of the largest - in the aquarium grows up to 7 cm. The tail and fins have a bright red-orange color. The abdomen and head are gray-blue with a brilliant tint, the abdomen is pinkish. Colombian tetras have blue eye color.

• Rubrostigma or mottled. These fish are characterized by a pinkish body color with a bright spot on the side that resembles a heart. The fins are silver gray. The eyes have a shade of fuchsia, like a spot on the body.

• Black (thorny). One of the most common types of tetras. Their body has an elongated, flattened body with wide fins. On the body there are 2 vertical wide stripes.

• Long fin black. A decorative variety bred by breeders.

• White. A fairly large breeding form, derived from the black variety. Body color white with a pinkish tint, fins and tail elongated, translucent.

• Firefly. Tetra with a transparent silver body and a saturated orange strip from nose to tail. Lines phosphoresce on the body. Adult fireflies are more brightly colored than young ones.

• Copper. One of the most common types of tetras. Copper fish are less bright than red and fiery, their body is painted in golden-red tones, a pronounced dark spot is observed at the base of the tail, fins are translucent, rounded in shape.

• Glass. A beautiful fish with an elongated body of a white-transparent hue with a purple, slightly neon tint. The tail is bright, red.

• Rhodostomus or red-nosed. Fish with a translucent pale body of a greenish tint.

• Lemon. Tetra, characterized by the highest sensitivity to the conditions of detention. When they worsen, the body of a saturated yellow-green hue becomes very pale. The eyes of the fish have a red rim. Saturated black and yellow border on the fins.

• Scholz. Tetra with a dull body of a silver hue, on the surface of which longitudinal stripes stand out, one is golden, the other is wider, black. The fin base is also decorated with an anthracite stain. The fins for the most part are not painted, with a white stripe along the edge.

• Cardinal. Incredibly effective variety of tetra.

• Congo One of the largest subspecies of tetras. Beautiful fish with a light gray body, an orange stripe from nose to tail and a rainbow tint on the sides.

Tetra - fish that have good compatibility with other aquarium inhabitants. But due to their small size, most species are not recommended to be kept together with large predatory neighbors. It is banned by settlement to cichlids, South American and African.

Small fishes with not too developed territorial instincts can become good neighbors for tetra. This category includes neons, guppies, zebrafish, catfish corridors. Peaceful tetras with cockerels, barbs, and swordsmen get along well.

The conditions for growing and keeping the tetra are quite simple. They do not need complicated care, but in the aquarium there should be at least 30 liters of free volume per flock of 10 fish. Necessarily need algae and other aquatic plants, driftwood, for which fearful pets will be able to hide if necessary. The optimal environmental performance for tetra will be:

• temperature + 22-25 degrees Celsius;
• stiffness no higher than 15;
• pH 6-7.

Water is replaced in the amount of 1/6 of the total amount, performed weekly. Hazardous impurities and chlorine-containing additives must be excluded. The minimum allowable temperature in the aquarium is +18 degrees, but it is better to maintain constant, higher values ​​using the temperature regulator installed in the tank. In addition, the aquarium will have to install a filtration system, an aerator, a compressor to saturate the water with oxygen.

When arranging a place of residence for fish, it is important to ensure the creation of secluded corners with algae. There, fish will hide from predators or aggressive neighbors, too bright light. Among suitable plants, javanese moss, elodea, duckweed, and ferns can be distinguished. Fishes do not show food interest in green spaces, rare and expensive species can be planted, while not being afraid that they will be spoiled. But it is better to place them on the rear and side walls of the tank.

At the bottom you can arrange the scenery - driftwood of ash and oak, large stones of an original form, artificial grottoes.

Tetra belong to the omnivorous inhabitants of reservoirs, but to maintain the brightness of the color they need a varied and fairly full nutrition. A significant proportion of the diet will be live food - daphnia, bloodworms, brine shrimp. Fish eat egg yolk well, they can also feed young animals after hatching from eggs. In general, the tetra's appetite is excellent, and they will not give up any treats.

A good solution is to purchase a special feeder. Dry tablets, oatmeal are suitable. Fish willingly eat greens - spinach and broccoli, but they need to be chopped beforehand, like other large feeds. For a change, you can offer fish finely ground bread crumbs, but often cereal nutrition should not be given because of the possible risk of developing obesity.

Breeding tetras at home is not difficult. They reach the age of puberty by 6-11 months, depending on the species.There is no special season for spawning, it takes place at any time of the year. To stimulate the breeding processes, the female in the pair is planted, they are provided with protein-rich food, frequent water changes and increase its temperature. Then the parents are again connected for mating, for 1 time the female tosses up to 150 eggs.

Young animals are kept separately until growing up. Fry from eggs appear on 3-5 days, need clean water, slightly aerated, with a small current. You need to feed small tetras with crushed dust. Coloring in fish of this species is manifested by the age of 1 month. Tetra have good survival. As they grow and move to an adult diet, they are transplanted into a regular adult aquarium.

See details on tetras below.