All fish / Characidae

Flametail tetra

Aphyocharax erythrurus

Also known as flame tail tetra, flametail tetra, red-tailed tetra, red tail tetra, red-tail aphyocharax, フレームテール・テトラ, 红尾玻璃灯

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A slim, silvery tetra with a golden sheen and a bright red to orange tail and fin tips. It is active and hardy, and a group gives a lively display in a planted community tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

5 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

80 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 8 or more

Diet

Omnivore: quality flakes and micro pellets with live or frozen bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Northern South America: Essequibo basin (Guyana), Orinoco basin (Venezuela) and Suriname

Breeding

An egg scatterer that spawns among fine-leaved plants, with no parental care. Breeding is fairly easy in a separate tank, but the adults eat the eggs, so remove them after spawning.

Good to know

It is a fast swimmer that can nip slow, long-finned tankmates, and it may jump, so use a tight lid. Often confused with the bloodfin tetra (Aphyocharax anisitsi).