All fish / Alestidae

Red-tailed Congo tetra

Bathyaethiops caudomaculatus

Also known as redtail congo tetra, red-tailed african tetra, tail-spot tetra, bathyaethiops tetra, caudomaculatus tetra

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This is a deep-bodied African tetra with a silvery body, a dark spot at the base of the tail and reddish fins. Keepers like it because it is a calmer, less common alternative to the Congo tetra and looks good in a planted community tank with soft lighting.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

6 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

100 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 8 or more

Diet

Omnivore: quality flakes and small pellets, plus frozen or live bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 6 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Congo River basin (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic)

Breeding

It scatters eggs among plants and gives no parental care. Captive spawning is rarely reported and is thought to need soft, slightly acidic water and a separate tank.

Good to know

It is seldom imported, so check identification, as other Bathyaethiops and small Alestidae species are sometimes sold under the same name. It can be shy, so keep it with peaceful fish of a similar size.