All fish / Hemiodontidae

Slender Hemiodus

Hemiodus gracilis

Also known as red-tailed hemiodus, slender hemiodus, red tail hemiodus, gracilis hemiodus, hemiodopsis gracilis, red-tailed halftooth, ヘミオドゥス・グラシリス, 红尾半齿脂鲤

A long, slim, silvery fish with a dark stripe that runs along the rear half of the body into the lower tail lobe, which is edged in red. It is kept for its active shoaling behaviour and elegant shape in large community tanks of South American fish.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

23 to 28 °C

pH

5.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 6 or more

Diet

Omnivore: quality flakes and small pellets, algae and vegetable matter, plus frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Amazon, Orinoco and Guiana Shield basins (Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Colombia, Peru)

Breeding

It scatters its eggs in open water during the rainy season in the wild. There are no reliable reports of captive breeding, so trade fish are wild caught.

Good to know

This is a fast, skittish swimmer that needs a long tank with a tight lid, as it can jump when startled. It may nibble soft plants, and it gets stressed if kept singly or with boisterous tankmates.