All fish / Characidae

Flame-back bleeding heart tetra

Hyphessobrycon pyrrhonotus

Also known as flameback bleeding heart tetra, red back bleeding heart tetra, redback bleeding heart tetra, flame back tetra, bleeding heart tetra rio negro, flameback tetra, ハイフェソブリコン・ピロノータス, 火背出血心灯

This is a deep-bodied tetra with a silvery body, a red patch on the side, and a bright red back that gives it its name. Males have a tall black-and-white dorsal fin. Fishkeepers like it as a colourful shoaling fish for planted soft-water tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4.5 cm

Temperature

23 to 28 °C

pH

5 to 7

Smallest tank

90 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 8 or more

Diet

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

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 6 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Brazil: upper Rio Negro basin

Breeding

It scatters eggs among fine-leaved plants and does not look after them. Breeding has been done in captivity using soft, acidic water and a separate tank, but it is still fairly uncommon.

Good to know

Males spar with each other but cause little harm. It is easily mixed up with the common bleeding heart tetra (Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma), which lacks the red back.