All fish / Characidae

Savage's tetra

Hyphessobrycon savagei

Also known as savage tetra, savagei tetra, costa rican tetra, hyphessobrycon savagei

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A small Central American tetra with a silvery body, a dark spot at the base of the tail and reddish tints in the fins. It turns up only now and then in the hobby and appeals to keepers who want something hardier and less common than the usual South American tetras.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4 cm

Temperature

22 to 27 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 8 or more

Diet

Omnivore: small live and frozen foods such as daphnia and bloodworm, plus quality flakes and micro pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Pacific slope of Costa Rica and western Panama

Breeding

It scatters eggs among fine plants or moss and gives no parental care, so the adults should be taken out after spawning. Breeding is thought to be similar to other Hyphessobrycon and should not be hard in a soft, slightly acidic set-up, though there are few detailed captive reports.

Good to know

Rarely sold and sometimes mixed up with other small tetras that have a spot on the tail, so check the identity when buying. Captive data are limited, so the care figures given here are based on related species and its natural habitat.