Fish Profiles: Ember Tetra | Real Aquatics

0 comments

Fish Profiles: Ember Tetra

The Ember Tetra is a small community fish that brings colour to a tropical aquarium. They are hardy so great for beginners and perfect for nano aquariums. The Ember tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae) is a small, vibrant freshwater fish native to the Araguaia River basin in Brazil.

Ember tetras will school with other tetras, such as the neon tetra, but may become stressed by the presence of significantly larger fish.They appear bright orange to red, resembling the glow of embers, hence the name.

Ember tetras are middle level swimmers in an aquarium, they don't feed from the bottom of the tank. It is recommended that they are kept with other bottom dwelling fish (such as pygmy corydoras) so that leftover food is then eaten up off the substrate and not left to waste.

Ember Tetras are a great choice for both beginner and experienced aquarists due to their stunning appearance and easy care requirements. They prefer to be in groups, so its best to keep them in schools of at least 6. Mimicking their natural habitat in slow moving water with plenty of plants in the aquarium is ideal.

Features
Typical purchase size: 0.5-1cm
Maximum size: 3cm
Origin: South America
Family: Characidae
Ideal number kept together: 6+

Ideal Water Conditions
pH: 5.0–7.0
Hardness: 18-179 ppm
Temperature: 20–28 °C

Ease of Care
Ember tetra are easy to keep and care for. This tropical fish is great for hobbyist at all levels, but especially great for beginners. Ember tetra's are peaceful and social, they do well in community tanks. A lower pH of around 6.8 is recommended.

What to Feed
Ember tetra are omnivorous. The main fish food we recommend would be flake crushed up or small granules. Because Ember tetra are small they cannot take big granules. Occasional live or frozen food can be given as a treat, such as bloodworm, rotifers and daphnia.

Compatibility
House Ember tetras in a well planted, larger aquarium with community fish of a similar size. They feel most comfortable when in a shoal of other Embers. Popular tankmates include guppies, white cloud mountain minnow, harlequin rasbora and neon tetra.

Sexing
Sexing Ember Tetras can be a bit challenging, but there are a few key differences to look out for. Males are generally slimmer, while females have rounder, fuller bodies, especially noticeable when viewed from above. Males often display more vibrant colors compared to females and may exhibit more active swimming patterns, while females tend to stay in one place for longer periods.

Breeding
Breeding Ember Tetras requires some preparation, but it’s a rewarding process. Use a small tank (50-100 litres) with fine-leaved plants and a gentle sponge filter. and maintain a water temperature at 78-82°F (25-28°C) and pH at 6.0-6.5.

Select a healthy male and female. Feed them live or frozen foods like brine shrimp to prepare for breeding and ntroduce the pair to the breeding tank. The female will lay eggs among the plants, and the male will fertilize them.

Remove the adults after spawning to prevent them from eating the eggs. Ember tetra eggs hatch in 24-36 hours. Feed the fry infusoria or fry food until they can eat finely crushed flakes or brine shrimp.

Life Span
Ember tetra have a typical lifespan of 2-4 years in perfect aquarium conditions.

To browse our range of fish food granules for smaller fish please click here.

To browse our range of Tetra branded products please click here.

Photo credit(s): Canva Pro Licence