Serpae Tetra
Quick Stats
| Size | Up to 1.5" (4cm) |
|---|---|
| Tank | 60 litres + for a small school |
| Swimming Area | Middle |
| Ph | 5.5 to 7.5 |
| Temperature | 75ºF to 82ºF (23-29°C) |
| Food | Flakes and frozen foods as well as live. |
Common Name:
Serpae Tetra
Distribution:
South America, Peru, Amazon river basin.
Colouration:
Being one of the "Blood Tetras" the base body color is brilliant red to reddish brown. A black comma shaped spot is located just behind the gill cover. In some bright fish this spot may be small or not even there, in all fish it will lessen in size as the fish ages. The dorsal fin is tall and colored black with white fringe, it may have a reddish hue to it. The tail, anal, and ventral fins are red. The anal fin is fringed in black and white layers.
Lifespan:
5 years.
Maintenance:
10 to 20% weekly water change. As with all fish good filtration and water purity must be maintained. They are generally peaceful, but when there in a large school during feeding, they bite each other's fins in a feeding frenzy, reminiscent of the piranha.
Feeding:
Feeding is never a problem as it will eat all flake frozen as well as live food.
Substrate:
Dark sandy material.
Tank Decor:
The tank should be well planted with artificial or live plants. Floating plants are also an option as they will make this fish feel more secure in its environment.
Filtration:
Standard filtration for the size of tank.
Biotype:
Calm, heavily vegetated water, also the Black water of the Amazon.
Breeding:
The Blood Characins are some of the easier Tetras to breed. Condition the pair well and use a small breeding tank (3 to 5 gallons) with a dark substrate and containing many fine leafed plants such as Myriophyllum, Cabomba and some Java moss, also include some floating material as well.. The water qualities should be soft and acidic, readings of: pH 6-7 and 4-8 dH should be fine keep the temperature in the middle seventies. The small transparent eggs will be strewn among the plants. Remove the parents after spawning. The fry hatch in 24-28 hours. Feed the young, baby brine shrimp, Infusoria, egg yolk, and when larger, finely crushed flake food.