From Aqua Guide, the free encyclopedia
Congo Tetra
Phenacogrammus interruptus
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C
- pH
- 6 – 7.5
- Min. tank size
- 150 L
- Lifespan
- 5 years
- Diet
- omnivore
- Care level
- moderate
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name: | Phenacogrammus interruptus |
| Family: | Alestidae |
| Origin: | Africa (Congo River basin) |
| Care Characteristics | |
| Care Level: | moderate |
| Diet: | omnivore |
| Max Size: | 8.00 cm |
| Water Type: | freshwater |
| Temp Group: | tropical |
| Temperament: | peaceful |
| Min Group: | 6+ together |
| Varieties: | No cultivated strains of consequence, which is unusual for a fish this popular — the wild-type animal is what people want. Some suppliers offer selected lines for stronger iridescence or longer finnage in males, but nothing is established as a named strain, and an albino form appears occasionally without being widely traded. Most of the fish available are bred commercially in the Far East and Eastern Europe, and quality varies. Well-grown captive-bred males are as good as anything wild. The natural variation is worth knowing about: colour shifts dramatically with angle, lighting and mood, so the same fish looks blue, gold or violet depending on where you stand. Fish lit from the front and above, especially in natural light, show what the species actually looks like. Other African characins from the family Alestidae are sold alongside it and are separate species — the yellow-tailed Congo tetra, the long-finned tetra (Brycinus longipinnis) and various Alestopetersius and Micralestes species. Several are excellent and none are colour forms of this fish. The African tetras are a distinct family from the South American characids, despite the shared common name. |
| Lifespan: | 5 years |
Quick Tips
- Bioload:Medium
- Min Tank:150 L
- Substrate:Dark sand; planted with open swimming space and subdued light
- Plant Safe:Plant-safe (may nibble very soft plants)
- Filtration:Moderate
Congo Tetra (Phenacogrammus interruptus) is a species of fish in the family Alestidae. It is native to Africa (Congo River basin). The Congo tetra is the best-looking characin in the hobby and the one most often ruined by its tank mates. It is endemic to the Congo River drainage in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and reaches 80 mm standard length — large for a tetra. The body shimmers through blue, gold and orange depending on the angle, and mature males develop extended filaments in the caudal fin and a greatly extended dorsal, giving them a feathery, flowing outline unlike anything else in a community tank. Those fins are also the problem. Congo tetras cannot be kept with fin-nipping species, because the spectacular fins of the males will be destroyed — and once damaged they do not recover well. They are also easily frightened, particularly when not maintained in numbers. Get the group size and the tank mates right and this is a spectacular fish; get either wrong and it is a shy, ragged one.
Compatibility
- Temperament
- peaceful
- Keep in
- Groups of 6+
- Swims
- middle
- Fin nipper
- No
- Delicate fins
- Yes — keep away from nippers
Species similar to Congo Tetra
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