From Aqua Guide, the free encyclopedia
Lemon Tetra
Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis
- Temperature
- 20–28 °C
- pH
- 5 – 7.5
- Min. tank size
- 75 L
- Lifespan
- 6 years
- Diet
- omnivore
- Care level
- easy
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name: | Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis |
| Family: | Acestrorhamphidae |
| Origin: | South America (Tapajós river basin, Brazil) |
| Care Characteristics | |
| Care Level: | easy |
| Diet: | omnivore |
| Max Size: | 4.00 cm |
| Water Type: | freshwater |
| Temp Group: | tropical |
| Temperament: | peaceful |
| Min Group: | 8+ together |
| Varieties: | Two forms circulate, and the situation is more interesting than a simple colour selection. The 'lemon' form shows orange-red only in the upper portion of the eye. The 'orange-red' form shows orange-red in the upper eye as well as extended dorsal fins in males. Specialists note these two may represent distinct species with unclear natural distributions, which is unusual for a fish that has been in the trade since the 1930s. Underlying that is a supply question. Wild specimens are rarely collected because of the low price of farmed fish, and the origin of the commercial strain is questionable — meaning the fish in most shops has an uncertain provenance rather than being a documented wild population. Long-finned and albino selections appear occasionally and are not established. Related species sold alongside it include the yellow phantom tetra and various other Hyphessobrycon, several of which look similar in a shop tank and differ in the fin markings. For a keeper none of this changes the care. It does mean a "lemon tetra" is a slightly less definite thing than it appears. |
| Lifespan: | 6 years |
Quick Tips
- Bioload:Low
- Min Tank:75 L
- Substrate:Dark sand/gravel; planted with open swimming space
- Plant Safe:Plant-safe
- Filtration:Moderate
Lemon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis) is a species of fish in the family Acestrorhamphidae. It is native to South America (Tapajós river basin, Brazil). The lemon tetra is a translucent fish with a red-flecked eye and a slash of lemon yellow along the leading edges of the dorsal and anal fins, and it has been a community-tank standard for decades because almost nothing about it goes wrong. It comes from the Tapajós river basin in Brazil and reaches 40 mm standard length. Specialists call it very peaceful and an ideal resident of the well-researched community aquarium — a phrase worth noticing, because "well-researched" is doing real work. It is easy provided you get the numbers right and give it something to look good against. There is an interesting uncertainty about its origins. Wild specimens are rarely collected because farmed fish are so cheap, and the origin of the commercial strain is questionable. Two forms circulate, the lemon and the orange-red, and they may represent distinct species with unclear natural distributions.
Compatibility
- Temperament
- peaceful
- Keep in
- Groups of 8+
- Swims
- middle
- Fin nipper
- No
- Delicate fins
- No
Species similar to Lemon Tetra
Matched on family, then category, then water type