Common name: Flame Tetra, Von Rio Tetra, Red tetra

Scientific name: Hyphessobrycon flammeus

Family: Characidae

Origin: South America

Maximum size: 2 inches

Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons

Temperature: 75-79 degrees

Care: A schooling fish that needs at least six fish of the same species to live happily. Prefers planted tanks with lots of hiding places and a tank with low light. These are middle dwellers but seem to venture to the top area of the tank quite a bit. These fish are usually drab and dull in stores but color up very nicely in the right conditions. This is an undemanding fish with not many special requirements.

Feeding: Accepts flake foods and frozen foods such as bloodworms.

Sexing: Females are noticably fatter and duller in color. Most females are silver in color and males turn a deep redish orange color and shimmer in the light. Keep in mind that you may not be able to sex the flame tetra in stores because most are usually silver from stress.

Breeding: Productive, up to 250 eggs. Eggs will hatch in 24-50 hours. After the fish are done breeding, they should be removed immediately since afterwards they will start to eat the eggs. Fry should be fed a live culture of some kind as soon as they are free swimming. Eggs will not hatch if exposed to light.