Anyone keep Trochilocharax ornatus?

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Kolykaf

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I was wondering if anyone keeps/has kept Trochilocharax ornatus (aka crystal rainbow tetra/hummingbird tetra)? I’m intrigued by their delicate beauty and thought they’d make a good addition to my 75 gallon aquarium. The little information I can find about them from the web suggests that they are rather sensitive. A couple of folks have mentioned a tendency for parts of their clear bodies to turn opaque. They die shortly after that. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
 
I found the paper describing it, and it looks fascinating, only it's in German and I can't read it well. It was described from aquarium fish, so it doesn't seem to include the all important habitat info.

The other tetras referenced in the description as related are very delicate indeed. If I were keeping them (I have kept a couple of them) I would go with a single species tank, and probably, since this seems to be one of the internal fertilization tetras, have moving water. But that's guessing - you have a fish there not many have seen.

They're tiny, probably blackwater. The loss of body colour prior to death is something I've seen with other blackwater tetras. In extreme acidity, a lot of the viruses and bacterial pathogens in our tanks can't survive, but when fish from those habitats encounter them for the first time - watch out.
 
I found the paper describing it, and it looks fascinating, only it's in German and I can't read it well. It was described from aquarium fish, so it doesn't seem to include the all important habitat info.

The other tetras referenced in the description as related are very delicate indeed. If I were keeping them (I have kept a couple of them) I would go with a single species tank, and probably, since this seems to be one of the internal fertilization tetras, have moving water. But that's guessing - you have a fish there not many have seen.

They're tiny, probably blackwater. The loss of body colour prior to death is something I've seen with other blackwater tetras. In extreme acidity, a lot of the viruses and bacterial pathogens in our tanks can't survive, but when fish from those habitats encounter them for the first time - watch out.
Which related species have you kept?
 
I kept two of the slightly larger internal fertilizing tetras about 30 years ago. I can't be certain of the species names, unfortunately. It was a ways back and at the time, there was a good chance they were undescribed.

The paper had a picture of Ladigesia roloffi, an African tetra. My limited German didn't allow me to see exactly why, but it's one of my all time favourites to keep. Tiny, blackwater, but a continent away.

I've kept other small blackwater fish, and they've all needed serious tlc. I've never had one adjust to a community. They've all colonized niches where other fish generally can't go - blackwater shallows.
 

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