Tell/show us your favorite TETRA

[anewbie]

I saw negadagua above. I only ever had 3, but I loved them. They never came in again around here.

If we're expanding to pencils, then I call for a look at Neolebias cf ansorgi, an African Characin.View attachment 383051

mine have become quite outgoing - they act more like little cichild than tetra:

They are quite bold and easy going. When i had a larger fish in there the behavior was different but now they are as large as everyone else they freely cover the full area.

 

[anewbie]

@GaryE gotta be impressed you recognized the negadagua - got a mix reaction to them myself - they love to swarm frys as a large school (the orange tetra common name: ""Yurimaguas") are pretty bad but much more indivualistic the negadagua all go after the fry as a large swarm of sharks (i have 16 in a 40b); other than that aspect they are decent though i really prefer the tranquile morse code esp in my darker aquariums. I'll always love cardinals and have two school - one of 20 in a 100 and another of 30 in a 180. hum.

Since the 100 is right behind me here is a very quick picture:

there are three 'dithers' cardinals, emerald eye rasbora and on the far right 1 of 8 junior tetra (H. robustulus) i picked up a couple of weeks ago which is not a bad tetra though i think there are others i prefer. This aquarium is a bit warm around 78 but ph is around 5.3 - actually you can see most of the juniors in there 6 maybe 7. Emerald eye are not bad but they live forever - the darker the aquarium the better because it really makes their eye glow - i have two groups that are over 3 years of ownership so probably 4 1/2+ total years.

 

[anewbie]

One more tetra i have (well i have others); they are not my favorite but they are a bit larger and i started buying these when my geo ate all my rummy nose (large school of 40) - despite what people say those geo will gobble down rummy....

The geo are in a 500; this group is in a 200 with some b. cupido that is again a blackwater aquarium. You can see some adult black neon for size comparison. They aren't a lot longer but are much larger sort of like wadi but perhaps a bit larger. There is nothing wrong with them - and they look a little nicer in person but are definitely not the nicest tetra in the world. I think i would try the wadi with the geo if i did it again (and they were available) - again they are pretty robust and seem to live a long time. Probably won't take them with me when i move but maybe i will. I could always put them with the serpae and clown loaches of which my largest is now close to 8 inches.

 

[GaryE]

Geophagus aren't predators per se, but they take opportunities in a glass walled tank. It's like working at a buffet and not sampling, ever.

H negadagua have those jaunty fins and tons of attitude. I guess you could call them nasty, but they never did harm to tankmates. Among themselves, they are wild things. If you were to ask me to design an all tetra ice hockey team, they'd be on it. I kind of like tetras that sort rank and can dance off.

 

[anewbie]

H negadagua have those jaunty fins and tons of attitude. I guess you could call them nasty, but they never did harm to tankmates. Among themselves, they are wild things. If you were to ask me to design an all tetra ice hockey team, they'd be on it. I kind of like tetras that sort rank and can dance off.

I woudln't call them nasty but they are a very bad choice if you want frys. They drive my kribs crazy. Alas they are faster and more aggressive.
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In a species only tank or with some cory they are ok but i think there are other options i would try first. A funky fish i don't regret buying but not the best options for my various setups. Too small for larger fishes - too swarmy for breeding fishes - too active for smaller tanks.... guess i should have mentioned they are one of my more active tetra.

 

[GaryE]

I never had them in with fry to see them as hunters. I just saw the zoomies. Of the 'new' tetras, to me they're one of the best.

 

[anewbie]

I never had them in with fry to see them as hunters. I just saw the zoomies. Of the 'new' tetras, to me they're one of the best.

Not them but the h. eilyos are always a hand full - i was down putting folks to bed and watching one grumpy eilyos attack a cichild twice it size. Not really sure why he (the cichild) just swam off but it was pretty amusing. The h. eilyos are complete opposite - they do not school and they are rather grumpy things always willing to bite each other. Sort of like n. triffs but not quite as often or as aggressive. I've had my pink lips (n. triffs) attack some of my larger apisto as well as the smaller marylyn and each other:

Definitely not in the passive group like cardinals or rummy.

 

[bgarthe38 56]

Gee guys…..my three were of the regular get them anywhere tetras. If I added or ranked them by rarity or unusualness, I’d go with my fav unusual ones, the
Gold Blue Eyed Congo Tetras (Phenacogrammus aurantiacus)




and Red Cherry “Muzel” Tetras (Hyphessobrycon sp. ‘muzel’)

I will be getting better pics of the Red Cherry Tetras later on.

 

[anewbie]

Gee guys…..my three were of the regular get them anywhere tetras. If I added or ranked them by rarity or unusualness, I’d go with my fav unusual ones, the
Gold Blue Eyed Congo Tetras (Phenacogrammus aurantiacus)
View attachment 383063
View attachment 383067
View attachment 383066

Those congo look nice - i wonder how 30 would do in a 500 blackwater west african aquarium with some jelly bean and elephant fishes.

The only catch would be finding them a bit more affordable price.

 

[GaryE]

It isn't the rarity for me. Cardinals, black neons and glowlights are faves. I have some congos that I've grown from very small to early breeding age, and I love watching them.

But some of the rarities are great too. auriantacus are dream fish for me - I had them when they were first found but my water was wrong. There are a lot of fish of all groups I'd love to see again. Never take a tetra for granted.

 

[MuddyWaters1]

Green Fire tetra - Aphyocharax rathbuni. It takes about a year and a half to get fully colored up. In the store the look terrible. I LOVE this species.

 

[gwand37 154]

Green Fire tetra - Aphyocharax rathbuni. It takes about a year and a half to get fully colored up. In the store the look terrible. I LOVE this species.
View attachment 383075View attachment 383076View attachment 383077

Where did you find those beautiful fish?

 

[anewbie]

Where did you find those beautiful fish?

wetspot has them right now. The only catch is they only sell tank raised versions.

my mistake sold out.

They seem like jelly bean tetra but larger and more intense red - i wonder if they behave the same.

 

[GaryE]

When I see rathbuni, they are inexpensive. It's a bread and butter tetra in the 'stores get them every few months' category in Canada. I've only kept them once - they were my intro to Mycobacteriosis species. It was the first time that disease ripped through a tank here. It's nothing to do with the fish and I could just as easily get a good batch. It was just luck.

I've always meant to get them again.

Jelly beans are gentle little things. A. rathbuni have a reputation as potentially nippy if the water moves too slowly and they aren't in a group. I can't vouch for that myself, since mine wiped out fast. But I have seen them in colour and they are beautiful.

 

[anewbie]

I have a 2nd group of h. eilyos - these are older and the male have a much stronger black and red:

And yesterday i mentioned n. Marilyn as one of my favorite among the pencil fish:

And size comparison: