who keeps the big ones??? ) tetra family )

[Magnum Man48 162]

I know silver dollars are often grouped with tetras ( not sure really on the pacu family??? ) but I do keep a mostly adult spotted dollar in my tetra tank, and he doesn’t bother the newest smaller size cardinals… I see Leporinus, are also grouped with tetras I had a banded one 40 years ago, that went almost a foot, and if I remember correctly, it did eat small fish… I also see AI groups Congo tetras, as one of the larger tetras, though mine never got over 3 inches also often Payara, are grouped with tetra, ( vampire fish ) and are known to go to around 2 feet long

Red Tail Payara Vampire Tetra (Hydrolycus tatauaia)

The Vampire Tetra is a remarkable characin, but it is not your typical tetra. One look at the mouth of this fish and there will be no doubt that the Payara is a vicious carnivore. This incredible fish has two large fangs on its lower jaw. These fangs can be 4 to 6 inches long. In fact, the two...

www.predatoryfins.com

just curious what are some of the bigger tetra cousins you have kept??

for me it has been various silver dollars and the one large banded Leporinus

 

[Magnum Man48 162]

but then even my biggest sailfin tetra goes almost 4 inches long

 

[Innesfan46 8]

"Tetra" is a vague term in popular usage. It goes back to a genus, Tetragonopterus, which used to house many of the species we now call tetras. That genus was blown up over a century ago but 'tetra' was by then in common usage since it referenced the unique trait of possessing 4 (tetra) unpaired fins--a dorsal, caudal, anal and adipose fin---which is one of the ways the group is distinguished from barbs, rasboras, danios, killies, livebearers, anabantoids, cichlids and the like. Problem is, there are many 'tetras' that do not possess an adipose fin, Silver Tip Tetras most famously.

However, all the species you mention are Characins., which is a more specific, meaningful and scientifically valid term. Neon Tetras, Piranhas, Hatchetfish, Silver dollars, Pencil Fish, Pacu and all the species that possess 'tetra ' in their common names are all Characins.

So to get back to your question, the largest 'tetra'/ Characin that I have kept for many years (though not at present) is Anostomus anostomus which is commonly seen at 5" and can easily reach 8". (And as you can see, it has an adipose fin.)

 

[gimme30]

Salminus brasiliensi. One of the dumbest things I've ever done. As a juvenile it was a real pretty silver and the store owner suckered me into it by claiming it was ultra rare and desirable but knew next to nothing else about it. It went into a 55 gallon tank where it promptly killed everything else in there. I've never kept piranhas but I seriously doubt they are as vicious. I had no idea at the time how big it would get but at around 10 inches it would eat 25 feeder goldfish in 3 days. As cheap as they were back then it added up quick.
By that time the place I bought it from had gone out of business, and no one else would take it, so it went into a bucket and made a trip with me to Sloans Lake, where no doubt it had its best life murdering bluegills.

 

[Magnum Man48 162]

while I disagree with the dumping it in the lake part ( it probably would have gotten a farm tank, or an axe handle, in my world ) I can certainly understand why you didn’t keep it… ( I had to read up on them )

 

[FattyFish]

"Tetra" is a vague term in popular usage. It goes back to a genus, Tetragonopterus, which used to house many of the species we now call tetras. That genus was blown up over a century ago but 'tetra' was by then in common usage since it referenced the unique trait of possessing 4 (tetra) unpaired fins--a dorsal, caudal, anal and adipose fin---which is one of the ways the group is distinguished from barbs, rasboras, danios, killies, livebearers, anabantoids, cichlids and the like. Problem is, there are many 'tetras' that do not possess an adipose fin, Silver Tip Tetras most famously.

However, all the species you mention are Characins., which is a more specific, meaningful and scientifically valid term. Neon Tetras, Piranhas, Hatchetfish, Silver dollars, Pencil Fish, Pacu and all the species that possess 'tetra ' in their common names are all Characins.

So to get back to your question, the largest 'tetra'/ Characin that I have kept for many years (though not at present) is Anostomus anostomus which is commonly seen at 5" and can easily reach 8". (And as you can see, it has an adipose fin.)

View attachment 383534

Stunning-looking fish!

 

[gimme30]

while I disagree with the dumping it in the lake part

Well, it would have clogged the toilet....