Description

The flame tetra gets its name from their tail which is flame red. They have a silver body that has two black vertical bars, and a silver head.

Tetras are the most common type of fish found in South America after catfish. Their name is commonly used for a large group of fish characterised by the presence of a small adipose fin between their dorsal and caudal fin. The term Tetra is actually not a taxonomic grouping, as many unrelated fishes from differing families have been commonly called Tetras.

Tetras are the second most commonly kept fish in community tank setups, after livebearers (see our Livebearer Care Sheet for more information on these fish) . They are popular because of their vibrant colours, manageable size, mild behaviour and schooling habits.

Tetras are best kept in large schools (minimum 6 in the group) and different species can generally be kept together with few problems. Tetras will also mix readily with a range of species and are generally an ideal community fish – however as many species are relatively small, it is not a good idea to mix them with species that grow large such as Oscars. Some species can be prone to eating aquatic plants