Red Eyed Tetra Care Guide
Name: Red Eyed Tetra (Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae)
Endemic: Native to the shallow rivers of South America in Peru, Bolivia, Columbia, and Paraguay.
Identification: The Red Eyed Tetra can be identified by a few main features. The first and most obvious characteristic for identification is the Tetras red eye which is how it got it's name. The second feature is the coloration of the Tetra, it is silver and the caudal fin goes to white, then to black (vertically, not horizontally).
Size: 3 inches (7.5 centimeters)
Diet: Omnivore, feeds on insects and their larvae in the wild. In the aquarium the Red Eyed Tetra should be fed small, meaty items like blood worms, brine shrimp, mysis, daphnia, black worms, white worms, mosquito larvae, and high quality flake and pellet foods.
Housing Requirements: The Red Eyed Tetra is a schooling fish, so it likes to be in groups of 6 or more. The Red Eyed Tetra does best in a tank of 20 gallons (75 liters) or more that has a lot of plants (real or fake), caves, rocks, driftwood, and other hiding spots. The Red Eyed Tetra lives near the banks of rivers which are covered in a lot of vegetation, so it is recommended not to have the aquarium heavily lighted, I personally like to float fake plants on top of the water to imitate their natural habitat.
Water Parameters: The Red Eyed Tetra likes relatively neutral water that is between 72-82 degrees fahrenheit (22-27 degrees celsius). The water should have no ammonia or nitrite and nitrates under 20 ppm.
Compatibility: The Red Eyed Tetra is a relatively peaceful fish that can be kept with most community fish. In my experience, the Red Eyed Tetra has been nippy with fish that have long flowing fins (bettas, guppies, etc.) so be wary of that. Tankmates for The Red Eyed Tetra include other Tetras, Corydoras Catfish, Plecostomus, Kuhli Loaches, Barbs, Danios, Rasboras, and most other community fish.
Breeding: The Red Eyed Tetra reaches sexual maturity at the age of 10 months. The fish should be placed in a separate tank that is at 75-82 degrees fahrenheit (24-28 degrees celsius) and decorated with a lot of plants. The fish will begin their mating ritual in the morning and the females will lay upwards of 1000 eggs on plant leaves, the side of the tank, or on the bottom of the tank. Once the spawning has ended, the fish should be removed and the tank should be gently aerated. After 1-2 days, the eggs no longer need to be incubated and by the 5th-6th day, the fry are juveniles and start feeding on baby brine shrimp and other small microorganisms.
