Blue Eyed Congo Tetra (Phenacogrammus aurantiacus)
The Blue Eye Congo Tetra is a shy but stunning fish. These are hardy, peaceful schooling fish that typically remain in large groups in the wild. It is therefore imperative that you keep these fish in groups of at least six to eight individuals. This schooling nature creates spectacular bursts of colour that will be the focus of attention in your aquarium. In addition, these fish make an excellent community fish.
Blue Eye Congo Tetras are timid by nature; therefore, it is not advisable to keep them with much larger fish, speedy fish or fish that may be aggressive towards them. The best tankmates for these fish are other Characins, Rainbowfish, Corydoras and Dwarf Cichlids, but this is not to say that various species are not fitting. However, it would be better to keep fish that have more or less the exact nature of the Blue Eye Congo Tetra. Furthermore, it may not be ideal to keep fish that are much smaller than they are together as they can nip at them.
These fish will show their best colours in a planted aquarium with open space for swimming and added driftwood. They seem to prefer dim lighting, and an African biotope tank with floating vegetation, driftwood branches and anubias would be ideal. The water should be on the acidic side of neutral and soft with a good current.
Blue Eye Congo Tetras have dark brown to black slender bodies that display bright blue spots accompanied by a vivid horizontal stripe that can be yellow, orange or greenish. Below that strip, they reveal another horizontal band that is pale blue with many different reflecting colours. In addition, the edge of the stomach has bright blue spots, and their eyes are a brightish blue.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phenacogrammus aurantiacus |
| Other Names | Lamp Eye Congo Tetra, Golden Congo Tetra, Yellow Congo Tetra |
| Classification | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Characiformes |
| Family | Alestidae |
| Genus | Phenacogrammus |
| Origins | Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Aquarium Level | Middle - Top |
| Difficulty | Beginner - Intermediate |
| Shoaling | Yes |
| Best kept as | Groups 6+ |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Reproduction | Egg-Scatterer |
| Lifespan | 3 - 5 years |
| Water Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| PH | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| GH | 3 - 18 |
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| 72 - 82℉ 22.2 - 27.8℃ | |
Photos of the Blue Eyed Congo Tetra
Natural Habitat
Blue Eye Congo Tetras are endemic to the Kouilou River Basin and the Ogowe River Basin in Gabon, as well as in the Republic of Congo in Africa. You can also find them in the middle and upper Congo River Basin. These fish inhabit the edges of rivers with slow-flowing current, substrates made up of silt, sand and mud in areas with plenty of vegetation alongside leaf litter and driftwood.
What to feed the Blue Eyed Congo Tetra
Blue Eye Congo Tetras are omnivorous, and in the wild, they will eat worms, insects, crustaceans, detritus, algae and plant matter. In the home aquarium, they are unfussy and easy to feed. You should provide your fish with good quality dried food such as flakes and granules alongside live, freeze-dried and frozen fares such as brine shrimp, daphnia and bloodworm. It would be best if you fed them small amounts several times a day.
How to sex the Blue Eyed Congo Tetra
It is effortless to differentiate between male and female Blue Eyed Congo Tetras. The adult males are larger and more colourful, and they also have elongated dorsal and caudal fins that may develop filaments. In contrast, females are duller, more petite and lack long fins.
How to breed the Blue Eyed Congo Tetra
To breed Blue Eye Congo Tetras, a separate tank of at least 70 litres will be required, big enough to raise any numbers of fry. In addition, it would be best to reduce the lighting and add plenty of plants as these fish scatter their eggs amongst vegetation.
You should cover the tank base with a mesh that will be big enough to let the eggs fall through it but small enough to prevent the adults from reaching them. It would be best if you conditioned the fish using plenty of live and frozen food.
Spawning usually begins when the first beams of the morning sun hit the aquarium, where they can lay between 100 to 200 eggs. These fish will not guard their eggs, so you should remove the pair as soon as spawning has ceased; otherwise, the parents will predate on the eggs.
Incubation usually takes around 5 to 7 days, depending on the temperature of your aquarium, and the eggs will then hatch. During the first 24 to 48 hours of incubation, it is normal for many of the eggs to become fungus; you should remove these.
Initially, the young will feed off their yolk sac, which usually takes a day or two. After this, you should provide the fry with infusoria for 2 to 3 days, followed by baby brine shrimp or microworm.
Frquently asked questions about the Blue Eyed Congo Tetra
Are Blue Eye Congo Tetras aggressive?
How big do Blue Eye Congo Tetras grow?
What are the Best tankmates for Blue Eye Congo Tetras?
Some other potential tankmates can include Dwarf Cichlids, smaller Barbs, Corydoras Catfish, and Rasboras. However, you should avoid larger, more aggressive species such as Tiger Barbs or Bettas.