Max Size: up to 10 cm

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
Family	Alestidae
Genus	Phenacogrammus
Origins	Africa
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
Temperature	72 - 82 ℉ (22.2 - 27.8 ℃)
PH	6.0 - 7.5
GH	3 - 18

Blue Eyed Congo Tetra

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.

Other Tetras of interest

African Moon Tetra

(Bathyaethiops caudomaculatus)

Black Darter Tetra

(Poecilocharax weitzmani)

Black Line Tetra

(Hyphessobrycon scholzei)

Black Neon Tetra

(Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi)

Black Phantom Tetra

(Hyphessobrycon Megalopterus)

Black Widow Tetra

(Gymnocorymbus ternetzi)

View All Tetras

Diet & Feeding

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.

Sexual Dimorphism

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.

Breeding

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?

Blue Eye Congo Tetras are not aggressive; in fact, they are relatively shy species. However, they may occasionally nip on the fins of much smaller fish.

How big do Blue Eye Congo Tetras grow?

Blue Eye Congo Tetras can grow to a maximum of 10 cm, with the males typically growing bigger than the females.

What are the Best tankmates for Blue Eye Congo Tetras?

Blue Eye Congo Tetras can live happily among other Tetra species such as Cardinal Tetras, Neon Tetras and Glowlight Tetras. They can also be housed with species such as Mollies, Platies and Guppies as these fish all have a similar temperament and can live in the same water conditions.

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.

What should I feed my Blue Eye Congo Tetras?

Blue Eye Congo Tetras are not picky eaters and are easily fed. However, ensure you provide your fish with a balanced diet of good quality dried food alongside Live and frozen food and plant matter. This will guarantee the best colour and condition of your fish.

What's the difference between male and female Blue Eye Congo Tetras?

It is super easy to distinguish male from female Blue Eye Tetras. Males are larger than females, have longer fins and are much more brightly coloured.

Where do Blue Eye Congo Tetras originate?

Blue Eye Congo Tetras come from Africa, usually in the middle and upper River Basins of the Republic of Congo. They inhabit the edges of fast-flowing waters surrounded by dense vegetation where they feed on insects, worms and other zooplankton.