Ember Tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae)
The Ember Tetra is a gorgeous fish that will light up any aquarium. They are peaceful, active, and playful, and because of their size and ease of care, they will suit both a nano tank and a community aquarium, making them a popular fish for any aquarist.
It is better to keep Ember Teras in heavily-planted aquariums with dark substrates. The addition of floating plants, driftwood branches, and dried leaf litter can be helpful. A gentle air-powered sponge filter can provide adequate filtration, but a degree of water movement is acceptable.
An elongated body shape is accompanied by a merged anal fin, a small dorsal fin, and a large caudal fin. There is a slight greyish-black angle to both the caudal and dorsal fins. There can also be some reddish pigmentation around the mouth and above the eyes on the upper part of the head.
The back of their body may appear slightly narrow, allowing them to move more easily. Scales on these fish are also compact and close together. Their appearance is somewhat translucent as a result of this. A golden maple to a fiery red colour, sometimes with a saturated orange inclination, and orange rims around their eyes are typical features of these Tetras.
Photos
Quick Facts | |
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Scientific Name | Hyphessobrycon amandae |
Year Described | 1987 |
Other Names | Fire Tetra |
Classification | Actinopterygii |
Order | Characiformes |
Family | Characidae |
Genus | Hyphessobrycon |
Origins | Brazil |
Temperament | Peaceful |
Aquarium Level | Bottom - Middle |
Difficulty | Beginner - Intermediate |
Shoaling | Yes |
Best kept as | Groups 6+ |
Diet | Omnivore |
Reproduction | Egg-Scatterer |
Lifespan | 2 - 3 years |
Water Parameters | |
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Water Type | Freshwater |
PH | 5.0 - 7.0 |
GH | 5 - 17 |
TDS | 18 - 179 |
Temperature | |
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73 - 84℉ 22.8 - 28.9℃ |
Feeding
In the home aquarium, the Ember Tetra will readily accept most good quality dried foods such as granules, flakes and sinking pellets. These modern food products have been developed to provide all adequate nutrition to maintain your fish's health and dietary requirements.
Providing additional foodstuffs such as live, frozen, and freeze-dried meals such as bloodworm, daphnia, and tubifex once or twice a week will provide additional benefits to your fish's health and well-being but is not a must for this fish.
It should be noted that bloodworms should only be given as an occasional treat and should not be used as the staple diet as they are difficult for fish to digest and can potentially cause blockages.
This fish is an omnivore in the wild, meaning it will consume some vegetable matter. Although most modern fish foods take this into account and include them in their products, you can still supplement your fish's diet with blanched vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and zucchini. Ensure you do not overfeed your fish and remove any leftovers the following day.
Sexual Dimorphism
Determining the sex of the Ember Tetras is reasonably challenging for the untrained eye.
Males display a much brighter colouration than the females, and the females are larger are more rounded than the males.