You’ll never get tired of learning about all tetra fish, like the red eyes tetra fish (Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae), which is an endemic species of East and central South America, very popular in todays’ domestic aquariums.
Table Of Content
Taxonomy
Main Characteristics
The red eyes tetra fish is a relatively small, broad-bodied caracids (characidae) that likes to swim in small groups in medium-deep waters. It, Is a remarkably resistant fish that can be employed in any community aquarium.
Its coloration is mostly silvery, with greenish and brownish hues on its back. The scales on the upper
Part of the body have a dark edging which enhances the beauty of this species.
However, their caudal pendulum’s yellowish area and their broad black transverse stripe are probably the most distinctive traits of this species.
Their fins are colorless except for the dorsal and the anal ones that present whitish edges. However, the bright red color on the upper half of their eyes is the main reason of their names.
Size
Up To 7 cm.
The Red Eyes Tetra Fish’ Habitat
The red eyes tetra fish inhabit freshwater rivers and in their natural habitat males can grow to 7 centimeters long. The adult females usually have a bigger and more rounded stomach than the males this being the main reason of the specie’s sexual dimorphism. They are not accustomed to sudden changes of water so they should be kept at a temperature between 22 and 29 degrees Celsius.
They are easy to care for, even in the community aquariums since the red eye fish have a manageable, peaceful and convenient behavior for those who are starting in this great hobby. However, because of their active nature, they may annoy or intimidate other species that lack good visibility and fast swim. For this reason other genres must be of similar characteristics to avoid clashes.
The Ideal is to keep this species in groups no more than 8 specimens to prevent them from feeling stressed. They adapt to different water conditions but prefer mildly acidic water with vegetable planting for better displacement.
When the red eyes fish aren’t given the basic care they require, they can go through several transformations that a very common in tropical fish. Before beginning to fry any species of fish you must know before all the necessary guidelines to not fail in the attempt.
Care of the Red Eye Tetra Fish
The red eyes fish belong to the characid family, so they don’t usually disturb or cause any problem when being bred. They like swimming in small groups in medium-depth aquariums. They are one of the most demanded species nowadays since they don’t require specific care to survive,
Basic Care
So they can rest comfortably and to make them feel safe, the red eyes tetra fish need a wide area to swim, otherwise they may feel stressed most of the time which can weaken their defenses and affect their immune system. To prevent them from getting any kind of disease it is necessary to keep them at a moderate temperature.
It’s recommended that the aquarium be dimmed in order to keep their color always striking and robust, traits which make of them a very popular species. These striking and lovely fish aren’t good swimmers so they must coexist with other similar species, slow-swimming or lacking visibility so that they do not gain an advantage when feeding. Being with other fish larger than them, red eyes tetra fish may become easy prey of such fish.
Therefore you must try to have at least 8 specimens of the same group to avoid clashes. It is Also necessary to throw the food at a short distance to go through unnoticed and to prevent residues from being left in the water. With These basic guidelines your fish will keep away from danger and will always thank you. We invite you to read our article tetra fish to learn about the wole family
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