Diamond Tetra

The diamond tetra (Moenkhausia pitteri) comes from Lake Valencia in Venezuela, and it is a fish that rewards patience. Young ones in the shop tank look plain, a silvery fish with a red-flecked eye and not much else. As they mature the scales develop a heavy iridescence that throws off gold, green and violet as the fish turns, and adult males grow a long, trailing dorsal fin. The adult is a very different animal from the one you buy.

Aquarium care

• Reaches roughly 6 cm.
• Peaceful, though large and active enough to unsettle very timid fish.
• Keep six or more.
• Prefers soft, slightly acidic water.
• Omnivorous: flake, pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp.
• Mid-water swimmer that needs open room.

Give them a longer tank with dark substrate and good lighting; the iridescence needs light to show at all. They pair well with other medium-sized community fish such as rainbowfish, larger rasboras, corydoras and peaceful cichlids. Do not judge them by the shop tank.

Stock rotates with each shipment, and livestock is sold for local pickup at our Lethbridge store. See the current tetras.