Serpae Tetra

The serpae tetra (Hyphessobrycon eques) is a South American fish from the Paraguay and Guapore basins, and one of the strongest reds in the tetra group. The body is a deep blood-orange to red, with a dark comma-shaped mark behind the gill, a black dorsal fin and a white-tipped anal fin. Colour intensifies over the first few weeks in a settled tank, particularly over dark substrate.

Aquarium care

• Reaches about 4 cm.
• Lively and pushy, and a known fin nipper.
• Keep eight or more so the sparring stays within the group.
• Prefers soft, slightly acidic water with planting and driftwood.
• Mid-water swimmer.
• Omnivorous: flake, micro pellets, frozen bloodworm and daphnia.

Kept in proper numbers it is a fine fish for a robust community with barbs, danios, larger rasboras and corydoras. In twos and threes it will harass anything slower than itself, so bettas, angelfish, guppies and other long-finned fish are the wrong tankmates.

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