Care Level: Easy

Temperament: Peaceful

Live Plant Safe: Yes

General Description: The Head & Tail Light Tetra is a simple yet stunning and active fish that will bring a sense of charm into the community aquarium. One of the most widespread tetra in South America, Head & tail light tetras prefer slow moving rivers, tributaries, and floodplain lakes rather than the main river channels. It would be rare to encounter wild specimens, however, as all of the Head & tail light tetra available within the aquarium trade are commerically produced. These aquacultured specimens have an extra leg up on their wild counterparts being better acclimated to artificial environments. The Head & tail light tetra has an overall silver body, black spot before its caudal fin, and a red highlight above the eye and this black spot in which its name “Head & Tail Light” is derived. Head & tail light tetras are natural shoaling fish, thriving and showing their best coloration with at least 6 individuals but more are encouraged. An adult Head & tail light tetra can reach a size of approximately 2″.

Diet Requirements: Head & tail light tetra are omnivores. A diet made up of various high quality vegetable based and protein based flake foods, sinking micro pellet foods and bug bites are ideal, in addition to offering frozen foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp and daphnia. Variety is the spice of life in order to maintain color, immune function and longevity of your fish.

Care Requirements: A minimum 5 to 10 gallon aquarium is ideal for a small group of Head & Tail light tetra. Size up accordingly to accomodate a larger shoal. Head & Tail light tetra are one of our listed “hardy fish” because they are able to endure the initial break-in cycle of a newly set-up aquarium. Head & tail light tetra are a very adaptable species to a wide range of water parameters. The aquarium does not need to be aquascaped with anything in particular to keep a shoal of Head & tail light tetra happy, but a finer dark substrate, driftwood, plants (live are preferred) and other natural-looking arrangements will bring out the beauty of this tetra. Head & tail light tetra form loose hierarchies, and it is not uncommon to see a pair of them flared up. Head & tail light tetra are diverse in their compatability in freshwater aquariums, but at the very least should be mixed with other peaceful and similar-sized tetra species. Recommended water conditions, 74-82° F, KH 5-20, pH 5.5-7.5.

Purchase Size: Medium: 1” to 1-1/2”

Note: Your item may not look identical to the image provided due to variation within species. Purchase sizes are approximate.