Jonty
Fish Addict
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Common name/s: Ember Tetra
Scientific name: Hyphessobrycon amandae
Family: Characidae
Origin: South America
Maximum size: 2 cm
Care: Since they are small these fish can be kept in tanks as small as 25 litres. Ember Tetras will loosely shoal in groups of 6 or more. They can look 'washed out' under bright lighting or when stressed, so a dark substrate and lots of plants are preferred. Because of their tiny size they shouldn't be kept with anything bigger than 3 inches, as they could become lunch! They prefer PH of 6.5 - 7.2, but I'm keeping mine at 7.8 with no ill effects. Temperate should be 24-27°C
Feeding: These are mid-water fish and generally take food as it begins to sink, so small slow-sinking pellets/granules are recommended over flakes. Some flakes are too big for them to eat. Mine LOVE bloodworm, but make sure they're not too big.
Sexing and breeding: Once mature males will be a deeper copper colour than the females, who can be almost see-through. To breed them you'll need to set up a separate tank around 18" x 10" x 10". This should have very subdued lighting and contain spawning mops and lots of fine-leaved plants. The water should be soft and have a PH of 5.2-6.4,, with a temperature of around 24-27°C. You can filter the water through peat if needs be. A small sponge filter will be sufficient. Condition the most colourful male and the female with the most eggs on live foods for 2-3 weeks beforehand. The parents will eat the eggs so remove them as soon as you see any. Eggs hatch after 1 day, and fry are free-swimming after 4-5 days. Feed on infusoria or filter squeezing until they can accept BBS.
Comments: A lovely fish that looks really good in a planted tank. People say they can be hard to locate, but every Maidenhead Aquatics I've been to has stocked them.
Scientific name: Hyphessobrycon amandae
Family: Characidae
Origin: South America
Maximum size: 2 cm
Care: Since they are small these fish can be kept in tanks as small as 25 litres. Ember Tetras will loosely shoal in groups of 6 or more. They can look 'washed out' under bright lighting or when stressed, so a dark substrate and lots of plants are preferred. Because of their tiny size they shouldn't be kept with anything bigger than 3 inches, as they could become lunch! They prefer PH of 6.5 - 7.2, but I'm keeping mine at 7.8 with no ill effects. Temperate should be 24-27°C
Feeding: These are mid-water fish and generally take food as it begins to sink, so small slow-sinking pellets/granules are recommended over flakes. Some flakes are too big for them to eat. Mine LOVE bloodworm, but make sure they're not too big.
Sexing and breeding: Once mature males will be a deeper copper colour than the females, who can be almost see-through. To breed them you'll need to set up a separate tank around 18" x 10" x 10". This should have very subdued lighting and contain spawning mops and lots of fine-leaved plants. The water should be soft and have a PH of 5.2-6.4,, with a temperature of around 24-27°C. You can filter the water through peat if needs be. A small sponge filter will be sufficient. Condition the most colourful male and the female with the most eggs on live foods for 2-3 weeks beforehand. The parents will eat the eggs so remove them as soon as you see any. Eggs hatch after 1 day, and fry are free-swimming after 4-5 days. Feed on infusoria or filter squeezing until they can accept BBS.
Comments: A lovely fish that looks really good in a planted tank. People say they can be hard to locate, but every Maidenhead Aquatics I've been to has stocked them.
