Help Id Mysterious Tetra

[pyroo]

Hi, I bought a school of cardinal tetras and this guy was inside the cardinal tank and ended up getting caught....the employee thought it was a cardinal with no colour and gave it to me, after putting it inside the tank, it started to colour up, the eyes turned red and the tail with black and orange markings. Can anyone tell me what kind of tetra it is? Thanks

 

[StagnantSun]

Looks like a Silver Tip or Buenos Aires Tetra to me. Not positive which.

 

[pyroo]

Thanks for the reply! I know its not a buenos aires tetra for sure cause the shape of the body is more "torpedo shaped", and its smaller than the cardinal actually

I thought it was a silvertip tetra at first, but than I after a while, I ruled it out because no white markings showed up after it settled into the tank, and the "orange-gold" spot is only above the black marking, not above and below

 

[StagnantSun]

Hmm, how long has it been in there?

If it's smaller than the cardinals, maybe it's a juvenile? I'm not sure when the tetras I've mentioned develop full color though.

 

[Lateral Line]

With the markings, my first thought was Hemmigrammus pulcher, but it looks a little elongated. Let me think about it!

 

[littlegreentiger]

Perhaps a young female silver tipped tetra? I had a couple and their bodies are more grey than the copper of the male, and their fin tips not nearly so brilliant white (mine weren't particularly noticeable at all). Mine also had only feint spots on the tail, which perhaps develop more as they mature?

 

[Carlovel1]

Hemigrammus pulcher +1

 

[Lateral Line]

The body shape bothers me, I am starting to lean towards Hemmigrammus hyanuary. There is also a marking, albeit rather vague, under and slightly forward of the dorsal with pulcher. It is a pity the pictures aren't better.

Pulcher and hyanuary are both from the same region. Interesting.

 

[pyroo]

Thanks for all the input! The coloration is indeed like Hemigrammus pulcher, but because of the body shape, I'm leaning towards the Hemigrammus hyanuary also