Lemon tetra

Water parameters

Tolerated range for this species. Aim for the middle of each band rather than the extremes.

Tank and habitat

Substrate: any.

Behavior

Plant interaction: plant safe.

Feeding

Undemanding. Flake food, micro pellets, frozen bloodworm, frozen brine shrimp, frozen daphnia. Feeds in the midwater column. Not competitive at feeding time; won't outcompete anyone but also doesn't get pushed around. Twice-daily feeding in moderate amounts. Color improves with a varied diet. Live baby brine shrimp is a treat that brings out feeding behavior.

Compatibility

• Peaceful schooling tetra that fits into any community with non-aggressive species. No nipping, no territorial behavior, no drama.
• Schools best in groups of 8+ where the yellow coloration intensifies through competition between males. Small groups look washed out.
• Good companion for planted tanks, community tanks with dwarf cichlids, and any setup with similarly sized peaceful fish.
• The lemon-yellow body color with a red upper eye is subtle compared to neons or cardinals but in a big group against a dark background it's surprisingly attractive.

Origin and habitat

Native to the Tapajós River basin in central Brazil, one of the main tributaries of the lower Amazon. The species' distribution is somewhat uncertain; the type locality is vague, and at least one field observation suggests it may also occur in the neighboring Xingu system. Described by C. G. E. Ahl in 1937 from aquarium imports of unknown origin; its wild habitat was not confirmed until Géry's 1980 redescription placed it in the middle and lower Tapajós between Itaituba and Jacaré Acangá, along with streams flowing into the Rio Curuá do Sol. The species name pulchripinnis comes from Latin pulcher ("beautiful") + pinna ("fin"), referring to the black-and-yellow dorsal and anal fins. Inhabits clear-water streams and tributaries with moderate current and dense vegetation. Now placed in the family Acestrorhamphidae following a recent revision of the American characins. Grows to about 5 cm total length; the recorded maximum standard length is 3.8 cm. The most recognizable feature is the bright red eye. The body is translucent with a warm yellow tone that intensifies in healthy, well-kept fish. An albino variant exists in the trade. A related "Bolivia Orange" form and other similar forms in the pulchripinnis species complex have been documented.

Breeding

Egg scatterer, moderate difficulty. Condition pairs with frozen food for a week. Breeding tank with soft acidic water (pH 5.5-6.5, GH below 6), dim lighting, fine-leaved plants or spawning mops. Temperature at 26–27°C. Spawning occurs at dawn. The pair scatters 200-300 eggs among the plants. Eggs are light-sensitive; keep the tank dark. Remove adults after spawning. Eggs hatch in about 24 hours. Fry are tiny and need infusoria for the first 4-5 days, then baby brine shrimp. Growth is moderate. The species is less commonly bred by hobbyists than other tetras, mostly because the commercial supply is cheap and abundant.

Common problems

Color washed out in poor conditions is the main complaint. The fix is environmental: dark substrate, warm lighting (3000-4000K), tannin-stained water, and a large group. Once those conditions are met, lemon tetras go from forgettable to one of the prettier community tetras available. Health-wise, they're hardy. Ich can appear in stressed new purchases. Fin rot is rare except in degraded water. The species is one of the longer-lived small tetras; 6-8 years is common in well-maintained tanks. Old fish fade in color gradually.

Bioload

Further reading

• How to cycle a fish tank
• Stocking ideas by tank size