red-nose tetra
- Hemigrammus bleheri
Hemigrammus bleheri
- Hemigrammus bleheri
| Family | Characidae |
|---|---|
| Genus | Petitella |
| IUCN category (World) | NE |
Introduction
Petitella bleheri, commonly known as red-nose tetra, is a characid native to the basins of the Rio Negro and the Orinoco in northern South America. The species is regularly exported for the aquarium trade and has long been distributed under its previous scientific name: Hemigrammus bleheri.
Who is it?
Morphology
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Average size4 cm
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Maximum size5 cm
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Average size4 cm
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Maximum size5 cm
How to recognize This fish ?
Petitella bleheri has a slender and compressed body with silver reflections. The head has a bright red color that extends to the humeral region. A horizontal black bar marks the end of the caudal peduncle without extending forward. The anal fin is transparent. These characteristics distinguish the red-nose tetra from similar species (Petitella georgiae and Petitella rhodostoma). The reliable maximum standard length reaches about 3.6 cm.
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is not very visible. Gravid females have a more voluminous abdomen, while the coloration remains similar in both sexes.
Behaviour & Life cycle
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dietcarnivorous
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Sociabilityliving in shoals
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territorialNo
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Way of livingdiurnal
The red-nose tetra lives in shallow shoals in small forest streams. It resides near vegetation and maintains a lively and coordinated swimming behavior. It is a micropredator that hunts small invertebrates, complementing its diet with plant matter.
Reproduction
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Reproductionovipare qui pond en eau libre
Reproduction takes place from February to May, a transition period between the dry season and the rainy season. Fertilization is external and the eggs are laid above or among vegetation, without parental care. Males reach maturity around 2.6 cm in standard length and females around 2.8 cm.
Harmless species
This species is harmless to humans.
Origin and distribution
What is its habitat?
Natural environment characteristics
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Temperature23 - 26 °C
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pH (acidity)5 - 6.5
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gh (hardness)5 - 12
Biotope presentation
This species frequents tributaries of black and clear waters within the igapós. The environment is characterized by a slow current, shaded areas, and a significant presence of decomposing plant matter (leaf litter, submerged roots, and branches) that provide shelter.
Main recommendations for fishkeeping
Deontology
In order to preserve wildlife, if you acquire this animal, it must not be released into the wild. See also, the Fishipedia charter.
Fishipedia supports the practice of responsible and environmentally friendly aquarium keeping. We encourage maintenance if it is motivated by a desire to understand the biological functioning of living things and if it is done with respect for animal life.
We believe that aquaristics is an opening to the discovery of aquatic environments, especially freshwater, and that this knowledge is necessary to better protect and respect these environments. Logically, we refute the compulsive purchase of animals that would not find a sufficient and / or adapted place in the host aquarium.
Our recommendations
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Min volume120 liters
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Population min10
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Temperature23 - 26 °C
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pH (acidity)6 - 6.8
Characteristics
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Difficulty breedingeasy
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Robustnesstolerant
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Behaviourpeaceful
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Availabilitystandard
Recommended equipment from our partners
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Aquarium
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Filtration
General reminders
It is strongly advised to read the complete dedicated file and to get information on the feedbacks of maintenance of the envisaged animal, this to avoid any potential conflict whose end result is generally the death of the individual (or the other inhabitants). It is important not to overload your aquarium to limit pollution. This will make maintenance easier.
In nature, animals are subject to weather conditions and live in waters with variable characteristics. The recommendations offered by our team for aquarium maintenance are a guidance and cannot be assimilated to scientific datas.
General reminder on maintenance datas
Le démarrage d'un aquarium est une partie primordiale pour l'équilibre et le bien-être des poissons. Lorsque l'on met en eau un aquarium, l'eau passe naturellement par un cycle biologique : le cycle de l'azote. Celui-ci dure environ trois semaines. Tous les 2 jours, nous vous conseillons de tester votre eau jusqu'à ce que le taux de nitrite soit à zéro pendant plusieurs jours d'affilée.
Pour accélérer ce cycle, vous pouvez utiliser un activateur de bactéries comme JBL Denitrol. Cette solution riche en bactéries vivantes et enzymes permet une mise en place rapide du cycle de l'azote. Les poissons peuvent alors être introduits plus rapidement.
Il est important de tester l'eau de son aquarium régulièrement pour maintenir un environnement sain pour les poissons et les autres habitants. Les tests d'eau permettent de mesurer les niveaux de différents paramètres tels que le pH, la dureté totale, ainsi que les taux de nitrates, de nitrites et d'ammoniaque.
Pour réaliser ces tests, vous pouvez utiliser des produits d'analyse spécialisés tels que JBL ProScan qui permet de réaliser un diagnostic de l'eau directement via un smartphone. Il existe également des coffrets de tests plus classiques de bandelettes, comme JBL PROAQUATEST.
En cas d’usage de l’eau du robinet, vous pouvez utiliser un conditionneur d’eau de type Biotopol de JBL pour éliminer les substances nocives comme le chlore, le cuivre, le plomb et le zinc. Une eau trop dure ou trop calcaire peut être inadaptée à de nombreuses espèces tropicales d’eau douce. Si nécessaire, vous pouvez la couper avec de l’eau osmosée ou de pluie filtrée afin d’obtenir une dureté plus adaptée aux besoins de vos poissons et de vos plantes. Les conditionneurs d'eau garantissent une meilleure santé aux poissons et une meilleure croissance des plantes.
Chlorine and chloramine are dangerous for the health of animals. Used to disinfect water, these agents are present in significant quantities in tap water. We recommend using an anti-chlorine agent every time you change the water. In addition to chlorine, treatments and medicines sold for aquarium use sometimes contain dangerous heavy metals in high doses.
Specific needs for the red-nose tetra
The red-nose tetra is a species which lives naturally at a temperature between 23 °C and 26 °C. Nitrate levels should remain below 50mg/L. To keep the water clean and unpolluted, plan on changing 20% to 30% of the water volume each month.
Breeding this species is accessible to any hobbyist. It is recommended to follow some basic rules and to be rigorous to achieve a good maintenance.
This species is particularly common in the aquarium trade. Animals from long-term breeding are usually acclimatized at a temperature of about 26 °C in neutral water.
Jumping fish
Be careful, the red-nose tetra is an excellent jumper, naturally using this faculty to change its living area or to escape from predators. The aquarium must be perfectly covered to prevent him from making a deadly jump...
Cohabitation & Environment
Being a living in shoals fish, it is advisable to install at least 10 individuals in an aquarium of 120 liters minimum. Group maintenance is a prerequisite to ensure their well-being. Lonely individuals tend to quickly become stressed and become especially susceptible to disease. Although sometimes certain groups can "merge", mixing several gregarious species living in the same zone of life is not recommended if the volume is not consequent. The red-nose tetra needs a large living space, therefore it is advisable to keep it in an aquarium with a frontage of at least 100 cm.
The red-nose tetra is a peaceful species that generally does not exhibit behavioral problems in a community aquarium.
It should be noticed that this species should not be kept with large crustaceans or fish, as it would become a prey of choice. Smaller species should preferably be inserted in the aquarium some time before the larger ones. Moreover, if you want to breed it, it is better to put them in a specific aquarium.The species enjoys a particularly vegetation-rich environment. The addition of plants will provide many useful hiding places for resting. These areas are also conducive to possible breeding in the aquarium. Floating plants such as Salvinia can be added to recreate the subdued atmosphere characteristic of its living conditions in the wild.
Acid Water Maintenance
The red-nose tetra living naturally in acidic water, generally in "black" or "sieved" water, the implementation of a filtration on peat is ideal for its balance. Adding decaying leaves and alder fruit can significantly improve living conditions by naturally increasing acidity of some water.Tips for feeding
The red-nose tetra is carnivorous.
This species can eat dry food (flakes, pellets), fresh food and frozen food. To avoid deficiencies, it is recommended to vary the types of food.
Feed animals in moderation to maintain good water quality. Meals should be eaten within 2–3 minutes, served in several small portions rather than a single large ration.
Uneaten food quickly decomposes, releasing ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, which disturb the aquarium’s biological balance.
Make sure each species can access food properly, slower or bottom-dwelling individuals may require targeted feeding.Food recommendations from our partner JBL - Products PRONOVO
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Granules
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Flakes
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Sticks
Reproduction protocol
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Maintenance difficultyhard
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egg-laying protectionNo
Reproduction of this species in an aquarium is considered hard. Ideally, it takes place at a temperature of around 25 ° C for a pH of 5.5 .
Hybridization risks
In general, it is advised not to mix several species of the same genus or different varieties of the same species, to avoid the risks of hybridization.
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To go further
Sources & Contributions
Participation & Validation
The Fishipedia team and specialist contributors are committed to providing high-quality content. However, although the information comes from scientific sources or testimonials from specialists, the cards may contain inaccuracies.
Benoit Chartrer
Translation
Translation done with the valuable contribution of our translators, who make this information available to a wider audience. We sincerely thank them for their commitment.
Benoit Chartrer
Scientific partners
Species of the same family
Same genus