There are a wide range of Tetris fish available. This article is just a brief summary of some of the more common varieties.
Paracheirodon Axelrodi
The Paracheirodon Axelrodi – commonly known as the Cardinal Tetra – typically grow to around 1ΒΌ inches in size and comes from the Upper Rio Negro, Columbia, and Brazil. Similar to the Neon Tetra in color this fish differs in that it has a broader spectrum of colors. But unlike Neon fish, the Cardinals have red colors on the cover of their gill.
Opella Arnoldi
The Opella Arnoldi is commonly known as Spraying Characin or the Splashing Characin. These fish grow to around 3 inches in size and come from Guiana, Venezuela, and Brazil. Sprays have elongated fins, as well as a slim body.
Spraying Characin feeds on most foods and prefer to have neutral or soft water conditions.
When breeding, Spraying Characin spawns on the surface of overhanging leaves, although they may also spawn at bottom surface area of The Aquarium. Spraying Characin prefer to breed in aquariums that are only thinly planted, with around 15 gallons of water. They generally only produce around 15 eggs at a time, although the fish will repeat this process until around one hundred eggs are deposited.
Once the fish spawn, it’s best to remove the female fish from the tank and allow the male to care for the eggs. The eggs are deposited above the water level however the male will splash water over them. If the eggs fall into the water, the male fish may eat them. If you notice the male attempting to eat the eggs, remove him from the tank too.
If you remove the male from the tank, affix an aerator stone in the tank. The stones will promote spray to bubble, which will maintain the eggs’ health.
Finally, make sure you remove the male fish again around the fourth day, as the fry will begin to seep into the waters so you don’t want the male to feed on them.
Copeina Guttata
Copeina Guttata – also known as the Red-spotted Copeina – can be found in the Central Amazon region and grows to around 4 inches in aquariums, although tends to grow to around 5 inches in its natural habitat. This fish is a mix of orange-red colors with yellow fins and a blue-silver body.
The Red-spotted Copeina has a very peaceful nature and is perfect for larger tanks. Its feeding patterns and water condition are much the same as Opella Arnoldi, or Spraying Characins.
When it comes to breeding, these fish pair up and the female will deposit around 300 eggs in the gravel (preferably small, flat stones). Once she has finished laying the eggs the female should ideally be removed from the aquarium. The male should then be removed as soon as the young fry begin to swim around.
You’ll be able to differentiate the male from the female by the male’s red dotted flank.
Overall, Tetras are a fairly easy species of fish to maintain and a good species for beginners.
