Tetras are amongst the most popular aquarium fishes. There are probably more than 150 distinct species of tetra from which the aquarist may choose and this includes a large number of visually stunning fishes that are bound to enhance any home aquarium.
Is the Rosy Tetra a good community fish? The Rosy Tetra should be considered to be an excellent community fish and gets on with most species. It is tolerant of a wide range of water chemistry and should also be considered to be an ideal species for novice aquarists. The male is distinguishable by its elongated dorsal fin.
|Common name(s)||Rosy Tetra – also known as:|
|Scientific name||Hyphessobrycon rosaceus|
|Originate from||Brazil, Suriname and Guyana in northern South America|
|Care required||Easy to care for and hugely popular|
|Temperament||Placid, shoaling fish|
|Colour & Form||Silver, almost transparent body with Red and black fins tipped with white|
|Lifespan||Up to 5 years|
|Adult size||Up to 2 inches|
|Diet||Omnivorous – eat aquatic insect larvae in nature|
|Aquarium size||24 inches in length or greater|
|Compatible with||Most other Tetras, Barbs, Danios, Guppies and other livebearers, dwarf cichlids, smaller Gouramis, catfish and loaches|
|Avoid keeping with||Large and/or aggressive species|
|Breeding||Easy if you put the fish in the right environment.|
|Water temp||75 – 82 Fahrenheit|
|Water pH||5.5 to 7.5|
|Water hardness (dGH or dH)||Up to 20 dGH|
Origins of the Rosy Tetra
Tetras, as a “family” of fishes belonging to the biological family Characidae are found in nature in Africa, Central America and South America.
The Rosy Tetra originates in Brazil, Suriname and Guyana in northern South America. The vast majority of Rosy Tetras available to aquarists are captive-bred.
Characteristics of the Rosy Tetra
As you can see, the Rosy Tetra is characterized by its pale, silver body and rosy-coloured finnage, from which its name is derived. It will grow to up to 2 inches in the aquarium and live for around five years. The Rosy Tetra is also known as the White-finned Rosy Tetra.
The Rosy Tetra is a very adaptable little fish because it can tolerate both clear, almost neutral water and “blackwater” which is quite acidic.
The Rosy Tetra is a shoaling fish and should be kept as a group of at least six fish, though a shoal of, say, ten or more fish is highly recommended. Having plenty of vegetation to break up lines of sight will also help to protect your Rosy Tetras from predation but it is obviously advised that Rosy Tetras are not kept with predatory species.
The body of the Rosy Tetra is a pale silver, almost transparent in colour. The eyes are remarkable in that there is a black band running down them from top to bottom and “through” the pupil. The dorsal fin of the male (below) is elongated, which makes it easy to distinguish the sexes, as the female’s dorsal fin (above) is “squarish”. The dorsal fins tend to have a red, lower leading edge which fades to black and is tipped with white. The pelvic and anal fins are similar in colour gradations to the dorsal fin. The caudal fin displays elliptical, rosy markings above and below the root of the tail whilst the rest of the caudal fin can vary between clear to black in colour.
The adipose fin, as well as the pectoral fins, are quite unremarkable.
The Rosy Tetra has a deeper body than, for example, a Neon Tetra and the female has a slightly deeper body than the male and also a rounder body, especially when gravid (carrying eggs). The colouring of the male tends to be fuller and richer than that of the female, especially as spawning approaches.
The Rosy Tetra tends to inhabit the middle area of the aquarium (top to bottom). That said, it is a vigorous fish when breeding and will readily traverse the entire aquarium.
The Rosy Tetra is, by nature, a shoaling fish and it is generally recommended to purchase six or more fish, as their nature is to swim together as a shoal and they will tend to thrive much better as a shoal. Rosy Tetras are excellent community fish and are ideal for novice aquarists, as they don’t tend to have aggressive tendencies towards other species. It is advised not to include Rosy Tetras in an aquarium containing predatory species, as their wellbeing will rapidly deteriorate.
Rosy Tetras, like most rainforest species, prefer a shaded tank, as they can hide from predation, so consider including floating leaves and/or allowing vegetation to grow so that it floats on the surface of the water to provide shade. They are used to habitats that include decomposing wood and vegetation, which tends to make the water brown (the effects of tannins) and acidic but seem equally happy in clear water.
It is generally advised that the minimum tank size for Rosy Tetras should be one of 24 inches in length or more due to the shoaling nature of the species, which will enable a small shoal to move around freely. The tank should be well-planted but with clear areas where the fish can swim freely. The water should have gentle movement.
Rosy Tetras prefer fairly neutral water with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5 with a temperature range between 75 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit and up to 20 dGH.
The general rule for Tetras is that by keeping six or more of the same species in an aquarium they will be fully aware of which is male and which is female and they will act accordingly.
Most (but not all) Tetras have an additional fin which identifies them as being Tetras and the Rosy Tetra is no exception. If you look between the dorsal fin and the caudal (tail) fin of the Rosy Tetra you will observe a tiny, additional fin, known as the adipose fin. The purpose of this fin is not fully understood but, if it is present on a freshwater tropical fish then you can be pretty certain that the fish is a Tetra.
Tetra comes from the Greek word “Tetragonopterus” which means square-finned and appears to relate to the four fins on vertical plane of the fish (dorsal, adipose, caudal and anal fins) which span the central line of the fish (when viewed from above or below, front or rear) and are not present as a pair (e.g. the pectoral or pelvic fins).
Rosy Tetra – Video
How do Rosy Tetras breed?
Tetras, in general, will scatter eggs by laying them over fine plants such as Cabomba, Fontanalis or Java Moss.
Rosy Tetras, like most species, are noted to leap above the water surface during breeding and in general, so it is advised that the tank should be covered to mitigate the risk of losing fish.
As the female Rosy Tetra becomes ripe with eggs, the difference between the sexes becomes even more evident. If you plan to attempt to breed Rosy Tetras then it is recommended that you have a breeding tank prepared. Such a tank can be empty but you may wish to include a mesh or grid under which the fertilized eggs will fall and/or a sterilized breeding mop.
That said, Rosy Tetras will breed in a community tank and, if the tank is well planted, it is likely that at least a few fry may survive to reach adulthood.
Some say that a novice may find it difficult to breed Rosy Tetras but, in my experience, by understanding the conditions that are ideal for breeding, most species will breed quite readily, as it is natural for them so to do and, in general, nature finds a way.
I have observed Rosy Tetras breeding readily and vigorously in quite neutral water but soft, slightly acidic water is the general recommendation
The female will swim vigorously around the tank and, if you include two males then they will encourage her to lay her eggs by bumping into her. She will lay her slightly adhesive eggs which will immediately be fertilized by the male(s) and will either stick to plants or spawning mop or will fall to the bottom of the tank (preferably through the mesh or trap). Once spawning is complete, remove the adults, as they are likely to consume the eggs, given the chance, and take no further parental responsibility.
Spawning usually takes place in the early morning. In nature, Rosy Tetras spawn at the start of the rainy season.
Breeding tank for Rosy Tetras
You should prepare a tank of around 20 gallons in size with mature water. The water should be at a pH of around 6.0 to 6.8, a dGH of 18 and, ideally around 78 degrees Fahrenheit with a low level of light.
You may wish to introduce mosquito larvae or bloodworm as an inducement to reproduction.
The female will swim amongst the plants, laying her eggs whilst the male will swim alongside or behind her and fertilize the eggs as they are laid. Typically, the female can lay around about 100 eggs during a spawning, which may adhere to plants or will sink to the bottom of the tank.
Once the female has scattered her eggs and the male has fertilized at least some of them then the adults should be removed carefully from the breeding tank because they will have nothing more to do with the eggs but they may simply eat them.
Keep the lights off and the tank dark because Tetra eggs and fry are particularly sensitive to the light.
The eggs will hatch typically in a day or so depending on tank temperature and conditions and the fry will become free-swimming after around three to four days after hatching. Keep the tank unlit for the first week or so then gradually increase the lighting.
The newly hatched fry will firstly feed on their yolk sac but, once free-swimming, can be fed infusoria (particularly rotifers) and will also thrive on egg yolk during the first two to four weeks. It is worth mentioning that immediately after hatching, fry seem quite vigorous but will soon go into a resting state before they become free-swimming so please don’t mistake this initial stage as being free-swimming.
After around four days or so add baby brine shrimp. Once the fry are sufficient in size not to be treated as a snack then they can be introduced into the community tank where they will join the existing shoal. Before moving the adolescent fish into the community tank ensure that you have balanced the water temperatures to mitigate the risk of White Spot or other diseases being triggered.
Should your Rosy Tetras have a special diet for breeding?
Adult Rosy Tetras don’t need any particular inducement to breed. That said, it has been suggested that adding mosquito larva may encourage them, presumably because the addition of a new food may “fool” the fish into thinking that it is breeding time. From my own experience, I would always recommend keeping all of your fish in the best possible condition at all times, as this is good for the wellbeing of your fish.