If you want fish that looks pretty in your fish tank but that are also easy to maintain, the serpae tetra fish could be for you. So if you’re a beginner in the fish world or if you simply want a low-maintenance freshwater fish to add to your aquarium, it’s the perfect fish for you.
But this fish is also known to be a fin nipper, meaning it can nip the fin of other fish in the tank. So how do you make sure it stays peaceful and happy in its fish tank and doesn’t get territorial? And what are the other specifics you need to know about the serpae tetra fish?
Don’t worry. This extensive guide will give you all the detailed information about the serpae tetra fish and how to best care for it!
Here’s all the detailed information you’ll need about this beautiful freshwater fish that’s perfect for fishkeeping hobbyists:
Identification
The serpae tetra fish’s scientific name is Hyphessobrycon eques. It is also known as the red minor tetra, longfin serpae, callistus tetra, and jewel tetra. This fish comes from the tetra fish family, particularly the Characidae family, aka the characin family.
It’s part of the blood tetras group. The ‘blood’ refers to their orangey-red color. Serpae tetra also looks very like Hyphessobrycon swegles, aka red phantom tetra, but some differences were disputed through the years between fish experts.
Origins And Natural Habitat
This tropical freshwater fish usually lives in South America, typically in Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil. This fish can be found in the Amazon basin, in river basins near these countries. Serpae tetra fish like to swim in slow-moving and still waters, for example, in ponds, lakes, and streams.
They also enjoy staying around wide vegetation, where they can find food and hide easily. In fact, tree roots with organic debris in murky water are their perfect habitat.
Don’t worry, when you buy a serpae tetra fish, it most likely wasn’t caught in the wild but instead was bred in captivity.
Color And Shae
The serpae tetra fish is the most colorful of the tetra fish species. It has an amber-colored coating on its brown body. Its dorsal fin is black with some white edges. And it has orangey-red caudal fins, with a black anal fin that has some white splashes. The red color can also look a bit brownish. Sometimes, in captivity, serpae tetra fish can have some long fins.
The body of the male serpae tetra fish is flat with a tall frame. You can see a black spot just behind its gills. Fun fact: it kind of looks like a coma. Females tend to be less shiny and colored than males. They’re also a bit rounder.
The vibrancy of your serpae tetra fish’s color will depend on each fish individually. The more the fish ages, the more all these colors will disappear. Especially the black comma spot behind the serpae tetra’s gills. Also, the colors on your serpae tetra fish can change multiple times throughout their lifetime. Aren’t these beautiful fish amazing?
Size
An adult serpae tetra fish will usually measure around 1.75 inches (4.5 cm), but they can also measure up to two inches (5.08cm) if they’re not in captivity. When it’s fully grown, it usually is 1.75 inches (4.5cm), though. They might not teach their full size as adults if you buy it from a bad seller.
Lifespan
The lifespan of a serpae tetra fish is usually from five years up to seven. The more you take care of them, give them varied nutritional food, keep them in good water conditions, the longer they’ll live. It’s as simple as that! If you really take good care of them, they can live more than seven years!
Behavior
As said above, the serpae tetra fish can sometimes nip other fish’s fins. You will need a big fish tank if you want your fish to remain peaceful. If it is in a big environment, like a large fish tank, the serpae tetra fish can be kept with other fish.
To make sure that your serpae tetra fish won’t attack other fish, you should keep them in a fish tank of six fish or more. Also, they are more aggressive towards fish that move slowly, so try not to keep any of these around your serpae tetra fish. They will also be more aggressive when they’re fed, as they view some other fish as their competition.
The serpae tetra fish usually swim at the bottom or the middle of the fish tank. They sometimes can swim at the surface when they’re being fed. They sometimes chase other fish playfully, but usually, they leave them alone. It’s good to keep this fish species with fish that are the same size or a bit larger. And don’t leave them with a smaller group than six. Otherwise, it won’t be peaceful anymore.
Sometimes, serpae tetra fish even can get scared from potentially dangerous predators. So it’s good to put some hiding spaces in the aquarium so they can hide and feel safer. It also likes to explore, especially in a group. The larger the group is, the more your serpae tetra will feel confident. As for how they swim, they’ll swim in short busts, stop, and then swim again. So the serpae tetra fish are fascinating to watch!
Tank Mates
Here are the other fish breeds that you can keep with your serpae tetra fish:
- Other serpae tetras and other tetras species. They have to be larger or the same size, though, otherwise they will fight each other.
- Plecos
- Barbs
- Loaches
- Danios
- Swordtails
- Catfish
Keep at least six fish in your fish tank with your serpae tetra fish. Make sure the other fish are the same size as your serpae tetra or that they’re larger.
Don’t keep slow-moving or smaller fish with long fins in the tank. Otherwise, your serpae tetra fish will be aggressive with them. So avoid bettas or angelfish, for example.
Diet
Serpae tetra fish can eat about anything as they’re omnivorous. This means they can eat anything from plant matter to insects. They can eat fish flakes, live, frozen, and freeze-dried food. But it particularly likes live food, such as insects, brine shrimps, and worms, for example. It’s essential that the serpae tetra fish get enough protein.
As for any fish, you should give them a varied diet so they can be healthy. Their colors will also be varied if you feed them well, especially if you feed them live food.
Serpae tetra fish can get aggressive during feeding time. So put the fish’s food in different areas of the fish tank, or you could install several feeding rings. This will prevent your serpae tetra fish from nipping other fish’s fins.
Water Needs
Serpae tetra fish are found in 5 to 7.8 water pH, so this is also the water pH you should keep in your fish tank. This water pH is meant for freshwater fish, which serpae tetra fish are.
The temperature that should be kept in your aquarium should be between 72 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit (around 22 to 26 degrees Celsius) for your serpae fish to stay happy. As for the water hardness level in your fish tank, it should range between five to 25 degrees dH. So the water should be soft.
Ideally, use blackwater extract or peat in the fish tank, as this will mimic the acid and soft water these freshwater fish are used to. The movement of the water should also be slow, as that’s the natural movement found in the serpae tetra’s natural habitat. Blackwater, with murky water, is also good for them as it allows them to hide from potential predators easily.
Avoid changing the parameters of the water too much, as your serpae tetra fish won’t like it. As for the filter, you should use a sponge filter that’s air-driven.
Tank Needs
Basically, what you’re trying to do with your fish tank is that you’re trying to reproduce their wild environment as much as possible.
You should keep your serpae tetra fish in a large fish tank. The tank should be at least 10 gallons (approximately 37,85L). Ideally, it should be around 20 gallons (approximately 75,70L) if you want to achieve the best results. The larger the tank, the better it will be for your fish. 10 gallons (approximately 37,85L) is really the minimum you should keep your serpae tetra fish in.
Use a darker-colored substrate and keep some low lights in your aquarium. The low light is to reproduce their natural Amazonian environment, where the murky water doesn’t have much light either. Ideally, you shouldn’t place serpae tetra fish in a new aquarium but add them to your existing fish tank.
As for decorating your fish tank, you absolutely should. It’s good to keep your serpae tetra fish interested by adding rocks, driftwood, caves, and plants to their fish tank. Put these decorations around the edges of the fish tank.
Java moss is an excellent plant to keep in the fish tank, as well as Myriophyllum, a tropical aquatic plant. Plants with fine leaves or spawning mops will do just fine. Keep the plants around the edges of your fish tank, and they’ll be great for hiding and exploring spaces for your serpae tetra fish.
Breeding
If you keep your water pH in your fish tank between 6.5 and 6.8, it’s not too hard for your serpae tetra fish to breed. They can either breed in pairs or in a group, with an equal number of male and female serpae tetra fish. If they have a good tank habitat and there’s space for fry (the fish baby), then they will breed easily.
The female will lay eggs in the fish tank’s plants, so it’s essential to keep plants around if you want your serpae tetra fish to breed. But, as soon as the female fish lay the eggs, you should remove all the adult serpae tetra fish, as they will eat the eggs, and put them in another tank until the eggs hatch. Also, remember to remove any lights from the fish tank where the eggs are, as the eggs are really sensitive to light.
Before moving the adults into another fish tank, give them proteinated food. Also, the new tank should be decorated exactly like their usual tank, as they don’t like environmental changes.
The eggs will usually hatch within one or two days. The fry feed on their yolk sack for a couple of days afterward. Then, after they are able to swim, they will eat infusoria and fresh brine shrimp. You can also easily grow your own infusoria. You can also feed them crushed fish flakes or buy pre-made fry food when they’re big enough. Only put the adults back again when the younger fish can defend themselves.
Gender Determination
It’s difficult to determine the gender of your serpae tetra fish. Females have a more rounded shape while males are slimmer. They also have a duller coloring compared to the males. Also, their dorsal fin is completely black, while the male fish have a black fin splashed with white.
Usually, you can tell the gender when they are almost spawning, as the females will look rounder and plumper. But other than that, there’s not too much to go on.
Potential Diseases
Luckily, serpae tetra fish aren’t too prone to get diseases. But, sometimes, it can happen. For example, serpae tetra fish can get freshwater fish disease. They can get fungal infections, skin flukes, or ich.
Usually, you can avoid all of these if you take good care of your fish, which shouldn’t be difficult, as serpae tetra fish are low maintenance. Just make sure the water stays in the right conditions. If you maintain all the requirements the serpae tetra fish need, there should be absolutely no problem.
Leave a Reply