Serpae Tetra
Hyphessobrycon eques
Characidae
About
The serpae tetra is a small, deep-bodied characin from the still and slow-moving tributaries, backwaters and ponds of the Paraguay and Guaporé river basins in South America. Prized for its intense blood-red body and dark shoulder blotch, it is hardy and adaptable but notoriously nippy, earning a reputation as one of the hobby's most persistent fin-nippers when kept in small groups. Nipping and internal squabbling ease markedly in a large shoal with a spacious, well-planted tank that breaks up sight lines.
Care
Keep in a bold shoal of 10+ (ideally 10-15) in a planted tank of 75 L or more with a base at least 80 cm long for open swimming space. A committed fin-nipper: avoid slow, long-finned tankmates such as bettas, angelfish, guppies and gouramis.
Diet
Micro-predatory omnivore; feed varied dry foods plus regular frozen or live bloodworm, daphnia and mosquito larvae to fuel colour and activity.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (93)
Avoid (28)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.