Ember Tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae) is a tropical fish whose popularity has risen to a great extent due to their colorful, playful features and appealing look. This fish is easy to care for and maintain and is perfect for those who are not experienced in fish keeping.
They look great in groups and can give you an amazing opportunity to add some creativity to your tank. In this article, we learn more about this tropical fish in detail.
Key Features of Ember Tetra
Appearance
This species of fish has a unique appearance that makes them easy to identify. They have a fiery red/orange small body. Their eyes also have an orange rim and the shape of their body is a little elongated.
Behavior
As they come from a green region, their behavior is influenced by the abundance of plants. Ember tetras are small but not so timid. They are fast and active swimmers and playful in nature.
They are usually seen swimming through plants or hiding between them. You can find them swimming in the middle layer of the tank.
Though they are not generally scared, they take some time to adapt to any new habitat. When they are new to a tank, you can expect some strange behavior.
They love living in a company and are happy when surrounded by other Hyphessobrycon amandae. This also reduces their adaptation time and improves their look.
Lifespan
Their average lifespan is about 2 to 4 years. There have been reports of lifespans of more than 6 years but without often there has not been adequate proof either by documentation, scientific methods or other generally acceptable backing of the claims.
Average Size
Average sizes range from 0.75 inches to 2 inches. It’s quite rare to come across one that is more than an inch.
Tank conditions and diet are the major parameters that determine their size. So far there has been no conclusive scientific study carried out that has given any indication that their genes may affect their size.
Tank Size
A 10 to 15 Gallon tank is the most ideal for them as it will be suitable for accommodating a modest group of them with adequate space for Aquascaping.
Habitat and Ideal Tank Conditions
This fish is often found in flowing water like rivers and lakes. They are freshwater fish found alongside green river beds surrounded heavily by plants and trees.
To keep this fish, you should create tank conditions that mimic their habitat. You can use a silent filtration and aeration system with a regular sponge filter to resemble the water flow ideal for this fish.
They prefer conditions with low pH levels so the water should have pH levels between 6.5 and 6.75 and a temperature of 23-29 degrees celsius. The resultant environment provides a great ambience for the fish to thrive. You can use any type of substrate, preferably a dark one.
You may also consider adding dry leaves as they provide some good bacteria for the fish. Plants like Java fern, Java moss and Anacharis are ideal. The recommended tank size for this tropical fish is 10 gallons. Though they are small in size, they are active
Ember Tetra Care
What to Feed Them | Food & Diet
Flakes, Frozen and dried foods are great Tetras. Another great addition to their diet is brine Shrimp which helps to vividly bring out this Fish’s colours. Fluval Bug Bites are also an excellent choice.
If you have a busy schedule you may also consider investing in an automatic fish feeder such as eHeim.
Ember Tetra Tank Mates
Those who are interested in choosing different species for a community tank would wonder whether Ember Tetra can live with Bettas. The answer is yes. You can consider these tropical fish and bettas to live together because ember tetras stay in the middle layer of the tank so they will stay out of each other.
However, you should be aware of some guidelines to make sure both species can thrive well in the same environment. Firstly, you should place about 10-12 of Hyphessobrycon amandae in the tank with bettas as they like staying in groups.
Both types of fish eat the same kind of food so you should not have any problem with feeding them. One thing you should take care of is that tetras are smaller than bettas so there is a possibility they will eat up an ember-tetra if it falls sick. Apart from this, there is no problem keeping the two fishes in the same tank.
Hyphessobrycon amandae are quite friendly and love dwelling in large groups. They like to live with fish of their own kind, making them a great choice for community tanks. These fishes love floating in the middle layer of water.
This means fish that like floating in the bottom layer of the aquarium are ideal mates for the tropical fish ember tetras. Some of the examples of such species are dwarf, pygmy catfishes, hatchel fish, neon tetras, and similar ones.
See also: What are the best bottom feeder fish?
As these tank mates float in different layers of the tank, they can live comfortably together. Also, this tropical fish can live with small-sized fish like Corydoras and others belonging to the Characidae family. Hyphessobrycon amandae often feel safe and comfortable with these small fishes.
You should avoid keeping your Hyphessobrycon amandae with big-sized, predatory fishes. Moreover, you should not keep them with species that eat up plants. It is a good idea to keep about eight ember tetras in a tank because these fishes can live peacefully in a big group.
Breeding
They are easy to maintain and breed. You just need to make some adjustments to your tank settings in terms of lighting, temperature and water quality to breed this species. You can use a separate tank for spawning to keep the fry safe from adult fish.
To breed Hyphessobrycon amandae, you should use a substrate that resembles the natural Brazilian rivers’ habitat. Use a dark-colored substrate and thin plant leaves or Java moss in the tank.
See also: Engineer goby lifespan
To breed the fish, you should choose varying numbers of males and females and monitor their activity. You can keep the female and male Hyphessobrycon amandae fish in the spawning tank. Within a day, you will see that the female lays eggs which should be taken out and kept separately
After about three days, you can see that the new Hyphessobrycon amandae start swimming easily. The fry should be given dry food, like the Hikari First Bites, as at this stage they cannot handle hard foods.
Are Ember Tetras Suitable for your Aquarium?
They will definitely spice up your tank which is also bound to become a great conversation starter.
Feeding them is also easy taking into consideration they don’t have a complicated diet like some other fish types. They are also classified as hardy fish due to their resistance to a wide variety of common fish diseases.
See also: Comet goldfish breeding
Common Diseases that may affect them
Microsporidia infections have been known to be the most common disease that affects them. However, they are generally resistant to most common fish diseases.
See also: Tomini tang growth rate
These fish are a great choice for any fish keeper, whether experienced or novice. These species are easily compatible with other fishes and are easy to maintain.
You just need to recreate their natural habitat and wait for them to get accustomed to their new home. You will soon have attractive fish you can care for and keep for a long time.
Reference
Land of Fish: Ember Tetra Resource