Blue Congo Tetra (Bathyaethiops greeni) Care Guide
Bathyaethiops greeni, the Green's moon tetra, is a peaceful schooling African characin from the middle Congo River basin.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Bathyaethiops greeni, known as the Green's moon tetra and sold in the hobby as a blue Congo tetra, is an African characin with an iridescent body and a horizontal stripe. It is a peaceful, schooling species native to the Congo River system.
Taxonomy
- Family: Alestidae
- Genus: Bathyaethiops
- Scientific name: Bathyaethiops greeni
Habitat
According to FishBase, the species is found in the middle Congo River basin, specifically in the Likouala drainage in the Republic of the Congo and the Ruki and Lake Mai Ndombe drainage in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a freshwater, pelagic fish of tropical waters.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 L (about 26 gal)
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 5.5-7.5
- GH: 2-12 °dGH
- School size: at least 6 individuals
- Lifespan: 3-5 years
FishBase reports a tropical temperature range of 22-28 °C for the species, consistent with the aquarium range above.
Diet
FishBase places the species at a trophic level of about 3.1, indicating an omnivorous to micropredatory feeding habit typical of small alestid tetras.
Compatibility
The fish is a peaceful schooling species and is best kept in a group of at least six. Its calm temperament suits a community of similarly sized, non-aggressive fishes.
Conservation status
FishBase reports the species as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with high resilience and low vulnerability to fishing pressure.
Blue Congo Tetra (greeni) Breeding Guide
Overview
The Blue Congo Tetra (Bathyaethiops greeni) is an African characin of the family Alestidae from the middle Congo River basin, reaching about 6 cm and living in freshwater at 22-28 C (FishBase). It is an egg-scattering schooler; species-specific captive breeding data are scarce, so the genus-pattern points below are drawn from the closely related Congo Tetra (Phenacogrammus interruptus) and flagged accordingly.
Sexing
Detailed dimorphism is not well documented for B. greeni. In the related Phenacogrammus, males are larger, more colourful and develop extended fins, while females are plainer and fuller; a similar pattern is expected here but should be confirmed by observation.
Conditioning
Following the Congo Tetra approach, condition fish on live and frozen foods and select the best-coloured male and the fattest, ripest female before moving them to a breeding tank.
Breeding Setup
- A separate, dimly lit aquarium with soft, acidic water (Congo Tetra pattern).
- Temperature about 22-28 C, the species' tropical range (FishBase).
- pH below neutral and soft hardness, with clumps of plants to induce spawning.
- A mesh base or fine-leaved plants so scattered eggs fall out of reach of the adults.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
By the Congo Tetra pattern, after chasing by the male the pair spawn side by side with a quivering motion, scattering eggs; up to around 300 eggs may be produced over several days, though 100-200 is more typical. Subdued light and a morning trigger are commonly reported. Remove the adults once spawning ends to prevent egg predation.
Egg & Fry Care
In the Congo Tetra, eggs hatch in about 6 days. After yolk-sac absorption the fry are offered infusoria, then brine shrimp nauplii or microworm after a couple of days; alestid fry tend to be relatively slow growing.
Common Challenges
The lack of confirmed species-specific breeding reports means the protocol is inferred from the Congo Tetra. Soft, acidic water, dim lighting and prompt removal of the parents are the principal requirements.