Garnet Tetra Care Guide
Hemigrammus pulcher, the garnet or pretty tetra, is an easygoing characin from the upper Amazon near Iquitos with a copper sheen and a dark caudal wedge.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Hemigrammus pulcher, the garnet or pretty tetra, is a stocky characin with a copper sheen and a dark wedge before the tail. It is peaceful and undemanding, and is now treated by FishBase and Wikipedia under the genus Holopristis.
Taxonomy
- Family: Characidae (FishBase and Wikipedia now place it as Holopristis pulchra, order Characiformes)
- Genus: Hemigrammus
- Scientific name: Hemigrammus pulcher
- Common synonyms: pretty tetra, black wedge tetra
Habitat
It is endemic to the upper Amazon near Iquitos in Peru, in slow-moving tributaries beneath forest canopy, and probably also occurs in Brazil and Colombia (Seriously Fish, Wikipedia, FishBase). Most aquarium specimens come from fish farms.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L (Seriously Fish suggests a 60 cm, ~70 L tank for a small shoal)
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (Seriously Fish and FishBase report 23-27 °C)
- pH: 5.5-7.5 (FishBase 5.0-6.0)
- GH: 2-12 °dGH (FishBase 5-12 dH)
- Maximum size: about 3.3-4.5 cm (FishBase, Seriously Fish)
- School size: 6 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 4-6 years
Diet
It is omnivorous; in the wild it takes worms, small crustaceans and plants. In the aquarium it readily accepts dried flakes and granules plus small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, Daphnia and brine shrimp.
Compatibility
The garnet tetra is peaceful, lively but rather shy, and should be kept in groups of at least 6, preferably 10 or more. It should not be housed with much larger or boisterous fish. Suitable companions include Corydoras and dwarf cichlids such as Apistogramma; fin-nippers should be avoided.
Breeding
It is an egg-scatterer that spawns among plants. Seriously Fish notes eggs hatch in about 24-36 hours, with fry free-swimming 3-4 days later; parents should be separated to prevent predation.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2014).
Garnet / Pretty Tetra (Hemigrammus pulcher) Breeding Guide
Overview
Hemigrammus pulcher, the garnet or pretty tetra, is endemic to the Upper Amazon in Peru and reaches about 4.5 cm. Seriously Fish documents both group and pair spawning for this egg-scattering species, which eats its own eggs and shows no parental care.
Sexing
Seriously Fish describes sexing by the shape of the swim bladder, which tapers to a point in males but is rounded in females. Adult females also tend to be slightly larger and more heavy-bodied than males.
Conditioning
Condition the fish with plenty of small live foods, using around half a dozen specimens of each sex for group spawning, or conditioning the sexes separately for pairs. General care parameters are 23-27 C, pH 5.5-7.0 and hardness 1-12 dH.
Breeding Setup
Seriously Fish recommends an 18 x 10 x 10 inch tank with very dim lighting, java moss or spawning mops for egg deposition, and optional peat filtering or RO water. Spawning water should be pH 5.5-6.5, gH 1-5 at around 80-84 F.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
For pairs, transfer the fattest female and best-coloured male in the evening; they should spawn the following morning. Adults will consume the eggs and should be removed as soon as eggs are noticed.
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs hatch in 24-36 hours and fry become free-swimming 3-4 days later. The eggs and fry are light-sensitive in the early stages of life, so the tank should be kept in darkness if possible. First food is an infusoria-type food, progressing to microworm or brine shrimp nauplii.