January Tetra Care Guide
Hemigrammus hyanuary is a slim peaceful tetra from the Amazon basin with a blue-green lateral stripe, often used as a dither for dwarf cichlids.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Hemigrammus hyanuary, the January tetra, is a slim, peaceful characin with a blue-green lateral stripe. It is commonly used as a dither fish for dwarf cichlid setups.
Taxonomy
- Family: Characidae (order Characiformes)
- Genus: Hemigrammus
- Scientific name: Hemigrammus hyanuary
Habitat
FishBase records the species from the Amazon River basin in South America, as a benthopelagic freshwater fish of tropical waters.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 60 L
- Temperature: 23-28 °C (FishBase reports 23-27 °C)
- pH: 5.5-7.5 (FishBase 6.0-7.5)
- GH: 2-12 °dGH (FishBase up to 15 dH)
- Maximum size: about 4.4 cm TL (FishBase)
- School size: 8 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 3-5 years
Diet
The species is omnivorous and accepts small dried, frozen and live foods in the aquarium, fed twice daily.
Compatibility
It is a peaceful mid-water schooler and an effective dither fish that encourages shy tankmates to venture out. Suitable companions include dwarf cichlids such as Apistogramma and Corydoras; aggressive species should be avoided.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2021).
January Tetra (Hemigrammus hyanuary) Breeding Guide
Overview
Hemigrammus hyanuary, the January tetra, comes from the Amazon basin of Peru and Brazil, including Lake Hyanuary near Manaus, and reaches about 4 cm. Seriously Fish documents a full egg-scattering spawning protocol; the species shows no parental care.
Sexing
Adult males are slightly smaller and noticeably slimmer than females, and the male carries a small hook on the anal fin, which the female lacks. Conditioned females are also visibly rounder.
Conditioning
Condition the fish with plenty of small live foods. For pair spawning, condition the sexes separately, then select the fattest female and best-coloured male. General care parameters are 23-27 C, pH 6.0-7.0 and hardness 2-15 dH.
Breeding Setup
Seriously Fish recommends an 18 x 10 x 10 inch tank with very dim lighting, fine-leaved plants such as java moss or spawning mops, or a mesh-covered base. Spawning water should be pH 5.5-6.5, gH 1-5 at around 80-84 F, with peat filtration and RO water recommended and a gently bubbling sponge filter.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Spawning can be done in groups of six of each sex or in pairs. For pairs, transfer the selected fish in the evening; they should spawn the following morning.
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. First food is an infusoria-type food, progressing to microworm or brine shrimp nauplii.