Nurse Tetra (Brycinus nurse) Care Guide
Brycinus nurse, the nurse tetra, is a large schooling African characin of widely distributed river systems, requiring a group and a spacious aquarium.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Brycinus nurse, the nurse tetra, is a schooling African characin of the family Alestidae, originally described by Rüppell in 1832. It is a comparatively large characin that grows well beyond typical aquarium tetras, requiring a group and a large tank. FishBase now lists the species under the genus Brachyalestes (as Brachyalestes nurse).
Taxonomy
- Family: Alestidae
- Genus: Brycinus
- Scientific name: Brycinus nurse
- Author: Rüppell, 1832
- Common synonym: Brachyalestes nurse (FishBase)
Habitat
The species is widely distributed in West Africa and is present in the Chad and Nile basins up to Lake Albert. FishBase records it from rivers, lakes, irrigation canals and fringing vegetation, in waters of pH 6.0-7.8 and about 23-27 °C. It is potamodromous, undertaking migrations within river systems, and dwarf populations occur in Lake Turkana and Lake Chad.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 400 L
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 6.5-8.0
- GH: 5-18 °dGH
- Adult size: 15-25 cm
- School size: 6 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
Diet
Brycinus nurse is an omnivore. FishBase reports a wild diet of zooplankton, Caridina shrimp, insects, snails and vegetation. In aquaria it accepts a varied diet of prepared, frozen and live foods alongside plant matter, offered about twice daily.
Compatibility
It is a peaceful, mid-water schooling fish that should be kept in a group of at least six in a spacious tank. Given its size, it is best housed with robust tankmates such as larger African cichlids; very small fishes may be eaten and should be avoided.
Breeding
The species is an egg-scatterer. In the wild, reproduction is tied to the wet season, with spawning influenced by flooding and seasonal water changes. FishBase reports sexual maturity at around 8.9 cm.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern, assessed in April 2019. The species is of minor commercial fishery value and is also present in the aquarium trade.
Nurse Tetra Breeding Guide
Overview
The Nurse Tetra (Brycinus nurse) is a large schooling African alestid found across West Africa, the Chad basin and the Nile up to Lake Albert, where it lives in rivers, lakes and irrigation canals. FishBase records a maximum length of about 25 cm and lists it as potamodromous, meaning it undertakes freshwater migrations to spawn. There are no documented accounts of aquarium spawning, so the notes below are limited to verified biology and the general Brycinus egg-scattering pattern.
Sexing
FishBase records that the species shows sexual dimorphism affecting the shape of the anal fin, with maturity reached at around 9 cm. Detailed external sexing cues for the aquarium are otherwise sparse.
Conditioning
No species-specific conditioning protocol is documented. As a large, active alestid, it would require a very large tank, a sizeable group and rich live and frozen feeding to bring adults into condition, following the general Brycinus approach.
Breeding Setup
- Aquarium spawning is undocumented; any attempt would need a very large, dimly lit tank to suit a fish reaching about 25 cm.
- Water within the species' range: temperature about 23-27 C, pH 6.0-7.8 (FishBase).
- By the Brycinus pattern, fine-leaved or floating plants and high dissolved oxygen would be expected requirements.
- Its potamodromous, migratory spawning behaviour in the wild may make controlled spawning difficult.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
In the wild the species is potamodromous and migrates within freshwater to spawn (FishBase). As an alestid, it is an egg-scatterer; by analogy with related Brycinus the adults would scatter eggs into plants and should be separated from them, but no confirmed aquarium spawning account exists.
Egg & Fry Care
No species-specific egg or fry data are documented. By the general Brycinus pattern, free-swimming fry would be started on infusoria or a fine first food, progressing to brine shrimp nauplii as they grow.
Common Challenges
The principal obstacles are the absence of documented captive breeding, the large adult size demanding a very large tank, and the species' migratory (potamodromous) spawning strategy, which is hard to reproduce in an aquarium.