Hockey-stick Tetra (Thayeria obliqua) Care Guide
Thayeria obliqua is a peaceful Amazonian schooling tetra marked by a diagonal black stripe running into the lower caudal lobe.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Thayeria obliqua is a small characid in the family Characidae. FishBase records it from the middle Amazon, middle Tocantins and Guaporé River basins in South America. It is closely related to Thayeria boehlkei and carries a similar diagonal black stripe that extends into the lower caudal lobe.
Taxonomy
- Family: Characidae
- Genus: Thayeria
- Scientific name: Thayeria obliqua
Habitat
FishBase classes it as a pelagic tropical freshwater fish. Seriously Fish describes the habitat as jungle streams and tributaries, presumably with dense marginal vegetation.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 L (Aquairi KB); Seriously Fish notes 60 L for a small group
- Temperature: 22-28 °C
- pH: 5.8-7.5 (Aquairi KB); Seriously Fish 6.0-7.0
- GH: 2-12 °dGH (Aquairi KB); Seriously Fish up to 15 °H
- School size: at least 6, preferably 10 or more
- Maximum size: about 7.6 cm SL (FishBase)
- Lifespan: 4-6 years
Diet
An omnivore. According to Seriously Fish, it naturally consumes small insects, worms and crustaceans; in aquaria it accepts small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, Daphnia and Artemia, plus dried flakes and granules.
Compatibility
A peaceful schooling species that should be kept in groups. Seriously Fish reports it fares poorly with aggressive or much larger tankmates and lists suitable companions such as South American tetras, pencilfish, Apistogramma, small cichlids, Corydoras and Loricariids.
Breeding
FishBase records the species as oviparous (egg-laying). Seriously Fish notes no documented reports of successful captive breeding.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 04 March 2021), per FishBase.
Hockey-stick Tetra (obliqua) Breeding Guide
Overview
The Hockey-stick Tetra (Thayeria obliqua) is a South American characid closely related to T. boehlkei, with a similar diagonal black stripe running into the lower caudal lobe. Seriously Fish notes that there are no reports of successful captive breeding of this species, although the spawning strategy involved is likely to be similar to that of T. boehlkei. The details below for the genus pattern are therefore drawn from the closely related T. boehlkei and should be treated as a guide rather than a confirmed protocol for T. obliqua.
Sexing
Adult females are more rounded in the belly and a little less intensely coloured than males, the same dimorphism reported for the genus.
Conditioning
Following the Thayeria pattern, condition the sexes on plenty of small live foods. For pair attempts the sexes are conditioned separately and the fattest female and best-coloured male are selected.
Breeding Setup
- Spawning tank around 18 x 10 x 10 inches (about 45 x 25 x 25 cm), very dimly lit (Thayeria pattern).
- Temperature slightly higher than the conditioning tank, which helps to induce spawning.
- Water on the acidic side of neutral; peat filtration is not essential.
- Clumps of fine-leaved plants such as java moss or spawning mops, or a mesh base that lets eggs fall out of reach.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
By analogy with T. boehlkei, spawning can occur in a group of around six of each sex or as a pair, with a temperature rise acting as a trigger. Eggs are semi-adhesive and scattered; the adults eat the eggs and should be removed as soon as spawning is noticed.
Egg & Fry Care
In T. boehlkei the eggs hatch in about 12-24 hours and the fry are free-swimming around 3-4 days later; eggs and fry are light sensitive, so the tank is kept dark. First foods are infusoria-type, followed by microworm and brine shrimp nauplii.
Common Challenges
The principal challenge is the lack of documented success specifically for T. obliqua, meaning breeders must adapt the T. boehlkei protocol. Egg predation by adults and light sensitivity of eggs and fry are the usual additional hurdles.