by Tammy L Mahan

Created on: May 22, 2010   Last Updated: May 23, 2010

The Red Eyed Tetra (Arnoldichthys Spilopterus) are a calm fish and relatively easy to breed. The Red Eyed Tetra’s native origin is Western Africa, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Paraguay. They are a fresh water fish that thrive in a large group of ten or more fish. They should be placed in a community aquarium with non-aggressive fish and of course several other Red Eyed Tetras.

The ideal aquarium settings for the Red Eyed Tetra are a ph of 6.0 to 8.0, with a water temperature of seventy-five to eighty degrees Fahrenheit. They enjoy swimming so the center of the aquarium should be kept open, free of any plants or decorations. The aquarium size will depend on the amount of fish you plan to house in it. The sides of the aquarium and the back wall should have plenty of plant life. The Red Eyed Tetra is a mid-dwelling fish.

The Red Eyed Tetra grows to 2.75 inches. They have a bright silver body with a black tail and red eyes, hence the name “Red Eyed Tetra.” Other common names the Red Eyed Tetra is referred to includes- Yellow Head Tetra, Yellow Banded Moenkhausia, and the Yellow Black Moenkhausia.

They are a hardy fish and can easily survive in less than desirable aquarium conditions.

They are omnivorous and their diet consists of a variety of store bought flake foods, along with the occasional frozen, freeze-dried, or live foods such as worms, and brine shrimp.

It is important to know the gender of your Red Eyed Tetra, if breeding is your primary goal with your fish. The females are a little longer and have a larger, rounder abdomen than the males.

For breeding purposes, you will need a separate aquarium for each breeding pair is you plan to breed more than one pair at a time. The aquarium conditions must be adhered to if you want the fries to survive, as they are not as handy of a fish as the adults.

You will want your water to be soft at four DGH or lower, a little acidity with a PH of 5.5 to 8.5, and the water temperature should be about seventy-five to eighty degrees Fahrenheit.  Floating plants are also needed as the eggs are free-floating as opposed to a bubble nest which would provide protection.

The breeding process is very simple, there are no courting or dancing rituals. The Red Eyed Tetras simply spawn. The female will lay up to a thousand eggs. After you are certain all the eggs have been spawned and fertilized, the pair should be returned to the community tank so they do not eat the eggs.

The eggs will hatch in twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Once the fries hatch and begin swimming, a diet of store bought fry food is recommended.

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