Cardinal Tetras Fish Species:

Cardinal tetras are a breed of South American fish that are native to the Orinoco regions of the Amazon.



They are one of the most sought after fish for any serious aquarium enthusiast because they are a species that actually glow. This is because of the presence of proteins in their skin that have the ability to glow. This combined with a natural shoaling tendency means that this fish is an ideal visual spectacle to have at home.



Having said this, there are some things to consider about the fish. These fish are extremely fragile and considering their breeding habits, it is actually quite difficult to ensure that a next generation is in place if you are not familiar with this fish.

Most of the cardinal tetras that are used for the aquarium trade are acquired from the wild.



This is actually because of some complicated ecological considerations. It is believed by ecologists that harvesting specimens from the wild actually ensure that the forest of the Amazon are kept intact and that the locals that are involved in harvesting wild specimen will not indulge in deforestation considering that this will potentially destroy a better source of livelihood. Getting a wild specimen however does create some constraints upon you from a pet health care perspective.

Pet health issues that are related to cardinal fish include a slightly photophobic nature of the fish. This means that you need to take some special research efforts from a pet health information perspective. Beyond just photophobia, the fish require a certain level of acidity in their tanks, a certain temperature, and a low level of nitrates in the water that they inhabit. Avoiding nitrate contamination in tanks is of prime importance when you are trying to raise these fish. This can be done by ensuring that water is filtered over peat. This will also ensure that the acidity of the water is maintained as close to their natural habitat as possible. Breeding is an activity that requires completely shielding from the light as possible. In the wild, these fish will migrate to heavily forested areas that ensure no light reaches the bottom of pools. In this environment, they will lay their eggs and leave. The hatchlings will then have to be slowly exposed to light as the days go by. In an aquarium environment, you will need to remove the adults from the tank and ensure complete darkness.