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Serpae Tetra Fish:Serpae tetra, popularly also known as the red minor tetra or the jewel tetra, is a South American species of fish belonging to the tropical family of characids.
It is most commonly found in the Amazon basin, Peru and Paraguay, in densely vegetated and stagnant waters. The scientific name of this species is Hyphessobrycon serpae. These fish grow over 4 cms in length and are quite sleek.
The females may be more rotund and bigger in size in comparison to the males. The males, on the other hand, are more colorful than the females. These fish can also be sexed by observing the difference in the shape of the swim bladder that lies above and behind the silvery abdominal region.
They have a notorious reputation of nipping the fins of the members of their own species as well as of others, but the fact of the matter is that if these fish are allowed to live in small schools comprising 6 to 10 members they do not display aggressive behavior. They are prone to disputing amongst themselves but rarely indulge in active violence. They often reveal their colors beautifully by spearing their fins wide when they indulge in such disputes. Their fins are mostly black in color with white tips. Because of their attractive, sparkling reddish color with a strikingly contrasting black diamond-shaped patch on the flank behind the gills, these creatures have become very popular with connoisseurs of fish.
These fish may get a bit aggressive towards other species so it is recommended that you place them in the company of other similar sized an active fish if you wish to breed them at home in your aquarium. Maintain the pH level of the water between 5 and 7.5, and the water temperature between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The water should not be too hard and the tank in which they are bred should have a minimum capacity of 10 gallons. These fish like to swim in the middle portion of the water and may sometimes dive deeper towards the bottom too. They are omnivores so you may opt for both live and preserved or manufactured food, but make sure that you maintain a variety in the food that you offer these creatures in terms of color and nutritional value. They lay their eggs around thick bunches of aquatic plants that have fine leaves, such as like Myrophyllum. These fish may live for up to 7 years.
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